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A technology committee meets on a regular basis to ensure
equipment is in working order and software is up to date. All classrooms are equipped with computers, for teachers. Computers
with age appropriate software are available for preschoolers throughout the day. It is recommended that many opportunities
be given during the preschool years for exploration using technology tools in a playful, supportive environment. Specifically,
research has found that preschoolers who used computers with developmentally appropriate supporting activities for key learning
goals had more gains than children without these computer experiences. Among others, these included increases in knowledge,
long-term memory, verbal skills, problem solving, and manual dexterity (3). All children’s computers are equipped with educational software. Some classrooms have Smart Boards equipped
with a curriculum that is aligned with the learning objectives specific to the individual needs of the children. Teachers
have been trained in the appropriate implementation and utilization of the programs. A set of studies with low-income children found those who received a computer curriculum had increases
in cognitive, motor, and language scores compared to similar children in a regular curriculum (6,7). Recent research published
in the journal Pediatrics found that young children who had access to a computer compared
to those who did not performed better on measures of cognitive development and school readiness as measured by the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. The
following list describes additional varieties of technology which is utilized throughout the program by managers, site administrators,
family advocates, teachers, children and families: iPads/Tablets Parent access to child’s assessment data in Teaching Strategies Gold Child Plus Child and Family Tracking System Video recordings Books on CD/Virtual Books CD
players Electronic locking systems and video cameras are used in classrooms
and on the buses.
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