Early Connections: Technology in Early Childhood Classrooms

As I thoroughly read through the website, a lot of what I read was information I had previously been exposed to. However, I did learn several interesting facts. One was "computers are included in the curriculum within the classroom rather than set apart in a separate room or lab." I knew that computers should be included in the curriculum, but I never thought about the location of the computers mattering. I assumed it was just as helpful to take students to the computer lab as having students use them within the classroom. I think this key point is encouraging teachers to make technology a natural part of the classroom environment. Rather than having one day a week designated to attending the computer lab, computers should be used constantly throughout the week.
I also learned a lot reading the section "offer support for young readers." I had never thought that being allowed to type their papers would actually help students. Rather, I tended to assume that it would be an obstacle for them. However, I now know that word processors actually encourage children to view writing as a process. They allow students to focus on ideas, enabling them to more easily compose and revise text.
Lastly, I loved reading about speech synthesizers. Speech synthesizers use a digital voice that reads a student exactly what he has written. Since it is reading the actual writing, and not what the writer meant to say, it provides the immediate, focused feedback that is very helpful to students. "For example, when reading aloud a series of words without capitals or ending punctuation, the voice does not stop at the end of the idea. The importance of punctuation and capitals soon becomes clear."