Integrating technology into learning

Learning with the assistance of technology can be a great way to develop technical skills as well as learning in a fun and engaging way. There are a number of online resources which can be utilised for free and can be interwoven into a technology program at any centre with children 4+ years of age.

NQF 4.3 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials

Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu)allows students to create interactive stories, games and animations while learning basic concepts about programming. Projects can be shared with others in their community as well. Children are able to use other people’s projects to learn by copying and changing the way they work.

Blogging is an excellent way for older students to engage literacy skills in an online medium.  WordPress (www.wordpress.com) is the most popular blogging tool on the net and a free account gives access to the program. Sharing a blog with friends and family can be controlled by an administrator.

There are a multitude of apps available for educational purposes and depending on your service needs there is probably a free app available for download.  Here are a couple of apps for iPad which have specific uses in developing a child’s skill and learning in an interactive way.

• Fine motor development (free) or Dexteria ($4.99) fine motor development through interactive exercises.
• Sequencing – sorting machine (free).
• Painless reading comprehension (free)
• Get SunSmart with undercover Cody (free).
• Improve reading with interactive, leveled books spanning 27 levels of difficulty. Raz Kids (free).
• Finger painting on the ipad with Doodle Buddy (free).
• Make an eBook about anything with Book Creator (free).

Does your service use technology to promote learning and if so what kind of programs do you operate?