Coming from an era where I was introduced to technology at a much later age, at a much slower pace and people were not highly-strung with technology, that has resulted in a 'not IT-savvy me.' It is rather heartening as well as disheartening to see how the younger generations are so well-versed in it. Just pick any gaming activity using one of the hand-held machines and they will be well on their way to a world of fun and excitement. Unlike me, I will still grapple with the functions of the keys and to apply them all the same.
How time has changed. The use of calculators in school gets more pronounced and children are getting exposed to its usage even as early as at primary level. As convenient as it may seems as compared to my time where I was expected to do my calculations manually, the standard of education now has definitely increased by leaps and bounds, that time spent for manual calculation is immaterial albeit they are allowed to use it for certain sections only. Rather, they are expected to spent more of their time solving complex problem-sums that the calculator has been used to aid them in speeding up their time in providing the solutions.
There are also many mathematical software applications that can be bought off the shelves which contribute to children being exposed to computers at a tender young age. This will definitely serve as a challenge especially for educators like me to equip myself with the necessary knowledge so as to keep up with the changes and challenges around me. I stand firmly on the ultimate importance of preschoolers being immersed with concrete experiences in learning Math. I must say that involving technology in Math is more applicable and approriate to the older children, probably a basic introduction at the beginning of K2 level before they progress to their primary schooling years.
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