Kendall College School of Education Faculty Design Course on Technology Use in the Classroom
Technology in the Classroom a Hands-on Guide for Early Childhood Education Students
Chicago—June 7, 2011—The Kendall College School of Education has launched a new, faculty-developed course on the use of technology in the classroom. The course, “Technology in the Classroom,” provides early childhood education students with training in the use of technology as an effective learning tool in their classrooms.
“Technology is moving at an incredible rate in school systems, and this course is as cutting-edge as it gets,” said Dr. Paul Busceni, dean of the Kendall College School of Education. “This class gives our early childhood education students specific technology know-how so they can successfully incorporate it into their teaching and engagement with small children in a class setting.”
The course was designed by faculty member Stacy Freeman, whose dedication to the integration of digital technology in the classroom began in 1995. Serving as a technology specialist in elementary education and as an elementary instructor, she created and maintained digital networks, wrote technology plans and was responsible for incorporating digital technology in K-8 classrooms. In addition to teaching Technology in the Classroom at Kendall, she also instructs classes on Microsoft Office, computer basics, and professional development courses on Web 2.0 tools.
“The course combines a solid theoretical foundation of the importance and benefits of integrating technology into the early childhood education system with hands-on experience in implementing and using what I teach in the class,” said Freeman. “At the end of the course, students are expected to understand digital terminology, gain Internet navigational skills including the ability to create their own Internet workshop, evaluate Web sites for authenticity and appropriateness in an educational setting, and use social bookmarking in a productive way.”
Given the increased concern for Internet safety, students also learn about using management tools to provide a secure environment for their own classrooms to work collaboratively and share learning. As part of their class work, students will create an individual classroom homepage to apply the skills and use the tools from the curriculum.
A sought after speaker on technology and education topics, Freeman will present on August 3 at the 38th Annual Lake County Council for Seniors on Understanding Social Media and Google Docs at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Ill. She was the keynote speaker at the TALK TECH Academic Conference on Teaching and Learning this year at Kendall College, and presenter at the Illinois Education Technology Conference in Springfield, Ill., among others. Freeman holds a BA in Park Administration and Recreation from Western Illinois University and an MAT in Elementary Education from National Louis University.
About The Kendall College School of Education:
Kendall College, founded in 1934, is located in Chicago, Illinois. Kendall offers undergraduate degrees in business, culinary arts, early childhood education and hospitality management to a diverse and passionate community of more than 2500 students. The Early Childhood Education program in the School of Education is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education for Type 04 Illinois Teacher Certification preparation (birth through Grade 3). The program incorporates current research and theory on how young children learn; this prepares students with the knowledge and skills they need for success in early childhood education careers. Kendall College, a member of the Laureate International Universities network, is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org.
Media Contacts:
Amber Cerda, 312-752-2472, amber.cerda@kendall.edu
Maria Alexandra Velez, 312-752-2088, maria.velez@kendall.edu
