Final Reflection

At the beginning when I started writing my blog I did not have much knowledge about technology in early childhood. By reading the blogs of my group members I have realised that technology plays a vital role amongst children and technology encompasses more than we think it does. By reading the blogs, I have also realised how dependent we are on technology.

When I was young I always saw adults using a camera and they always told us not to touch it. I started thinking that only adults were allowed to use a camera. I was brought up in Fiji and I never used any kind of technology because I did not have the exposure to technology and I found it really hard to cope with technology when I came to New Zealand. I had to take on a computer course to learn how to use a computer and it was challenging for me at that time. I got to know that it is important for parents to support children’s learning towards technology because children learn faster when they are young and they become more confident and competent towards technology later in life.

The best part of my blogging journey was that I got an opportunity to reflect on my teaching practice and I also got to know other people’s views as well as how they impact on my teaching. I feel that I have extended my learning towards technology and I got to know about different kinds of non digital experiences as well which I was not aware of before I started blogging. I liked the way my group members shared their ideas, teaching practice, their way of planning and implementing. I think that sharing our ideas and views is very important for continual growth and it also challenges our thinking. Smorti (1999) states that “if educators are to scaffold children’s learning we need to broaden our understanding of technology and aspire to extend our own knowledge” (p.5).

This assignment has really motivated me to keep on supporting children’s technology in every way that I can. I have had discussions with the teachers at my centre whether technology is a good or a bad thing amongst children. I wrote down the negatives and the positives on a piece of paper. I had more positives than negatives so I realised that I felt positive about providing technology experiences to the children in my centre. I like to embrace experiences which can extend children’s thinking. Ellis & Van Scoter (2001) state that “the critical factor is a balanced approach to technology in learning with thoughtful planning to provide for the important needs of childhood” (p5). At my centre, child D has always showed interest towards technology so her mum thought of buying her an I-pad on which she can draw and learn her alphabets. Recently her mum told me that child D has become so confident with her I-pad that she chooses her own colours to draw and she selects the write alphabets. Clements & Natasi (1993) state that “technology should not replace human interaction and relationships, but they can serve as catalysts for social interactions and conversations related to children’s work” (cited in Ellis & Van Scoter, 2001, p9).

The journey has inspired me in so many ways; I understand technology a lot better than before. I have understood the importance of technology amongst children and I have realised that children are very competent when it comes to technology. I have developed a whole new perspective about technology and I would like to keep on facilitating children’s learning towards technology. Now I know that blogs can be a great tool to share our ideas and learning which takes place in an early childhood environment. I will continue to scaffold and enhance children’s experiences with technology.

References:

Ellis, D., & Van Scoter, J. (2001) Technology in Early childhood Education: Finding the Balance.Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999. 

Hyperlinks to my comments

Patricia:

http://trishapaulo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/children-and-computers.html#comment-form

http://trishapaulo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/children-and-cameras.html#comment-form

http://trishapaulo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/children-and-scissors.html?showComment=1346115461407#c2747530798652220348

Seema:

http://seemasheronicalal.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/blog-post_23.html?showComment=1346404415235#c6403585172918493601

http://seemasheronicalal.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/baking-with-children.html?showComment=1346404523585#c6947374801249042893

http://seemasheronicalal.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/cameras.html?showComment=1346404619468#c2674349314737206908

Jennifer :

http://lavemai.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/computer-use-in-early-childhood-center.html?showComment=1346287042632#c4939978290634082306

http://lavemai.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/indentifying-learning-with-digital.html?showComment=1346288117538#c843951319756712388

http://lavemai.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/non-digital-playing-with-play-dough.html?showComment=1346291376974#c1969935979368310987 

Pauline :

http://technologyinthecentre.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/egg-beater.html?showComment=1346298416277#c8792669753176175795

http://technologyinthecentre.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/digital-camera.html?showComment=1346299604472#c1747816866288182840

http://technologyinthecentre.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/180812-blog-1-computer-i-have-notice.html?showComment=1346300684773#c7732428579272297461

