CA Preschools Blend Tech and Tradition

 An article Horn forwarded me about blended learning:

Shapes, primary colors and letters traditionally seen adorned on preschool walls are still visible within Milpitas Unified School District's Child Development Centers. But there is something going on beneath the surface allowing students to not only interact with the instruction "in a way to them that is truly playing, but they are learning the academic language, they are seeing things that are pushing them beyond those crazy shapes on the wall," Program Director Kathy Lincoln said.

At the March 26 Board of Education meeting, she shared a report explaining the blending of tradition and technology which kicked off at the Rose and Sunnyhills child development centers this school year in order to create a program focused on skill development in core areas of mathematics, language and literacy while supporting collaboration, cooperation and early communication skills.

"So there's a lot of folks right off the bat, who ask “Why on earth are you putting technology into preschool? Preschool should be about hands-on learning, the old ways of experiencing learning by doing,'" Lincoln said.

This, she replied, hasn't changed. However another element has been added to ensure the students are ready for the blended learning once they progress through the district to elementary, middle and high school.

"We need to start as early as our little ones so they can get to where (administration) wants to take them," she said. "So when we talk about blended learning in preschool we're talking about a blend of traditional learning methods with technology."

Tuesday through Thursday for an hour, children at both centers participate in what is being called the Blended Learning Rotation.

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