PreKindergarten Technology Applications

According to the Texas Prekindergarten Technology Application Guidelines, students are expected to do the following by the end of the school year:

* Open and navigate through software programs
* Use a varitey of input devices
* Operate sound/voice recorders
* Operate touch screens
* Use software to create and express own ideas
* Recognize that information is accessible through technology.

I agree that these skills will set a foundation of learning for future technology use; however, I do not think these skills can realistically be taught. For one, this age group has not mastered their hand/eye coordination skills. They are still trying to figure out how to hold a crayola correctly. To see them struggle with the motion of a mouse on a computer screen and then try to add a single or even double click to the mix, this can only bring frustration on both the student and teacher's part. I know! I teach kindergarten students basic computer skills. We spend the first half of the school year just learning HOW to use a mouse - - learning the correlation of their movements to the movement of the pointer on their screen. Single clicks are mastered rather easily, but when the double click is introduced, you would not believe the number of desktop shortcuts that either get deleted or moved into another application folder on the desktop. Frustrating as it can be for the teacher, it does create some humorous situation when it come time to clean up desktops and try to find these lost files.

I do agree with the examples of instructional strategies given in that they involve a lot of teacher modeling. Just seeing someong use technology sparks an interest - especially with this age level. My kindergarten students are the most eager to learn "computers" when they come to my class. The soak up everything and want to do everything I do on my computers. I do realize that many of the skills these prekindergarten students can be exposed to are not always "computer related". Simple Leap Frog learning programs and equpment will give this age group appropriate technology exposure, and they do meet the objectives stated in the Prekindergarted Technology Application standards.