Early Childhood Technology Learning Centers on a Budget

Today’s world runs on technology, and teachers who want their students to be successful in it must have the means to teach technological skills. Unfortunately, electronics and other types of technology are expensive. If you work in an impoverished area, you might not know how to bring this medium to your students.

Have faith: It’s not impossible. You can meet your goal by changing your expectations and the models by which you give kids access to the equipment. Here are several ideas.

Create “Mini Centers”

Mini-centers are an excellent way to get technology into your classroom and foster communication between students, as they work together in pairs or groups. You can create mini technology centers around various types of technology, including:

• laptops or tablets that rotate around the room
• desktops in the corner that students visit during work time
• cameras that small groups of students can use to photograph items in the classroom or hall, or outside on the playground
• listening centers that help kids with speech or reading

… and more. These small stations not only offer familiarity with digital stimulus, they encourage group work and augment learning as well.

Buy Small Sets

Your technology learning centers don’t have to be class-sized. Although it would be nice to have a gadget for every student, that’s not always realistic. Luckily, having just two tablets in a classroom can give kids a lot of exposure. Ditto having a set of five digital cameras, which can teach kids about art, math (rule of thirds, anyone?) and technology all at the same time.

You’ll also want to have a set of headphones on hand for every tablet or computer in your classroom, so that students can work without disrupting others.

Pursue Technology Grants

While you likely have a small technology budget for your classroom, you can also apply for grants to expand it. Check out sites such as The NEA Foundation for an aggregated list of possible grants (not all of them related to technology), and specific sites such as SaveOnEnergy, which often offers tech grants.

Do you have questions or comments about affordable technology products? Get in touch with School Specialty, a well-established brand in the education market. We’re all about meeting your classroom’s needs affordably, while mixing in some fun!

It’s time to get your classroom set up with excellent, user-friendly technology and start helping your kids succeed today. Share with us how you use technology in your classroom!