Technology Integration in Early Childhood Education

Advocacy Speech
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Advocacy Speech
A review of current research shows the underutilization or misuse of technology in childhood education. The benefits of technology integration in early childhood education (ECE) demand the development of adequate implementation plans. For instance, the interactive ECE learning environment facilitated by technology demands the application of controls to ensure the learning objectives are met. Notably, excessive and unhealthy use of technology leads to poor academic performance and declining social engagement for children (Kim, 2020). Technology integration further creates education inequality, whereby most low-income parents or schools are challenged to provide the required resources to promote an effective learning environment. Critically, the transformation of ECE by technology integration rests on effective solutions for emerging inconsistencies to ensure proper child development.
Technology-enhanced learning depends on the participation of various stakeholders, such as teachers, parents, and school administrators. Specifically, teachers must be adequately trained to use the technology resources in practice. Currently, there is a notable gap between the ICT coursework teachers cover in their training and in practice that should be addressed (Manning et al., 2019). Furthermore, parents are vital in providing the resources needed for ECE and regulating the use of technology. The school administration is also obligated to provide a unified implementation plan that ensures education equality and guided healthy use of technology in ECE. Overall, the key stakeholders must collaborate to ensure that technology influence on ECE is beneficial.
Pertinently, school institutions should formulate policies and procedures on technology integration in ECE that address the potential gaps and risks. The policies should detail the appropriate technology learning tools relevant to the children's age, and social and cognitive capacity, among other factors. Manning et al. (2019) indicate a direct correlation between the qualification of educators and the quality of the ECE learning ...