Technology

Planning & Support:

Using Data Effectively

to Plan Classroom

Implementation and

Professional Development

May, 2013

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Lilla Dale McManis, Ph.D.

Karen Nemeth, Ed.M.

Fran Simon, M.Ed.

NHSA Annual

Conference 2013

About USLilla Dale McManis

Hatch Early Learning

Karen Nemeth

Language Castle, LLC

Fran Simon

Engagement Strategies, LLC

Early Childhood

Technology Collaborative

Learning Objectives

You will:

• understand the types and uses of educational technology that may be considered for your program

• learn about national survey data and resources that can inform your technology decisions

• learn how to collect internal data for more effective technology planning and professional development

• learn and practice new strategies to evaluate technology professional development options for inclusion in your Head Start E-Rate Technology Plans as recommended in the Reference Guide under item 4, Core Element II – Professional Development

Our

Study

4

On Tech Use in ECE Overview

Rationale for Early Childhood Technology

Collaborative Study

• Lack of research about ECE tech

• Differentiate home use and classroom use

• Sort out conclusions about passive tech use vs. interactive technologies

• Need to hear directly from EC educators

Who Responded?

•485 in the U.S.

•116 Administrators

•369 Teachers

About the Respondents

Community Type Poverty Children Served

About the Respondents

Program Type Ages Children Served

Why ECE Educators Use Technology

Primary Reasons

How Tech Tools Are Used

Why don’t some programs

use tech?

Obstacles/Weakness

What Technology is Used?

Types of Tech Tools

What Educators Don’t Have but Would Like for Children

How Much Time?

How Many Days of the Week

Desk/Laptops

Feel Appropriate Actually Spend

IWBs

Feel Appropriate Actually Spend

TabletsFeel Appropriate Actually Spend

The Results• Used regularly but not excessively

• Used because children enjoy it & it helps meet goals of program

• More a support than for direct instruction

• What’s used follows

availability

• Differences between

beliefs and practices for

amount of time

What

Activities?

Frequency by Content

Language/Literacy Mathematics

Frequency by Content

Science Social Studies

Frequency by Content

Art Music

Frequency by Domain

Social-Emotional

Logic/Problem Solving Approaches to Learning

Frequency by Domain

Teacher’s Role

Who is Guiding Activities

Who is Guiding Devices

Who is Guiding Devices

Who is Guiding Devices

• Used more for traditional content areas

• Rarely used to support social-emotional goals

• Educators “drive” some kinds of tech more than others

• Also allow child-initiated

• Balance: teacher-guided

and child-initiated

The Results

How are Goals Monitored?

Determining Learning

For Children

Needing Extra Support?

DLL/ELL Learners

Tech with DLL/ELL Learners

Chosen specifically to meet needs of ELL children

In every language spoken in your group now

Special Needs Learners

Special Needs Learners

Devices used with children who have special needs

Professional Development?

Types Professional Development

Best support received for using technology

Comfort Level Using w/ Children1 = not at all, 5 = completely

Desk/laptops IWBs

Comfort Level Using w/ Children1 = not at all, 5 = completely

Tablets Multi-touch Tables

• Technology is being used to monitor progress

• Seems available but low implementation for DLL/ELL children and special needs children

• Many different kinds

of PD available and

most have received

• More comfortable with

more established tech

The Results

Implications

for your

program?

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Discussion

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From the

conference

to your

program

What next?

Put your plan into action!

–Needs Assessment w/key players

• Roll the results into a professional development plan

• Roll the results into a phased Technology Action Plan

–Measure results & revise accordingly

–Revisit the plan regularly

–Be open to change as change occurs

Copyright, Simon and Donohue

Technology implementation

requires buy-in and support from the

program “ecosystem”

Director

Board

Families

Funders

Support

Staff

Community

Partners

Vendors

Main

Office

I/T

Teachers

Tech

Lead

Look for Internal Data!• Sources

– Observation of use

– Dialogue and conversation

– Feedback forms

– Organization records

• Think about

– What do teachers/children ask for? Get excited about?

– What do teachers/children never use? Avoid?

– What do they rush to “show” others?

– What do they “grumble” about?

Professional Development

Teachers need:– Hands-on playtime

– Relevant reasons to use technology

– Technology role models, coaches, peer mentors

– Ongoing formal PD opportunities

– Professional learning networks

– Reliable resources: books, websites, blogs,

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Resources

Resources for Planning

Gryphon House, Amazon,

Follett Early Learning

HatchTeachersPayTeachers.com

Learn More-Stay Connected

• Early Childhood Technology Network

• Twitter: #ECEtechCHATEvery Other Weds. @ 9pm ET

• http://www.ecetech.net/

• Free resources by Hatch

http://hatchearlylearning.com/resources/

Readings

Suggested readings• Simon, F. & Nemeth, K. (2012). “Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right

Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education.” Lewisville, NC: GryphonHousehttp://www.gryphonhouse.com/store/trans/productDetailForm.asp?BookID=10023

• McManis, L.D. & Gunnewig, S. (2012). “Finding the education in educational technology with early learners.” Young Children, 67(3), 14-25. http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/file/201205/McManis_YC0512.pdf

Acknowledgement• The Early Childhood Technology Collaborative would like to thank Perry

McManis, M.A. Economics, for statistical analyses of the survey data.

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Questions

Lilla Dale McManis

DMcmanis@HatchEarlyChildhood.com

Karen Nemeth

Karen@LanguageCastle.com

Fran Simon

Fran.Simon@ESbyFS.com