586 USING TECHNOLOGY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: THE 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL PROJECT Chrystalla Mouza, Richard Parsons, Virginia Liz-Ferreira ABSTRACT This study has three primary objectives. First, it describes the ways in which six teachers in an urban school environment in New York City integrated technology within a common and familiar theme among lower grade students, named the 100 Days of School. Second, it presents the professional development activities that teachers engaged in while enacting the 100 Days of School project. Third, it discusses the ways in which technology contributed to student learning. KEYWORDS Technology integration, teacher professional development, early childhood education INTRODUCTION As computers increasingly become available in our schools and society, they begin to reshape the learning experiences of students in profound ways. In the United States, there is about one computer for every five public school students (Johnston, 2001). Moreover, 95% of public elementary and secondary schools and 63% of all classrooms have access to the Internet (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2000). In addition, 69% of households with children under 18 own a computer and 45% have Internet access (Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, & Brodie, 1999). Despite the increased infusion of computers in schools and society, the role of technology in early childhood education (5-8 years of age) remains a controversial topic. Critics (e.g. Cordes & Miller, 2000; Healy, 1999) argue that use of technology may replace essential learning experiences for children such as play and experimentation with real objects. They also claim that use of technology prevents children from interacting with peers or other adults and, therefore, will promote social isolation. Finally, they assert that use of technology poses serious health hazards for children such as repetitive stress injuries, eyestrain, obesity, and occasionally some physical, emotional, or intellectual developmental damage. On the other hand, proponents (e.g. Clements & Nastasi, 1993; Haughland & Wright, 1997) contend that when successfully integrated, technology can have positive outcomes on child development without decreasing engagement with traditional essential learning experiences. Technology can also serve as catalyst for social interaction and conversation related to children’s work. Finally, physical concerns can be addressed by monitoring the amount and the ways in which children work at the computer. Computer use at this age should be brief and students should be taking frequent breaks (Van Scoter, Ellis & Railsback, 2001). While the question of whether children should be using the technology or not is important, it should not be our primary focus. Technology has become ubiquitous in our lives and teachers and students are using it for a wide variety of tasks. Therefore, attention should be given on helping teachers find meaningful ways of using technology with young children while avoiding potential risks (Van Scoter et al., 2001). This paper describes the ways in which six teachers in an elementary school in the United States integrated technology within a common and familiar theme among lower grade (K-2) students,