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ED 326
Technology in Inclusive Early Childhood Environments
Fall 2017

Professor of Record: Gregory Zobel, Ph.D., Associate Professor

E-mail: in China: greg.zobel@protonmail.com; or zobelg@wou.edu

Course Prerequisites: Basic computer literacy.

Basic computing skills - Students are expected to have the following technology skills
before taking this course:
Using basic features of Microsoft Word (changing font styles, alignment, indent, spell
check, line spacing, page margins, etc.)
Sending e-mail messages and replying/forwarding E-mail
Internet (searching for pages, saving images from WWW, general use)
Creating PowerPoint presentations
Managing and saving files to disk; deleting files from disk
Using software programs in general
Creating folders to save files under (e.g., create a Word folder to contain all of the
Microsoft Word related assignments to)

Number of Hours for Course: 3 hrs

Nature of Course: Required X____ Non-required _____

Nature of Students: Graduate _____ Undergraduate __ X__

Course Description/Overview: Technology in Inclusive Early Childhood Environments is a

course designed for teacher candidates and early childhood studies majors to explore trends,
issues, and tools related to the use of technology with young children from birth-4th grade of all
abilities in inclusive settings. Students will gain experience identifying, evaluating, and using a
variety of technologies that are appropriate in a variety of areas. The evaluation and use of
assistive technology to support learners of all abilities is an integral component of this course.

Catalog Description of Course: Skill development in the use of computer technology

appropriate to teaching, learning, and managing early childhood education.

Required Text: assigned course reading packet; all readings linked below.

Course Goals: The overall goal for this course is multifaceted in that it meets the ISTEs NETS
for Teachers (NETST) standards that focus upon pre-service teacher education to define the
fundamental concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes for applying technology in educational
settings. The course also aligned with the 2012 Joint Position statement of the National

Date of syllabus preparation: July17, 2017

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Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning
and Childrens Media at Saint Vincent College.

The instructional objectives for this course are to ensure that pre-service teachers can:
1. Learn how to select and use technology in ways that align with both ISTE and
NAEYC/Rogers position statement;
2. Create small professional development, peer teaching, and instructional materials that
align with ISTE, NAEYC/Rogers position statement, and RAND findings;
3. Thoughtfully discuss as individuals and as a group the core values, practices, and
priorities ISTE, NAEYC/Rogers position statement, and RAND findings;
4. Spend time in and out of class experiencing and creating content that fosters their
understanding of ISTE, NAEYC/Rogers position statement, and RAND findings;
5. Experience project based learned as individuals and groups as they move forward in this
process.

Course Topics:
I. Identify and understand best practices and research findings on integrating technology
into Early Childhood Education
1. ISTE NETS
2. NAEYC/Rogers position statement
3. RAND findings
II. Apply educational technologies effectively
4. Create instructional content
5. Create professional development material
6. Use social media effectively
7. Curate web-based content for the classroom
8. Know when to use & not use technology
9. Understand copyright & intellectual property basics
10. Understand basics of accessible technology
III. Apply educational technologies effectively (part 2) in ways that align with standards
(part 1) with different learning approaches:
11. Supervised individual work
12. Autonomous individual work
13. Supervised group work
14. Autonomous group work

Technology Competencies: Because this course focuses upon technology applications, all of the
assignments, projects, and activities that students complete in this course will be accomplished
through the use of technology software and hardware and technology-associated resources (e.g.,
Web sites, technology-related articles).

Teaching Techniques/Methods Used in Course: Lectures, media presentations, discussions,

demonstrations, projects and tutorials will be the instructional methods employed in the course.
Students will examine available technology to develop instructional experiences that enhance
teaching and learning.

Date of syllabus preparation: July17, 2017

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All class requirements and activities are set upon individual and team basis so that maximum
instruction can be provided for each student at the same time collaborative learning will be
emphasized. The student is responsible for budgeting his/her own time and completing class
work progressively throughout the term.

Course Requirements/Grading Scale:

Requirement(s) Points Weight Specifics

Class Projects/ 700 70% Graded projects
Technology
Assignments
Blog Reflections 300 30% Reflections as a group and as an
individual; for group projects, all
individuals in the group receive
the same score.

Weighted semester average will be rounded to one decimal place, and be used to determine
course grade based on the following scale:
A = 90 - 100 % D = 60 - 69.9 %
B = 80 - 89.9 % F = 0 - 59.9 %
C = 70 - 79.9 %

Professor make-up policy: If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what you
missed during that class and catch up on the required readings and assignments. Furthermore,
students are still required to turn in the assignments on the dates indicated and participate in
online discussion (or make up the number of required postings the week after). Thus, it is
important that the assignment is submitted through the online Drop Box before that particular
deadline.

Professor attendance policy: Students are expected to attend every class to make sure you keep
the pace with the class and provide comments on other students responses to the threaded
discussion questions or reflections in blog.

Course Workload Statement: Students are expected to invest considerable time outside of class
in learning the material for this course. The expectation is that each week students should spend
approximately 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour in class working on reading,
assignments, studying, and other work for the course. We realize that most students work and
have family or other obligations. Time management is thus critical for student success.
Bibliography/additional readings/reading lists:

ISTE NETS Standards

NAEYC/Rogers Position Statement

RAND Families

Date of syllabus preparation: July17, 2017

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RAND How Much

RAND Beyond Screentime

RAND Same Page

Making Word documents accessible at PSU

Group Work

Each group will have 5-7 members.

Each group will have a spokesperson; when we have class discussions, the spokesperson
will address the class or the professor.

For group assignments, all group members will receive the same grade for the work.

Assignments by Day & by Group or Individual

Day 1: Group: site creation; Individual: ThingLink Creation & Posting

Day 2: Group: Reading response blog post, presentation about presentation tools, & blog
about presentation tool; Individual: test presentation tool
Day 3: Group: Reading response slide presentation, animation about animation tools, and
blog about animation tools; Individual: test animation tool
Day 4: Group: Reading response blog post, and complete any loose ends; Individual: self-
evaluation

Day 5: Group: Reading response blog post, brainstorm 2 ISTE-related technology

lessons; Individual: test out video, screencasting tools
Day 6: Group: Reading response video, complete the screencast/video about one of the
ISTE-related technology lessons, answer Project question prompts; Individual: work on
animal/weather screencast
Day 7: Group: Reading response blog post, complete Group self-evaluation (answer ALL
questions), complete any loose ends; Individual: complete the animal/weather screencast

Day 8: Group: Reading response video post, Accessible Word document; Individual:
images & alt-text, self-evaluation

Date of syllabus preparation: July17, 2017

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Assignment Points: 1000 points are possible

Group Assignments (700 points)

1. Create web page: 100 points
2. Reading responses (days 2-8): 150 points total
3. Online presentation: 75 points
4. Online animation: 75 points
5. ISTE lesson brainstorm & presentation: 100 points

6. Project question prompts: 50 points

7. Group self-evaluation: 50 points
8. Accessible Word document: 100 points
Individual (300 points)
1. ThingLink: 100 points
2. Self-evaluation, Day 4: 50 points
3. Animal/weather screencast: 100 points

4. Self-evaluation, Day 8: 50 points

Date of syllabus preparation: July17, 2017