Is your child packing the right technology for school?

The days when you sent your child off to school with sharpened pencils, ruled paper and a Trapper Keeper are over. Today's kids may be bringing home an entirely different supply list. And you may want to arm your kids with a few extras that are more like essentials.

First, the good news: Between kindergarten and fifth grade, your child may not need any more than what you had back in the day, according to Daniel Garmus, academic director for Web Design & Interactive Media at The Art Institute of Tucson. "Kids that age are still learning the basics of writing and usually have computers in the classroom," explains Garmus.

But even though your child may not need high-tech tools for school, you should still consider giving your child a head start at home, suggests Bill Byrne, academic director for Game Art & Design at The Art Institute of Austin, a branch of The Art Institute of Houston. "Get your kids involved in technology as soon as possible. The earlier you get them involved the more successful they will be. The earlier they start, the more easily they'll pick it up."

Tablets have apps made for toddlers, says Byrne. You can start your kids off with a Dr. Seuss app and move on to more sophisticated apps that can be used as learning tools as kids get older. "For high schoolers there are apps that take a standard to-do list app and add on a gaming element. Every time you complete something on your to-do list you get more points and move up a level."

Byrne says this trend in the industry is called "gamefication." Developers are adding game elements to applications which would normally not have that component.

Chad Hardy, Web Design & Interactive Media program coordinator at The Art Institute of Dallas, a campus of South University, points out that kids can also use a tablet or a smartphone to record a teacher's lecture if they have permission. That way they can reference what their instructors covered in class.

Garmus is a big proponent of smartphones because kids can use the built in calculator, do Web research and utilize social media. "Being able to network and communicate is a very important skill in the professional world. Equipping them with the appropriate technology will help prepare them for the workforce."

If your kids are starting to write papers or do design work for their art classes, Hardy says it's time to invest in a laptop. Laptops have come down in price and you can get one for your child for $300 to $400.

All three recommend that you embrace technology for your kids. Hardy sums it up, "Even if your kids do not wind up in technology fields, new technologies are being used everywhere. The more comfortable they are with it, the more likely they are to succeed."

To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Art Institutes is a system of over 45 schools across North America. Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by school. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University. Administrative office: 210 Sixth Avenue, 33rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.