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First European Early Learning conference confirms strong role for ICT in expanding early childhood education
On June 3, 2002, IBM announced that 100 early education specialists from 19 countries concluded that the introduction of ICT in early education settings is leading to a host of innovative professional practices, expanding children's early development. Participants at the first European conference on ICT in early learning, organized by IBM in Brussels on May 22nd and 23rd, recommended that education ministries review teacher training strategies so that all pre-school teachers are trained to integrate ICT effectively into early education settings.
Addressing the conference Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Education said:" At the political level there is an increased awareness of the importance of early education as the foundation for successful learning throughout life. Preparing pre-school teachers to enhance pre-school education through the use of ICT may be the most important task to start with. Pre-school teachers must be digitally literate ".
Conference delegates, including Education ministries, local education authorities and leading early education practitioners and experts across Europe, reviewed practices for integrating ICT into pre-school education, across the 19 countries. Such practices included:
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Children in Sweden producing digital portfolios of their learning using digital cameras, PCs and the Internet |
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Teachers and children who are spread geographically across the rural region of North Alentejo, in Portugal, using leading-edge IT to work collaboratively on all aspects of the learning curriculum including math, science, art etc |
Hans-Ulrich Maerki, Chairman of IBM Europe, Middle East & Africa said, "We need to prepare the adults of tomorrow for the digital world. IBM's Kidsmart installations help children to develop basic IT skills and problem solving abilities. IBM has invested $7.5 million in Kidsmart over the past 3 years, over one million children have benefited from the programme."
The conference also shared strategies to increase parental involvement in early education and pedagogical approaches to the use of ICT in early learning. Commenting on the value of the unique opportunity offered by the conference to learn about leading edge practice in other countries, participants called for the setting up a of a 'network of excellence' for early educators across Europe to act as a catalyst for further developments. The network will help set professional standards and allow the exchange of effective practices across cultures.
Cited as a key example of the successful introduction of IT at the early learning stage was IBM's KidSmart Early Learning Programme. Presenting the interim results from an evaluation of the programme, Professor Iram Siraj-Blatchford of the University of London, Institute of Education, said: " The study of 117 early education settings across five countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK) shows that the quality of provision for teaching and learning with IT has increased markedly since the introduction of the KidSmart Early Learning programme. There has also been a substantial increase in the number of practitioners who are now 'very comfortable' with the computer in all five countries surveyed."
Currently there are 1,800 Kidsmart Early learning Centres in Europe across 19 countries. With a total of 4,000 planned by the end of 2003, the centres will impact over 175,000 children each year. Globally, IBM invested $7.5 million in the KidSmart Early Learning Programme over a three year period up to the end of 2002. A further 15,000 units will be donated by the end of 2005, 5,000 of which will be in Europe, Middle East and Africa. |
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