A popular topic in early childhood education today is the use of technology in child care centers. The rise of technology in the classrooms has parents and teachers asking questions such as, “How much is too much?” and leaves them wondering if children will still receive the quality care they require. The ubiquity of technology, from televisions to smartphones, tablets and computers, has inevitably made its way into child care centers, where it is being used to support the development of young children.
In all child care settings, however, it is essential that technology is used to enhance and facilitate learning rather than replace the role of the educator altogether. The following is a look at some of the ways that technology is being used to enhance child care centers and how it can help them enhance the level of care they can provide.
Technology and Education
When used appropriately, technology can play a role in educating young children. Rather than passive “screen time”, technology can be used in a way that requires the active participation of children. Technology in child care must enrich your curriculum, not replace important instructional time or opportunities for development. Beyond enhancing early childhood curriculum, technology can also support the learning of children with special needs. Assistive devices can help children participate in activities that may otherwise not be possible, allowing for further inclusion.
Technology and the Parent-Caregiver Relationship
Many facilities are adopting new technologies that allow parents to check in on their child while they are in preschool. Whether a center offers a live video feed, regular text updates and emails, or multimedia-rich daily reports, parents can become more engaged with their child’s care. Additionally, parents are using this technology to respond to preschool providers, keeping them informed of what is going on at home and providing any essential information about their child. This two-way stream of communication can improve the relationship between parent and caregiver, allowing both sides to stay up to date about how a child is developing and feel more comfortable with their care.
Technology and Administration
One of the greatest benefits of using technology in child care facilities is the streamlining of administrative duties. Specialized child care technology like HiMama can be used to make an early childhood educator’s job easier, by reducing the manual, time-consuming tasks of taking attendance, recording observations, creating reports and distributing this information to parents. By spending less time documenting, care givers are able to spend more time where it is needed most – with children!
For more information about using our technology in child care centers, reach out to the team at HiMama today. We can help you identify where and how our software can be used to improve the daily operations of your daycare or preschool facility.
