This module is for Welcome Early Care Providers and Educators

– preschool children on floor listening to teacher
Technology and digital media are a part of the everyday lives of young children and their families.

The children in your care are learning each moment they are with you. That means you have a significant influence on what they learn, and how they learn. Today, early care professionals are faced with understanding how to nurture children’s learning and use technology as a tool to provide active, developmentally appropriate learning opportunities.

The following activities will introduce you to the purpose and role of a screen time policy in your child care program. You will also learn important considerations for developing a policy that is compliant with The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).

Module Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • Understand the reasons for having a screen time policy.
  • Identify different types of technology and mobile devices used to deliver educational media.
  • Define the purpose of educational screen media and instructional practices.
  • Describe age-appropriate use of screens determined by child development guidelines.
  • Explain the connection between screen time activities and the impact on children’s learning.
  • Connect learning that happens on screens to real life, hands-on learning off screen.