- Purposeful Play: play that is characterized by active movement towards a specific learning target.
- Guided Play: see purposeful play
- Learning Target: an age and/or developmentally appropriate "goal", often consists of either a skill level or an increase in specific content knowledge, and are generally correlated to a comprehensive research based learning framework.
- Learning Framework: A learning framework can also be know as a developmental skills continuum or knowledge map. The key criteria of a good learning framework, is one which is based on strong research, solid pedagogy and contains developmentally appropriate expectations. Additionally, learning framework should also encompass learning targets (aka goals, benchmarks, and standards). These "goals" typically are compromised of both skill targets (i.e counting to 10) and an increased understanding of specified content sometimes referred to as knowledge targets (i.e. an basic level of understanding of the states of matter) Ideally learning targets are connected to prior and future learning learning and span several years of growth and/or development.
- Examples of Learning Frameworks that I commonly refer to are:
- Common Core
- Experience Early Learning
- ixl skill progress report
Welcome Back
Since starting this blog several years ago my life has taken on a few changes, nonetheless, my views regarding the importance of early childhood technology education have not wavered. In fact, they have gotten even stronger than ever.
In the fall of 2012, I was blessed with my 1st grandchild and he is amazing. I doubt anyone who knows me will be surprised to hear one of the 1st gifts my grandson received was an iPad. In fact, the iPad was a shower present from my son…. DGS was still in utero at the time.
You might say, the Apple (literally and figuratively) doesn't fall far from the tree. :)
Over the last couple years, I have watched this newest member of our family connect his physical world and his digital world in ways I could never have imagined. One of the most mind boggling examples of this, is DGS (dear grandson) can identify all of his ABCs and he is not yet two years old. Previously, this ability might have been classified as some form of hyperlexia, but I assure you DGS is quite the social butterfly. I have seen many, many other examples of these technology learning shifts in my DGS that I cannot recall seeing when my own children were little, and I hope to share some of these future posts.
For now, I wanted to take a moment to reconnect with those who have followed my journey since the start and welcome those who are just joining me.
My goals are to still share the great apps I come across, but I feel the need augment my reviews and share my experiences; how I see technology may be shaping the minds of the youngest of learners. Additionally, I have invited others to share their experiences of how they see technology shaping the early childhood learning environment. I promise it will be an exciting journey and I hope you will share it with me.
Thank you,
Keri
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Definitions of Commonly Used Terms
Below is my personal definition of some of the commonly use terms. This is an ongoing and evolving post. Please excuse the typos and other errors
Friday, August 7, 2015
New Adventure: App Creation
As many of you know for the last several years I have written solid educational app reviews and explored the ways an iPad can enhance a young child's world of learning. Now I am excited to announce my next phase of this remarkable journey. I am actively seeking to create my own line of educational apps by using what I have learned in the last 10 years
There are two major reasons for my shift in focus:
1. All though there are thousands of educational apps out there there are only a handful of educational apps which are build on educational research and are fun to play. Additionally, many of the quality educational apps are missing key data metrics features.
2. There are certain types of educational apps that I continually look for but I am unable to locate. So if the mountain won't come to me, I will build my own mountain.
In these early stages, I will be posting my app ideas to a site called Applits A Socially Driven App Creation Site. Here I hope to find out if others might be interested in the types of apps I would like to create and get feedback on my ideas. Also, I will be posting a brief summary of the app idea and any additional details I believe are educationally important to here on Padsters.
I sincerely hope my Padster readers join me on Applits and will be be among those community members who critique my ideas. I value your feedback whether criticism or praise and I look forward to hearing from you.
I sincerely hope my Padster readers join me on Applits and will be be among those community members who critique my ideas. I value your feedback whether criticism or praise and I look forward to hearing from you.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
New Research Opportunity
I am please to announce that I have been selected to complete an Op-Ed article on the Impact of Technology in the Early Childhood educational setting.
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