It is hard to imagine that a 24 month old child could expertly navigate an iPhone or iPad, maybe even better than their own parents. The exposure a child has to technology early on in their life will definitely impact their development and learning. That is why I am personally interested in the Waldorf schools: where there is no technology present and students learn with hands on activities (i.e. sewing, crafts, musical instruments). I went to a Waldorf school when I was in kindergarten, and I still remember sewing dolls, playing instruments, and baking bread. It was an entirely different experience when I entered first grade at my town's public school, where there was much more technology present.
On the other hand, many schools view this technological boom as an advantage, and are using every opportunity to expose children to it. For instance, at Aspen Academy every child has an iPad. Teachers believe that iPads in the classroom have many educational benefits: they excite children about learning, and are very engaging. Many teachers believe that technology is part of these children's generation and that is important to expose them to it.
Ultimately, the argument regarding technology and childhood education can sway in both directions: Waldorf school learning vs. iPads as part of the curriculum. What is most vital, though, is to find a healthy balance between these two means of learning.
#5 I never knew about schools like Waldorf before. It shows the contrast between more of lifestyle v. fast learning games. As we advance with technology in society, there is definitely going to be an increase with the use of it in schools around the world. As you can see high school public schools are now distributing laptops to students. This change in school systems are in effect, spreading from state to state. It's scary to think that our natural, basic skills, are being overpowered by eager technology, especially at such a young age. I can see both the benefits of getting children to learn how to use technology at a young age so they will become more efficient when using them when they grow up, especially since it will probably be even more advanced when they're older. However, we also can't forget what kindergarten is all about, learning the natural skills of life, that are still important.
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