A new $6 million STEM program will be piloted at 100 preschools in Australia in 2018. The Forest Lake Child Care Centre is one of the preschools that has been selected to take advantage of the program.
The child care centre is committed to introducing preschoolers to new and exciting learning opportunities. The first app will introduce the concepts of sorting, ordering and patterns through activities such as making decorations. The program will begin next year.
Having been selected for the program, the preschool will receive free workshops and be the first to use ELSA apps and resources to incorporate STEM practices into their preschool program. The practices include exploring locations, patterns, making, spatial reasoning and designing.
Even if these activities are based through applications, this program or way of teaching doesn’t mean children will be indiscriminately exposed to technology. In fact, STEM is in action through physical activities, making children future thinkers in an active way.
The 100 selected preschools were selected based on geographical locations and socio-economic backgrounds. This program will include six apps, with four apps focused on playful learning experiences. Children under the program should bring their own devices to school.