MA in Education, 2012
School of Education
April 1, 2011
Research Explores Long-Term Impacts of Technology Use in Early Childhood
Ernest Johnson is a Ph.D. Student specializing in Language, Literacy, and Technology. Prior to entering the Ph. D. program, Ernest served in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft maintenance specialist. He spent a majority of his time in the military stationed in Japan and traveling to various countries throughout Asia such as Korea and the Philippines. After his time in the military, he transitioned to Hawaii where he attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
During his time at the University of Hawaii, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Japanese and a Master’s Degree in English as a Second Language (ESL). Upon graduation Ernest moved to Japan where he had the wonderful opportunity to teach at Rikkyo University, which is considered to be one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. Besides the teaching experience Ernest obtained in Japan, he has also taught at California State University, Long Beach.
Ernest is focusing his research on the long-term impacts of technology use in early childhood. Using nationally representative data and suitable statistical methods, he is striving to answer some of the most challenging questions society is now asking. For instance, does access to home computers in early childhood result in higher academic outcomes? What exactly are the achievement effects for youth who spend time on the Internet during kindergarten age? What are the academic outcome effects of children who play computer games at home and in classroom settings?
In addition to his focus on technology and education, Ernest is also extremely interested in issues related to bilingualism.
With the continuous growth of the bilingual community in California and America, I believe that second language learner education issues are vital issues that need more research.