How Much Technology Knowledge Does the Average Preschooler Bring to the Classroom? (Technology in the Classroom‪)‬

Today's average preschooler has been exposed to electronic media since birth. In recent years, an upsurge in electronic media has specifically targeted young children from ages 1 month to 48 months. The development of entire networks (Noggin, PBS KIDS Sprouts, Nick jr.) and other media dedicated to educating children for preschool and kindergarten (Vandewater et al., 2004) has created home environments that are engulfed in electronic media. Preschoolers born in 2005 have experienced educational DVDs (Baby Einstein, Baby Mozart, Brainy Baby, etc.), handheld computer games (Game Boy, Nintendo DS players, etc), video games (Leapfrog's Leapster, Cosmic family [Wii], Go Diego, Go [Wii], etc), and cell phones as part of their everyday lives. Computer games for preschoolers are quite sophisticated, loaded with interactive play opportunities, high-quality sounds, and high-definition graphics. These media also enhance preschoolers' cognition levels by exposing them to memory games, color matching, and problem solving. It is clear that preschoolers are using electronic media adeptly on a daily basis, thus growing up in a media-saturated world. How Much Do Preschoolers Know?