Since I have been
learning about technology for children in early childhood settings, I have
recognised that it is hard to find technological materials in my home centre. Even
though I am in over three-years-old group, computers or even televisions for
DVDs are not available. I was embarrassed that I could not support the children’s
technology learning in my centre.
Young (2005) maintains
that technology in early childhood settings encompasses more than just
electronic tools or gadgets, such as computers. Te Whāriki states that technology resources are linked with
creative arts and crafts for children’s activities (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Moreover, children should acquire technological concepts through investigation
and discovery of technology during their activities (Siraj-Blatchford &
Siraj-Blatchford, 2006; Young, 2005).
Thus, I observed the
children’s activities and what their teacher was doing. One day, the children
were drawing a draft for their LEGO constructions and the teacher was taking
photos of their works for their learning stories. The teacher said that through
this the children could have a chance to think about what they wanted to build
and the draft allowed them to identify whether their plan could be accomplished
or not. The teacher’s teaching about construction was helpful for the children
to understand the process of construction. From this activity, I would like to
figure out how I could connect this with technology learning for the children.
Then, I found the digital camera the teacher used.
However, my home centre
does not give the children opportunities to use the digital camera. It is only
for the teachers with the purpose of learning stories. I thought about what if
they could use the camera, even if it is only the once. In my opinion, the
activity would be part of a more integrated curriculum for the children’s
learning, including technology as well as being more interesting and involving
the children.
For example, when the
children draw a draft for their LEGO construction, they would build their own
creative works individually. After it, I would allow them to take photos of
their works for display on a wall. Then, I would offer them the experience of how
to print the photos individually by downloading the photos from the camera to a
computer and clicking the files to be printed. New Zealand Curriculum declares that children develop technological
knowledge and skills by exploring innovative products and systems (Ministry of
Education, 2007). Smorti (1999) maintains that technology learning in early
childhood settings is not about the completed product but about the technology
process. Consequently, I believe that the whole process of every activity
enables children to get familiar with and understand technology through
exploration from the start of thinking to the completed work expressed by their
experiments.
Once the whole activity
is completed, I would display the children’s work process from the draft to
their accomplished work photos. The display on the wall might give the children
an opportunity to share their work with their friends and parents. Moreover,
during mat time, we can talk about the technological use and the individual
work. I believe that this whole process would let the children clarify their
thinking and how it is represented in their objects, such as LEGO construction
and the work photos. Further, they can understand the technological process
through their hands-on experience. According to Bowman and Beyer (1994),
technology learning enables children to associate real objects and symbols with
their thoughts; distinguish between concepts and concrete objects; and express
their ideas verbally and nonverbally during play.
Through this
reflection, I was able to understand how their ideas can be expressed in
concrete and real objects by exploring technological resources and how
effective children’s technology learning is during activities.
Reference lists of literature
Bowman, B. T.,
& Beyer, E. R. (1994). Thoughts on technology and early childhood
education. In J. L. Wright & D. D. Shade (Eds.) Young children: Active learners in a technological age (pp. 19-30). Washington, WA: National Association
for the Education of Young Children.
Ministry
of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki:
He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry
of Education. (2007). The New Zealand
Curriculum for English-medium teaching and learning in years 1-13. Wellington, New
Zealand: Learning Media.
Siraj-Blatchford,
I., & Siraj-Blatchford, J. (2006). A
guide to developing the ICT curriculum for early childhood education.
Staffordshire, England: Trentham Books.
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early
Education, 19, 5-10.
Young, T. (2005).
How do things work?: Problem solving with technology. In T. Young & S. Elliott (Eds.), Just investigate!: Science and technology experiences for young
children (3rd ed., pp. 29-42).
Victoria, Australia: Tertiary Press.
Reference lists of Photos
E2BN Image. (n.d.). Watching a
computer. Retrieved from http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/resources_66.html
E2BN Image. (n.d.). Block play.
Retrieved from http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/gallery_91.html
Google Image. (n.d.). A child drawing.
Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?hl=ko&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=0Eez8CweD75BFM:&imgrefurl=http://www.childrenstherapy.ca/index.php%3Fp%3Dprograms&docid=I3CmCKT_JjgGvM&imgurl=http://www.childrenstherapy.ca/ckfinder/userfiles/images/child_drawing.jpg&w=500&h=333&ei=DZ9iT7nWLsyXiAecxpjABQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=250&sig=111314593459443114584&page=1&tbnh=135&tbnw=177&start=0&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0&tx=142&ty=41
Google Image. (n.d.). How to take
photos. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?start=284&hl=ko&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=nzJhIe_U0djBHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.facebook.com/vietnamrelief&docid=WYqjeXBHNNO_ZM&imgurl=http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php%253Fd%253DAQB883B-DCxESgtF%2526url%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fi1.ytimg.com%25252Fvi%25252FT_LnSWJd8f4%25252Fhqdefault.jpg&w=480&h=360&ei=iJ5iT5nzEsGTiQeF3oX-BQ&zoom=1
Yes i agree technology does not have to only involve computers and children being creative through non digital technology is also important.
ReplyDeleteUsing digital cameras opens up a world of opportunities however teachers need to be encouraged and supported to use technology and become confident enough to teach it. As stated in Te Whariki and Smorti (1999) in order to participate in this world our children need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Technology is an important part of the world and we as educators need to try and integrate it more into the curriculum as technology is a tool for providing possibilities and opportunities for children, (Talay-Ongan 2005 p.226).
I find that teachers only use the digital camera for learning stories because they are not confident to teach the children to use it and still learning themselves, however Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer (2008) state that children are competent users of technology, active agents in their own learning and very aware of the world beyond their family, (p.13. Sometimes they need more encouragement to see the benefits of using technology such as the camera in the curriculum.
Yes, when some centres do not provide technological materials for children, it is hard situations for teachers who want to teach children with using technology. According to the principle of Communication in Te Whāriki, children can “develop familiarity with the properties and character of the materials and technology used in the creative and expressive arts” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 80). I think that when teachers use digital camera for children to take photos, children can also learn technology through observing teachers’ work.
ReplyDeleteI agree that technological materials can help children play and express their ideas in new ways. In addition, divergent materials like block provide many possibilities for children to grow up naturally. In particular, children can freely create imaginative constructions and determine what to do with them (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2006). It is a great idea for children to draw a draft before building up blocks and provide and share their works through display and taking photos. I think that children can have an opportunity to learn a process from planning to review with display.
References
Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (2006). Creative thinking and arts-based learning: Preschool through fourth grade (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
I am surprised that a centre for over 3’s does not have computers, TV’s or other digital equipment for children to use, play with or learn from. The centres I have worked in for my sustained practicum or other placements. I think it is a really good to let the children use technology such as a computer or a digital camera, not for the sake of using it, but as a tool to achieve the goal of sharing their planning and constructing, and letting them share and remember their experiences. “It is important to invite children, families and all staff members to be involved in documentation so that multiple perspectives can be included” (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 1993)
ReplyDeleteThis has significance to the wider world, where technology is most often not a goal in itself, but a tool to achieve something concrete or significant.