The Use of Digital Technology by 21st Century Pre-school Children

This essay explores the integration of digital technologies in the education of 21st-century preschoolers, highlighting both the positive and negative impacts. It examines how children in the 2-4 age group are using devices like smartphones, computers, and tablets for learning and entertainment. The report discusses the potential contributions of interactive media and technology to early childhood education, such as enhanced communication, problem-solving skills, and access to educational applications. It also addresses the limitations, including potential negative effects on attention span and eyesight. The essay emphasizes the importance of educators using their expertise to select appropriate technologies, considering factors like culture, abilities, and interests of the children. It concludes that while digital technologies can enhance learning, they must be used intentionally and equally accessible to all children, with support from both educators and parents.

“The best way to
predict the future is
to create it.”
Peter Drucker,
Management guru
Today's Century Preschoolers Use of Digital
Technology
In 21st century the learning and teaching is most important. To challenge and engage the children the
critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving, authentic learning, appropriate of technology using
and teaching in the cross disciplinary was focused in the Curriculum Integrating. To success in the
new world students were given the new skills and confidence to the students to grow by practicing the
skills in the education of 21st century. Thus, the report will study the 21st century pre-schoolers using
the digital technologies.
Today's century pre-schoolers use of digital technology
In today's era the smart phones, computers, tablets were rapidly developing. The change in technology
impact in the individual’s daily life at the work and the home. Entertainment and learning, searching
information, networking through social media and the communication all was done through the tools of
new technologies and the electronic media (Abd Rahman, Ali & Sinau, 2020, July). In the current time
all the children from the age group of two is using the digital technology.
On an average daily more than two hours were spending on the front of the screen by the children's. The
internet and the new technologies was least used by the children of low income families or the less
educated families. Watching videos help the children in easy learning compare to the real life
experience. There are also several limitations of using the digital technologies such as the development
of the attention of the children negatively effect.
Using of the digital technologies depends on the children's as the use of the latest technology can be in the
both form positive and negative. It depends on children that it is using the technology in positive way or not.
The learnings of the students can be supported by the teachers using the latest technologies (Abd Rahman, Ali
& Sinau, 2020, July). It was experienced that the 21st century students were much developed as using the
digital technology. They gather the primary information through the mobiles, televisions. In different areas
the knowledge of the children's can expand.
In today's century more than 60 percent of the teachers of the early childhood have computers. To support the
learning and the development of the children the interactive media and the technology was used by the
educators. Many classrooms have introduced the televisions in the classrooms for the learning of the children
of age group 2 to 4 years (Tay & et.al. 2021).
In the preschool the educators provide the children of effective using of the digital technologies. Educating
the children of age group 2-4 years several questions arise such as which is the effective tools and technology
for learning. How the learning of the children can be supported by using the technologies?
Using technology and interactive media benefits and drawbacks
 To the education of the early childhood there were several potential contributions through the
interactive media and the technology.
 Through the latest technologies children can communicate, explore and learn, solve problems,
investigate the knowledge and develop in problem solving.

 Children's can solve the mathematics problems, learn to capture photos, story recording,
interactive stories listening, creating music and engage to various learning activities are the
available opportunities.
 To develop the knowledge and the skills various educational applications were available for the
children to learn and the educators to teach (Tay & et.al. 2021).
 Children's having disabilities can be independently learned through the digital technologies.
The educators of early childhood can teach the disability children through the smartphones,
televisions, etc.
 Using the technologies for everything will affect the children. Example, the excessive using of
technology will lead to poor eyesight. The children were fully depending on the advance
technology for learning.
Enhancement of the learning of the children through the selective technology and the interactive
media
To the environment of the preschool there are several choices of integrated technologies for the
educators such as the laptops, handheld devices and the tablets. To the quality of the learning the
product of media based will vary. Using the advanced technology, the educators or the teachers should
use their existing expertise and the knowledge for the development of the child (Caena, & Redecker,
2019). To select the technology, the educators should evaluate through taking proper time. Based on
the operations, educators can make appropriate adoption and the material. The culture, abilities,
interests, backgrounds and the linguistic backgrounds for the development of the children should be
considered. In the classroom the teacher offering the technology and the interactive media should be
select intentionally.
The needs, interest and abilities of children were considered by the educators for providing the
appropriate development to the early childhood. Educators must be equal among the all children's for
selecting the experience of the interactive media and the technology. Every child must get equal
opportunity for participating in the advance technology and taking access to it. The culture and the
home language was supported to the children through the advanced technology (Jacynė & Žukauskaitė,
2022). For example, the children's can access to audio books for learning at their home through the
smartphones, tablets. To gain the home language to the children the educator can contribute with their
parents for developing the child. Teachers should provide the support for using the technologies by the
children to develop their learning. To support the creativity, problem solving and the exploration of the
children teacher should use appropriate technology and the interactive media.
REFERENCES
Abd Rahman, M. J., Ali, M. M., & Sinau, M. T. (2020, July). 21st Century Learning in Rural Preschools: Development of Early Literacy. In International Conference on Special Education In South East Asia
Region 10th Series 2020 (pp. 415-423). Redwhite Press.
Caena, F., & Redecker, C. (2019). Aligning teacher competence frameworks to 21st century challenges: The case for the European Digital Competence Framework for Educators (Digcompedu). European Journal of
Education. 54(3). 356-369.
Jacynė, R., & Žukauskaitė, E. (2022). The education of gifted pre-school children using information communication technology: the opinions of teachers. Regional formation and development studies: journal of
social sciences. (2). 43-53.
Tay, L. Y., & et.al. (2021). Pre-schoolers’ use of technology and digital media in Singapore: entertainment indulgence and/or learning engagement?. Educational Media International. 58(1). 1-20.
It has been concluded that the 21st century pre-schoolers students were developing through the using of the
digital technologies. The basic information of pre-schoolers was learned by the children at the group of 2-3
years at home. Schools and the teachers were using the digital televisions in the classrooms for the preschool
children for the quick learning. The report identified the challenges and the benefits of using the interactive
media and the technology. The learning of the children enhances due to the using of the advanced
technology.