Family Engagement in the Digital Age

Family Engagement in the Digital Age: Early Childhood Educators as Media Mentors explores how technology can empower and engage parents, caregivers and families, and the emerging role of media mentors who guide young children and their families in the 21st century. This thought-provoking guide to innovative approaches to family engagement includes Spotlight on Engagement case studies, success stories, best practices, helpful hints for media mentors, and "learn more" resources woven into each chapter to connect the dots between child development, early learning, developmentally appropriate practice, family engagement, media mentorship and digital age technology. In addition, the book is driven by a set of best practices for teaching with technology in early childhood education that are based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Fred Rogers Center joint position statement on Technology and Interactive Media. Please visit the Companion Website at http://teccenter.erikson.edu/family-engagement-in-the-digital-age

Chip Donohue, Ph.D., is Dean of Distance Learning and Continuing Education, and Director of the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center at Erikson Institute, USA.

Dedication Foreword by Ellen Galinsky Preface Acknowledgements Contributors Spotlight on Engagement Profiles Abbreviations and Acronyms List of Figures and Tables Introduction: Setting the Context: Family Engagement in the Digital Age CHIP DONOHUE Part I Technology, Young Children and Family Engagement Editor's Introduction - Three Perspectives on Family Engagement - Why Media Mentorship Matters: Equity in the 21st Century LISA GUERNSEY - Technology Tools for Family Engagement: The Role of Diversity EVIN CLARK - Why Family Engagement, Technology and Media Mentors Matter CHIP DONOHUE - Developmentally Appropriate Technology Integration SHARON HIRSCHY- Thinking, not Stuff: Re-imagining Young Children's Engagement with Technology and Innovation JEREMY BOYLE, MELISSA BUTLER AND JUNLEI LI Spotlight On Engagement Message from Me - Message from Pittsburgh- Logging In To Family Engagement in the Digital Age M. ELENA LOPEZ, MARGARET CASPE AND HEATHER WEISS- Families, Powered On - The Power of Nudges RAFIQ DOSSANI AND ANAMARIE AUGER Spotlight On Engagement How Parents as Teachers and the USC School of Social Work Make Virtual Parent Education a Reality Part II Technology Tools and Techniques for Empowering Educators and Families Editor's Introduction- "What Did Mister Rogers Do?" Fred Rogers' Approach to Parent Engagement JUNLEI LI- Weather Forecasting in the Digital Age: Changing Childhoods KATE HIGHFIELD- Helping Children and Families Develop Healthy Media Habits KRISTY GOODWIN Spotlight On Engagement Enabling Family Engagement at a Distance: There's an App for That- Digital Age Family Engagement: Supporting Parents as Media Mentors DEVORAH HEITNER- The Mediatrician's Advice for Today's Media Mentors MICHAEL RICH AND KRISTELLE LAVALLEE Part III Innovative Approaches to Technology-Enhanced Family Engagement Editor's Introduction- Selecting Digital Systems that Facilitate Family Engagement and Communication FRAN SIMON Spotlight On Engagement A "Daily Ding" from Ready Rosie- Sharing Media Literacy Approaches with Parents and Families FAITH ROGOW AND CYNDY SCHEIBE Spotlight On Engagement Comienza en Casa: Family Engagement That Starts at Home- Family Engagement Strategies for ALL Languages and Cultures AMAYA GARCIA AND KAREN NEMETH Spotlight on Engagement Tech and Family Engagement Tips from Comienza en Casa.- Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technology: Ensuring Every Child Belongs PAMELA BRILLANTE- Children's Librarians as Media Mentors CEN CAMPBELL AND AMY KOESTER- Public Media and Learning at Home: Engaging Families with Transmedia CHIP DONOHUE with EDC/SRI, KBTC, WGBH AND WESTED- New Allies for the Digital Age: Building a Policy and Research Infrastructure to Support Media Mentorship LISA GUERNSEY AND MICHAEL LEVINE Subject Index Name Index