An increasing number of children in the United States are benefiting from early learning environments. As of 2024, federal and state programs are serving over 4.2 million children and their families, representing 18% of the nation’s children aged five and under.
Challenges in Early Childhood Education
Managing young children in a classroom setting presents unique challenges for educators. These young learners are in the process of discovering their identities and understanding the physical world around them. Their natural curiosity, creativity, and energy can create a dynamic, often chaotic environment. Teachers are tasked with delivering lessons that cater to diverse learning styles, speeds, and interests. Although experts caution against excessive screen time for young children, the National Association for the Education of Young Children offers guidelines for integrating technology in ways that foster creativity. Technology can also enhance classroom safety and security, both inside and outside the school setting.
Samsung’s Vision for the Connected Classroom
The concept of the connected classroom is where students and teachers engage with content and each other in new, interactive ways. Samsung is at the forefront of this movement, aiming to inspire student success through connected technologies like interactive displays, monitors, PCs, tablets, Chromebooks, and smartphones on private networks. While not all devices may be suited for early learners, tools such as interactive whiteboards, pre-k tablets like the Galaxy Tab A9+ and Galaxy Tab S9 FE, and apps on Samsung Kids can keep young children engaged. These technologies help educators address the challenges posed by varying learning styles and abilities.
Collaborative Partnerships for Educational Advancement
Samsung collaborates with educational leaders like Kaplan and Age of Learning to create customizable early education technology solutions. Samsung provides reliable technology, software, and device management, while these partners bring educational expertise and insights into what teachers and students need for success.
One such product, the Little Learner tablet, was developed through a partnership between Samsung and Kaplan. Designed for children aged 2 to 7, the Little Learner is a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ pre-loaded with educational apps curated by Kaplan. These apps cover essential skills such as literacy, logic, mathematics, and language development, drawing from trusted sources like PBS Kids, Khan Kids, and Samsung Kids.
Using Samsung Knox Configure, IT administrators can secure the online environment, locking down certain functions to ensure uniformity across all tablets in a school. This allows young students to interact with technology in a way that is both age-appropriate and engaging, without the risk of unsupervised internet access.
“Teachers were hesitant to give tablets to young children, but now they can with confidence,” said Michelle Marshall, an educational technology specialist at Kaplan. “We’ve designed a tablet that’s ready to use right out of the box, giving teachers peace of mind that it’s secure.”
Extending Technology Beyond the Classroom
Student success in early education relies on more than just classroom experiences. Safety and transportation are also crucial aspects of their day-to-day lives. Samsung technology is playing a significant role in developing solutions that ensure students’ safety and streamline transportation logistics.
For instance, the SMART tag system pairs a rugged onboard Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 tablet with RFID tags carried by each student. This system tracks the location of students as they board or disembark from buses, with all data kept secure through encryption. Samsung Knox Suite allows district administrators to manage these tablets easily, facilitating quick deployment of new devices. Parents can access the system to check their child’s location and receive alerts if the bus is delayed or encounters issues.
Why Samsung Stands Out
Samsung is committed to providing user-friendly, comprehensive device management solutions that are easy to implement and maintain. This focus, along with intuitive user interfaces and durable devices, makes Samsung products a strong choice for early learning environments. With a range of top-tier equipment like displays, pre-k tablets, Chromebooks, and an extensive partner ecosystem, educational institutions gain a robust set of tools to support the connected classroom.
The integration of technology in classrooms is undoubtedly here to stay. With Samsung’s educational technology, pre-k classrooms can offer young learners secure, interactive tools that nurture their natural creativity and set them on a path to success.