One of the greatest concerns of a rapidly evolving classroom is discerning whether or not something is appropriate to use. Teachers have already been practicing this when choosing content (no teacher is about to give complex algebra to first graders, for example) and in technique (such as a class using jigsaw reading only after all the students have learned to read). As a result, it’s no surprise that technology is coming under the same scrutiny, with many educators now asking the question: When do certain pieces of tech become developmentally appropriate for my kids?

Unfortunately, there aren’t many concrete answers to that question. Since each student develops at their own pace, what may be appropriate for one group may be far out of the depth of other students the same age. In addition, many technologies are new enough that we are only now seeing their effects on the development of young minds.

Most practices agree, however, that by middle or high school, technology at large should be already integrated into student learning. One example comes immediately to mind; if high school sophomores are expected to hand in a typed final draft of any writing, they’re going to have to already know how to use Microsoft Word—and well.

As a result, this integration (and our focus in this blog post) needs to be in early childhood/early elementary classrooms. Here are some guidelines teachers can consult when debating whether they should go digital or not:

Use Interactive Technology, as Opposed to Passive Technology

Recent studies suggest that passive technology such as watching TV should be banned entirely before the age of two, then strongly restricted until at least  five. This is because using passive technology too much can be damaging to the development of young brains, which depends almost entirely on responsive interactions between a child and the people around him/her. Without this socialization, younger kids can develop emotional, language, or developmental difficulties later in life.
As a result, technology used with very young children must be strongly interactive, be used jointly with either a fellow student or an adult, and  limited to short periods broken up by direct attention to some other task. This way, the technology actually helps with their socializing, instead of isolating them. In this context, the use of tech such as iPad games can have the opposite effect, actually improving a young child’s ability to learn math and vocabulary words.

For more details on the subject, the Fred Rogers Center joined with the National Association for the Development of Young Children recently released a comprehensive statement on tech use by young kids.  While it avoids mentioning specific hardware, software, or curricula, the principles it discusses are sound and address the needs of kids in an increasingly digital world. Their statement, for the interested, can be found here.

Introduce Technology to Students Prior to Using it Academically

As a teacher who has seen these effects in person, I recommend introducing many pieces of technology to your students before they are expected to use it in an academic context. This is because the practice helps students become comfortable with the tech, so using it in the classroom is less overwhelming for them. You can think of it as being similar to how students are taught to write—most kids are encouraged to mess around with pencils and crayons long before anyone expects them to make the letter ‘a’.  Some great examples of this may be some easy-to-follow games on a tablet or computer, or simply letting kids doodle on your interactive whiteboard during free time.

If anything, this reduces our concern about children being ‘too young’ just to touch a screen or a mouse to almost nothing.

Make Sure to Properly Scaffold Technology Introduction and Instruction

Teachers should take the time to discuss the tech with their students, and show them how they are expected to use the tech and what it will be used for in their class. As students get more comfortable, teachers can then slowly use the tech in more complex ways. This includes making a point to teach students how to be good digital citizens (the behavior that is a necessity for appropriate behavior online as well as in person.) And lastly, teachers must supervise tech use carefully, paying special attention to students who struggle. With a proper workflow, strongly-enforced expectations, and consistent positive exposure, young children can grasp surprisingly complicated tasks.

Technology Should Not Be Used to Replace Free Play

Finally, no matter what age your students are, technology should not be used to the exclusion of free play, socialization, and every other technique in your educational arsenal.  For example, the existence of calculators has not eliminated the need for students to learn how to multiply themselves, and the invention of Facebook doesn’t mean kids no longer need to play together at recess! Technology should be a tool used to facilitate independent thought and deeper inquiry on the part of the students, instead of thinking for them. As a result, a tech-heavy classroom should incorporate moments where students are required to shut off the iPad, step away from the computer, and remember that the most important tool they have isn’t in their hands—it’s in their heads.