Education Special Section
“The way students learn, share ideas, get
access to content, create, and collaborate
is fundamentally different,” says Anthony
Salcito, vice president of worldwide
education at Microsoft. “Their mindsets
are different, and the workplaces we are
preparing them for are different, so we have
to recognize there has been a lot of change.
What we’ve now got to do at a system level,
the institution level, is not only embrace
that change but use it in a purposeful way
to drive a different dynamic in classrooms.”
Experts believe that the human
psychology of learning has seen little
change over time, but external factors,
including the digital revolution, have
unstoppably shaped the way in which
we learn and teach. Technology has
brought about exciting and innovative
ways for personalized learning and novel
approaches for teachers to address gaps
in learning processes. Yet one constant
remains in education, and that is the critical
role of teachers. Human interactions
are undoubtedly crucial both inside and
outside of the classroom. The inspiration
and support provided by teachers is what
can make a student successful, even if that
student is provided all other tools and
opportunities needed to succeed.
PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
If you’re interested in
potentially taking on the cost of
a second mortgage, look no further than
sending your child to preschool. When
seeking out the program that is right for
your child, many considerations are taken
into account including safety, cost, location,
teacher credentials, accreditations, and
how each of these will meet your child’s
individual needs. Once thought of only
as daycare, preschools are shaping their
early education programs to mold even the
youngest of students for future success.
Across the U.S., the demand for quality
early learning programs is on the rise, with
STEAM concepts (science, technology,
engineering, arts and mathematics) making
their first appearance to students at the age
of 3. Early Learning facilities are proving
their worth through implementing quality
metrics, investing in technologies, and by
offering an array of options for curriculum-
versus non-curriculum-based learning
to best suit the learning style of young
students.
Preschools and educational daycares,
a newly coined term, are implementing
Quality Rating Improvement Systems
(QRIS) as a standard for success in early
education. The National Center on Early
Childhood Quality Assurance, funded
by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, developed QRIS as a
systemic approach to assess, improve,
and communicate the level of quality in
early and school-aged care and education
programs. In Pennsylvania, the Keystone
STARS (Standards, Training/Professional
Development, Assistance, Resources,
and Support) program focuses on the
importance of employing quality staff,
professional development, early learning
programs, partnerships with family and
the community, and leadership an d
management of facilities. Within these
structured guidelines, the state aims to
ensure that quality care is provided to
preschool-aged students at all facilities.
But some educational daycares are
working to “up the ante” on the level of
education students receive.
According to the National Association
for the Education of Young Children,
there are a variety of ways to implement
effective classroom practices involving
technology and interactive media. As
preschoolers are immersed in the use
of technology at home—with their
parents on their phones, siblings on their
tablets, and watching others use the
computer—they are curious about the
technologies around them. From a young
age, they are encouraged to communicate
using a variety of expressions; whether
it is through coloring, painting, creative
movement, singing or talking, children
look to the world of possibilities to be
creative.
Digital technology is another outlet
for learning and creativity, and with
its inherent use throughout homes
in the U.S., children are learning to
explore touchscreens and other forms of
interactive media. Educational daycares
are utilizing digital technologies to explore
e-books, watch educational videos, and
explore places and things that children
may not see within their own environment
(videos about visiting a factory, or pictures
of people and places that are foreign to
them). Programs that allow students
to freely explore these types of digital
media are designed to facilitate active
and creative use and are encouraged to be
done with other children and adults as a
form of social engagement.
Use of technologies is only one of the
variety of options that figure into the
aspects of choosing a classroom that
is right for a young learner. Parents are
playing a larger role in shaping their early
learners with the choice of play-based
learning programs versus academic
learning programs. Play-based or child-
centered programs focus on the current
interests of the child. Classrooms are
set up in different sections, such as a
kitchen, home, science area, reading
nook, or water area, for kids to engage in
social interactions with others and learn
valuable skills based from play. Academic
or didactic, teacher-directed programs are
structured with a curriculum involving
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MARS AREA
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FALL 2018
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