Non Technology - Communicating through a toy phone

Blog Three:  Using telephones enhances children’s literacy skills

Date: 24/08/12

Our centre manager has just bought a new toy phone for our children. Today at 5 pm child K and child S were the only ones to get picked up. I could see that they really wanted to go home because they went and stood near the door. After a while, child K went and got the toy phone. She pressed the keys on the toy phone and said “mummy come”. I felt sorry for child K because she really wanted her mummy to come and pick her up. I asked child K if she would like to ring up her mum and tell her to come and pick her up. She said yes so we went and got her mummy’s number. I asked child K if she would like to press the numbers for me. She said yes and she pressed the number keys on the phone with my guidance. I told her that I will give her the phone once her mummy answers the phone. Child K’s mummy picked up the phone and I gave the phone to child K. Child K said “mummy come!” and she quickly gave the phone to me. Unfortunately, child K’s mum got stuck in the traffic. I told child K that her mum will come and pick her up soon.

I think that children are capable and competent learners when it comes to technology. After twenty minutes child K’s mum came to pick her up and she could not believe that child K knew what a phone is used for. She told me that whenever the phone rings at home K always wants to answer the phone and she likes talking to her grandma on the phone. Technology is a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products,” (Smorti, 1999, p.5).I was so glad that I was able to respond towards child K's needs and as an educator I should encourage the children to know how to use a phone in times of need. “Technology is also about helping people and solving problems” (Smorti, 1999, p.5).Child K is developing her understanding upon how to use a phone and by talking on the phone child K is developing her language skills and social skills. By using the phone child K was able to express her feelings and her mum knew that child K was telling her to come and pick her up. Te Whariki states that “language grows and develops in meaningful contexts when children have a need to know and a reason to communicate” (Ministry of Education, 1996). Child K was not able to tell me verbally that she wanted to go home so she expressed her feelings by getting the toy phone and pressing the numbers. Technology can contribute towards children’s learning dispositions, it can extend their knowledge and they also gain a better understanding of the world (Aubrey and Dahl, 2008). No one told child K to go and get the phone. She recalled her past experiences of talking on the phone to her grandma so she got the phone to call her mum up. I was glad to know that she had the exposure of answering phones and talking on the phone which has built her self confidence.

Through this experience I have realised that children get the opportunity to work with technological items such as telephones, ipad, computer, and camera. Through exploration children get to build up their confidence and knowledge. Te Whāriki states that “children develop the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them,” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88). I think that I would like to have a discussion with my supervisor about the importance of technology in our centre and keep on facilitating children’s learning towards technology by providing them with camera, ipad and computer in the future. 

Reference List:

Aubrey, C. & Dahl, S. (2008). A review of the evidence on the use of ICT in the early years foundation stage. Retrieved from http://www.e-learningcentre.co.uk/Resource/CMS/Assets/5c10130e-6a9f-102c-a0be-003005bbceb4/form_uploads/review_early_years_foundation.pdf.

 Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He whariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Using camera with children

Blog Two:

Date: 23/08/12

Today, some of the children were playing outside in the sand pit and I was taking photos of them. Child D came up to me and asked me if she can take some photos of her friend. I gave her the camera and I asked her “do you know how a camera works” and she said “yes”. Then I asked her how does she know how to use it and she said that her mummy told her how to use it. I was happy to let child D explore with my camera because I wanted her to build her learning based on her interest. “Children develop enhanced learning opportunities through the meaningful use of ICT” (Ministry of Education, 1997, p.2).

Child D went up to her friend, turned the camera on and pressed the button on the top to take a photo. I was surprised by child D because I never thought that a young child would be able to use a camera properly. Child D was confident to hold the camera and take pictures of her friends. “In technology, students learn to be innovative developers of products and systems and discerning consumers who will make a difference in the world” (Ministry of Education, 2007). Today I got to know what children are capable of doing by using technology.

At my centre, the teachers use our centre camera to capture children’s learning, development and teachable moments but teachers do not allow children to use the camera. I took my camera to the centre today and child D was very curious about the camera. Sue Smorti discusses about the “process approach to technology, it is the doing that is important, rather than the product” (1999, p.6). I thought of supervising her while she uses the camera but she was very competent and she was having fun while taking the photos. Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer (2008) discusses the benefits of having the view that children are competent users of technology who are active agents in their own learning (p.13). I think that child D had the exposure of using a camera at home which has build up her confidence. “Graphics and other forms of visual representation offer important tools for exploration and communication” (Ministry of Education, 2007).

