Objects are everywhere. People deal with them from the beginning of their lives. From babyhood, they start to recognise them and, progressively, learn to define their attributes and designate the actions related to them. Although the basis of object-oriented programming is translating real-world objects into the object-oriented code, learning…

A common problem in computer programming use for education in general, not simply as a technical skill, is that children and teachers find themselves constrained by what is possible through limited expertise in computer programming techniques. This is particularly noticeable at the preliterate level, where constructs tend to be limited to…

Play is so important that it is declared as one of the human rights by the United Nations. Although it is focused on children, play does "not" stop there. In the 1990s the author designed and facilitated a blended curriculum for a Head Start Program. The instructional goal was to introduce and get the children to effectively and…

The presence of computers in early childhood classrooms is growing, despite serious doubts about whether young children really need them or benefit from using them. A recent study of child care centers in Texas found that preschool children were using computers in more than 75% of these institutions. According to most child development experts,…

Describes set-up, user characteristics, goals, and successes of neighborhood computer centers where informal microcomputer instruction is presented. Centers described include East Harlem's Playing to Win; Center for the Development of Non-Formal Education in Austin, Texas; a learning center in New York City's business district; and Family…

As a society, we have refined our expectations of the education system to include a higher level of academic preparation for even the youngest learners. In past generations, kindergarten was often the first academic encounter a child had, but we have come to regard the preschool experience as essential to preparing an academically ready…

Expands on an interview with a practicing teacher to examine the criteria used to decide how to incorporate computers into the preschool curriculum. Identifies and explores four areas of concern: equipment requirements; learning how to use the computer; learning how to manage the computer center; and choosing software. (DLH)

Examines library service to young people in rural libraries in New York State with references to services provided by rural libraries and librarians in other parts of the nation. Planning, standards, collection development, selection of culturally diverse materials, work with preschoolers, computer literacy, and library associations are discussed.…