Jessica Sierra
Ed Tech TOSA
Innovation Department
San Diego County Office of Ed
Why Ed Tech
for Littles?
Why Ed Tech for Littles?
“Two-year-olds have twice as many synapses as adults…[which] enable the brain to learn faster than at any other time of life.Therefore, children’s experiences in this phase (ages 2-7) have lasting effects on their development. ” Edutopia
“By 4th grade, students have already internalized whether or not they were “good” at STEM.”
Why Ed Tech for Littles?
SDCOE North Star and Blueprint for Equity
“Approximately half of all students in San Diego County qualify for free or reduced lunch in the 2022-23 school year. SDCOE has set the ambitious goal of reducing this number from 51% in 2022-23 to 35% by the end of the 2029-30 school year.”
Can littles learn tech?
Why Ed Tech for Littles?
Generation Alpha: born 2013-2024
Images generated with Dall-E and PlaygroundAI
Implementation
What do you think is the top concern among educators and parents, regarding using technology with littles?
Current Screen Time Research
UCSF - Not all screen time is equal
American Association of Pediatrics now recognizes that it’s time to “go beyond ‘turn it off.’”
Ed Tech for Littles Ecosystem
TK(pre-k/preschool)-3rd grade
Goals:
Emphasis on:
Year 1
Develop Experiences
Strategy
Demos on site with children of staff
Collaborate with Early Ed teachers to pilot in TK-1 classrooms
Robotics and Coding
Robotics and Coding
Careers: Robotics Engineers and Computer Programmers
Foundational Tech Skills: computational thinking (algorithms, pattern recognition, problem solving)
Introduction Through Movement
Center Rotations
Robotics and Coding
Four year olds CAN code! (and collaborate!)
Robotics and Coding
Play based, high engagement, screen free
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” -Mr.Rogers
Robotics and Coding
Engaging way to reinforce academic content
“We don’t teach students how to write so that they can all become writers, it’s so they can write anything-a letter, a love poem, a shopping list. Same is true for coding” - Marina Bers
Robotics and Coding
Accessible!
Robotics and Coding
Accessible!
Podcasting
Podcasting
Careers: Journalist/Reporter, Writer/Storyteller, Content creator
Foundational Tech Skills: properties of sound, digital media: recording/playback/editing
Introduction Through Sensory Play
Activities
Podcasting
Example of good screen time - interactive, engaging, conversational
Podcasting
Fine motor skills and conversational skills are still developing
Podcasting/Digital Media
Get students engaged with their community!
Click here for full recording (10 minutes)
Kindergarten Veterans Day Podcast with a community Veteran (and classroom volunteer)
Podcasting/Digital Media
Get students engaged with their community!
Click here for full recording (10 minutes)
Kindergarten Veterans Day Podcast with a community Veteran (and classroom volunteer)
Podcasting/Digital Media
Innovative gifts for families
Cards with linked audio, video, or augmented reality (using HaloAR app)
Design Thinking
Design Thinking
Careers: Broad range
Foundational Tech Skills:
Design & Engineering Process
Introduction Through Storytime
Activities
Design Thinking
For Bigs:
For Littles:
💡
👐
❤️
🙂
Heart Head Hands
Design Thinking
Heart Head Hands
(Empathize/Define) (Ideate) (Prototype/Test)
💡
👐
❤️
🙂
Design Thinking
Builds a foundational mindset for future tech literacy
Innovation
Resiliency
Love of Learning
Design Thinking
Empowers students to become innovative, critical thinkers
What’s next?
For SDCOE’s “Ed Tech For Littles” Initiative…
For you?
How can YOU equitably equip our youngest learners for our future world?
“Schooling needs to respond to the
demands of the age that it’s in”
-Linda Darling Hammond,
“Awareness of digital literacy as a lifelong learning skill and inclusion factor is an established need in digital societies”
Can littles learn tech?
Contact
Jessica Sierra
Education Technology Resource Teacher
San Diego County Office of Ed
bit.ly/edtechforlittles