I thought of writing a learning story on D’s photography experience and I downloaded the photos which child D took on my centre’s computer so that the children can view them and recognise their photos. When children look at their photos on the power point they develop their visual, language and cognitive skills by recalling the past events.  When the children were looking at their photos on the power point I asked them questions such as “what are you doing with your friend in the picture?” By asking open ended questions children recall their past events which I believe will assist them with problem solving and information processing (Mac Naughton & Williams, 2004). I think that it is important for the teachers to ask questions about the photos which the children look at on the slide show to help them develop their metacognitive thinking.
As an educator, I believe that children are capable and confident learners. I also believe that if we foster children’s learning through using ICT we can help them develop their cognitive skills which will be beneficial for their problem solving skills, expressing their ideas and processing information. I would like to build on the children’s interest towards technology. I would like to start recording videos of the children’s learning so that they can recognise themselves through video clips. Children build a sense of identity through their exploration and we as educators should support their curiosity in every way we can. I think that if we provide guidance and supervision to the children while they use technology such as camera, computer, ipad they can become competent and confident learners of ICT.

Reference List:

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2008). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4^th ed.).  Victoria, Australia: CENGAGE Learning.

Macnaughton, G. Williams, G. (2004). (Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in the theory and practice). New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

 Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Exploring with an Overhead Projector

Blog One:  How technology promotes children’s learning

Date: 22^nd August, 2012

Today one of the teachers at my centre brought in an overhead projector to our infant and toddler room. The children were very excited to see something new. Children at my centre have been interested in different kinds of shapes so I thought of placing different kinds of plastic shapes on the projector screen and teacher T also brought in a plain sheet to put up on the wall. We wanted the children to explore with technology and also learn their shapes at the same time.

When the sheet was up children started taking turns to put the shapes on the projector screen and they could see the shadows on the screen. Some of them were putting their hands on the projector screens to see the shadow of their hands.

Today I noticed that when child K arrived in the morning he straight away came to see the overhead projector. Normally K arrives in the morning he does not settle in strait away. It takes quite a while for K to settle in his environment every morning but today he was absolutely fine because he saw something new and he was really fascinated by the overhead projector. He quickly said bye to his mum and started exploring with the overhead projector.

Child K looked at the different shadow of the shapes and he was really fascinated by them. He tried moving the shape around to see what the outcome will be on the plain sheet placed on the wall and he was really interested about how the projector worked. Child T was holding a toy car so he game child K his toy car and he placed it on the projector screen. After quite a while of picking things and placing it back on the projector table he started looking all around the projector table and he found the light switch so he started switching on the light and turning it off and was fascinated by the light going on and off. He looked at the plain sheet every time he switched the light off. One of the teachers stopped him because other children wanted to explore with the projector as well.

Other children started taking their turns and most of them were moving the shapes around on the projector screen to see the outcome of it. After a while, all the children went away to play with something else but child K was still fascinated by the overhead projector. He got pieces of puzzles, shells and even pieces of paper to place them on the projector screen.

Child K was not just placing the different kinds of materials on the projector screen, he was very curious about how the overhead projector worked. I could see that child K was problem solving by placing different materials on the projector screen. He was investigating the light switch and he was also making connection between placing the objects on the screen then switching the light on and off and then watching it on the plain sheet on the wall. His curiosity was leading him to enquire and make sense of the world around him (Ministry of Education, 1996).

From this experience, child K realised that technology can support so much of children’s learning. Child K was using the overhead projector for the first time so he was using the concept of trial and error to investigate. He was not only learning about light and shadow from this technology but he was learning other concepts such as problem solving, thinking and reasoning which will help him in other curriculum areas. Now I see technology in the light of other curriculum areas such as mathematics or pre reading skills which can be enhanced in early childhood centres through learning experiences (Smorti, 1999). Technology would not just support the child in one curriculum area but rather support the child in a holistic way enhancing in other curriculum areas.

Reference List:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

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