Supporting Early Learners with Technology and
the 21st Century Classroom
Free Early Learning Webinar with Expert Discussions and Live Q&A
Susan Gunnewig | Oct 13, 2011 | 2 PM ET |
A growing research literature confirms educational technology has a major, positive impact on social-emotional, cognitive, language, and academic outcomes for young children. Supporting early learners means attention to good design, such as being success-based, offering a meaningful context for children, being developmentally appropriate through providing content needed for school success, and providing activities and approaches that match children’s development and readiness levels. Whether they come to the technology with fewer skills due to less opportunity, with a language other than English, or as young special needs children; educational technology can support young learners’ success in early schooling. In this webinar, you will learn about all these elements, with a special emphasis on how early literacy and mathematics learning can be supported with educational technology. We will then have a dialogue about where educational technology for early learners is currently in the context of 21st Century Classrooms and what you see as needed critical future directions.
Susan Gunnewig
Product Development Director, Hatch
Susan Gunnewig’s career began as a Head Start teacher in 1965 in Houston, Texas. In 1968 she began her 28 year career as a classroom teacher primarily in elementary grades in the inner city. During Susan’s teaching years she developed an interest in teaching ELL children and struggling readers. She was the Asst. Reading Manager for Houston Independent School District and oversaw the development of the reading program which became the framework for Reading First under No Child Left Behind. In 2001, Susan was honored to join the faculty of the University of Texas Medical School in Developmental Pediatrics under the direction of Dr. Susan Landry. During her tenure, Susan co-created an early childhood integrated service model for the State of Texas. This School Readiness Model is now state law due to its effectiveness. In addition, she was Co-PI for a number of federally funded NIH, NSF, NCHID, USDOE IES among others. The states of Texas, Florida and California included her as a developer of their states’ early childhood standards. Susan retired from the University to establish a Product Development Department for Hatch Early Childhood in 2007. She is the director and oversees content development for all technological hardware.