Early Education in partnership with IBM.

The IBM KidSmart Early Learning programme is a worldwide initiative that gives children in disadvantaged areas access to computers and builds on ICT learning in early years settings. IBM gives brand new computers in purpose built units to settings as part of their corporate community relations programme. A KidSmart unit consist of an IBM computer, RiverDeep educational software, Edmark, and computer furniture from Little Tikes.

Having started in the USA, the programme has now expanded into Asia, Australia, Latin America and the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. So far IBM has donated over 20 thousand computers to early years settings.

In the UK IBM, working in close partnership with Early Education, has just completed Phase 6 of the programme. To date 780 units have been placed within 65 local education authorities across the UK. The programme will continue to expand as IBM is planning to start Phase 7 of the initiative in 2006. Using the early childhood expertise that Early Education provides, IBM can ensure the continued success of the programme, enabling all settings participating to have maximum support and benefit from IBM’s contribution to early years education. Early Education is also responsible for the administration of the programme.

Local Authorities are selected to take part in the programme by IBM and Early Education. Following given selection criteria, the local authorities then nominate specific early years settings to receive a computer. The two main selection criteria are

• the setting must serve a disadvantaged community

• the setting must be state provision or not-for-profit.

Due to the charitable nature of the programme, IBM is unable to donate computers to private/profit-making early years settings. All charity, voluntary or local authority settings are eligible.

KidSmart is not simply about putting computers into early years settings, but is intended to promote the professional development of practitioners in order to engage young minds through the use of appropriate technologies, supporting and extending their education as well as preparing children for lifelong learning. It also plays a key role in helping to bridge the digital divide between the disadvantaged and those with greater opportunities.

In 2000, IBM and Early Education commissioned a report from independent researchers at the University of Cambridge and the University of London to verify the programme’s effectiveness. The key finding of the report showed that KidSmart had led to "significant improvements in every area of the information and communications technology (ICT) curriculum within a year." Assessment of subsequent UK phases has formed part of an independent European evaluation of KidSmart, which has also involved KidSmart settings in France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal. The study investigated the impact of KidSmart on teacher confidence in the use of ICT and the quality of their application of ICT to teaching and learning in early years settings. It also looked at issues such as the impact on the digital divide and parental involvement. Click here to download the full report.

For more information, please email office@early-education.org.uk or click on one of the following links/pictures below.

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