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Enhancing Montessori: Incorporating Computers

Explore the integration of computers into the Montessori curriculum, evaluating current uses, proposing information appliances, and addressing foreseeable obstacles.

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Enhancing Montessori: Incorporating Computers

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  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 - “Children’s 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? (Cont’d) • 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 (cont’d) • Word processing • Logo, MicroWorlds • Educational research • Software for preschool classrooms • Teaching Machines • Kid’s 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 (cont’d) • 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 ain’t broke, don’t 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; can’t get away from the PC model

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