Integration of Computers Into the Montessori Curriculum

1
Integration of Computers Into the Montessori
Curriculum

• Davina Armstrong
• CS294, Human Centered Computing
• Fall, 1999

2
Overview

• What is Montessori?
• Current uses of computers in the Montessori
  environment
• Evaluation of current uses
• Proposed use of information appliances
• Foreseeable obstacles

3
What Is Montessori?

• About Dr. Maria Montessori
• Born in Italy in 1870
• First woman doctor in Italy in 1896
• Left medicine to teach in 1906
• Opened Casa dei Bambini - Childrens House
• Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 1949, 1950,
  1951
• Died in 1952
• The Montessori Method
• Children teach themselves
• Prepared environment
• Follow the child
• Developmental planes
• Birth-6 years sensorial exploration
• 6-12 years conceptual exploration
• 12-18 years humanistic exploration
• 18-24 years specialized exploration

4
What Is Montessori? (Contd)

• The Materials
• Mathematics
• Language

5
Demo

• Multiplication of multi-digit numbers with the
  checkerboard

6
4
4
2
2
7
4
3
6
7
Current Uses of Computers

• Practical Life
• Drills, phonetics programs
• Applications used in conjunction with the
  traditional Montessori Materials
• Research
• World Wide Web, newsgroups
• CD-ROMs
• Games
• HyperStudio

8
Current Uses of Computers (contd)

• Word processing
• Logo, MicroWorlds
• Educational research
• Software for preschool classrooms
• Teaching Machines
• Kids Space
• Simulations of Montessori Materials
• Drawing programs

9
Evaluation of Current Uses

• Good, in keeping with the Montessori Method
• LOGO, MicroWorlds
• Research - children ask and answer own questions
• OK, good educational value, but not very
  Montessori
• Some drills
• Phonetics
• HyperStudio
• Word processing
• Drawing programs

10
Evaluation of Current Uses (contd)

• Bad, no educational value, in fact detrimental
• MathBlaster
• The Art Of War
• Games
• Simulation of Montessori materials

11
Proposed Use of Information Appliances

• Montessori materials as information appliances
• Retain the look feel of the original
  Montessori materials, but have enhanced features
  by virtue of being computers
• Battery-powered
• Wireless communication
• Possible enhancements
• Feedback to child
• Recording for teacher to evaluate

12
Foreseeable Obstacles

• Technology does not yet exist
• Long battery life needed
• Tiny (to fit into the beads)
• Durable
• Resistance from teachers
• If it aint broke, dont fix it - Montessori
  Method has been working well for decades
• Fear of the children being programmed by the
  computers
• Lack of comprehension regarding information
  appliances cant get away from the PC model