After mat time, one
child picked up a magnetic resource that had fallen on the ground. The child
played with it by putting it on a whiteboard and taking it off again. When I
observed the child, I thought about the use of the whiteboard in my centre. My
home centre provides magnetic blocks for the children’s own play.
However, the teachers
did not facilitate the use of the whiteboard. Usually teachers use the whiteboard
for mat time. Teachers have given the children a couple of opportunities to use
marker pens on the whiteboard during mat time. Presumably the teachers think
that the whiteboard should be for mat time. If the children start playing with
the whiteboard during free time, they may think they can play with it all the
time and mat time may be disturbed.
In my opinion, the
whiteboard should be used in various ways for children’s technological learning
while interacting with them. If the whiteboard in my centre was an interactive
whiteboard, it would be more useful for the children’s learning. Unluckily, it
is just a whiteboard, so I would like to discover new ideas linked with
technology for the children’s learning and my teaching about it.
Te Whāriki emphasises
that children have a right to explore technology resources, such as magnets (Ministry
of Education, 1996). O’Hara (2004) insists that without interaction with
people, technology learning or progress does not occur.
Thus, I believe that not
only whiteboards but also accompanied resources, including magnetic pictures or
photos and marker pens should be provided together. With those technological
tools, I can communicate with the children by asking how it works, suggesting manipulation
and experimenting. Moreover, I should respond to children’s activities linked
with ICT by communicating with children so that they can learn and understand
the use and progress of technology.
New Zealand Curriculum declares that stage props can be used as part of
technology teaching. Those can be connected with information and communication
technology (Ministry of Education, 2007). Siraj-Blatchford and Siraj-Blatchford
(2006) assert that teachers should continually ask questions to children by
using “what if…?” so that they identify technological functions hidden in
applications; experiment potential possibility and solve problems.
The children in my
centre can explore the role of magnet on the whiteboard while comparing what
happens when things are magnetic and when they are not. This ensures that the teaching
moment of magnetic technology is smoothly continued through communication with the
children.
Alexander (2004, as
cited in Siraj-Blatchford & Siraj-Blatchford, 2006) also emphasises on
teachers’ technology teaching strategies. Discussion and seeking for answers
through scaffolding are important for children to develop potential cognition.
Wood (1998, as cited in O’Hara, 2004) states that children’s thinking is
further widened and children meet a challenge when teachers support their
learning through scaffolding during their play and hands-on exploration.
Through this, I could
have an idea about how to use the whiteboard for teaching technology. I could set
up a table for making props of the children’s favourite stories. One of the materials
would include magnets for sticking on a whiteboard. During the activity, I can
talk about the functions of the craft tools, such as scissors and the use of
technology.
After making the props, I would encourage them to share the story
with their friends by using the whiteboard. In the meantime, if they do not
have any props, they can use drawings they have made with marker pens for their
favourite stories.
Then, I encourage them to think about convenience and
inconvenience when using and not using technology. In addition, when the
children share their story, I or the children can record the story a friend
tells with a digital camera. Then, we can explore the process of how recorded
video gets from the camera to the computer and how we can watch it.
Reference lists
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.
O’Hara, M. (2004). ICT in the early years. New York, NY: Continuum.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Siraj-Blatchford, J.
(2006). A guide to developing the ICT
curriculum for early childhood education. Staffordshire, England: Trentham
Books.
Reference lists of photos
Reference lists of photos
Google Image. (n.d.). Making
crafts. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.co.uk/info_8355306_prek-lesson-plans-activities.html
Google Image. (n.d.).
Drawings on a whiteboard. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?start=352&hl=ko&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&tbnid=VACYH3SWffzEdM:&imgrefurl=http://www.tri-board.com/Photo-Gallery.html&docid=LZhKgT0XZRY-GM&imgurl=http://www.tri-board.com/Magnetic_whiteboard_and_easel_092.jpg&w=784&h=588&ei=egRkT8CyH8PxmAWmztGlCA&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=285&sig=111314593459443114584&page=15&tbnh=140&tbnw=221&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:352&tx=135&ty=68
Yes I agree that children have the right to use technology in the centre, may be the there needs to be a separate white board for drawing on- I know it is hard to use the board at mat time if there is drawing and writing all over it.
ReplyDeleteChildren learn by doing, interactive technology is a great way of doing that.
Magnets - apart of science and science and technology can be used together to promote learning- perhaps computers or other technology can be used to extend the learning occuring with magnets, drawing and the interactive whiteboard.
Talay-Ongan (2005) suggests that perhaps the smartboard - 'the computer linked electronic blackboard' can be used to facilitate group discussion and integrates use of software. Technology is used to support and scaffold student interaction, (p.227).
Encouraging children to create their own stories and magnets is a great idea- perhaps using magnetic stories at mat time to continue the use of magnets for communication.
Right, we are living with and benefit from technology in our surroundings. In addition, there are lots of technological resources such as magnetic resources, marker pens and whiteboards in the early childhood settings. Sadly, I also have seen that some teachers use a whiteboard for only teachers’ teaching during mat-time. I agree that a whiteboard can be used for children to improve technological learning in many ways. Teachers can provide whiteboards with magnetic alphabet letters or many kinds of shapes papers and magnets. In addition, children can freely draw with coloured markers on the whiteboard as well as erase their drawing easily.
ReplyDeleteIsenberg and Jalongo (2006) suggest that strategy and memory games and more-complex board and card games support children to develop skills and concepts through problem solving in their surroundings. In addition, children can develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials through exploration with fun during their play (Ministry of Education, 1996).
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.
Reflection 3 http://hyunseo-technoworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-3.html
ReplyDeleteHyun‘s example are quite common for the learning centres. I like her proposal of solving technological learning experience with the children. The visit to the centre office, small excursion inside the centre and further exploration starting from the paper technology following by office equipment connection with everyday practice is good and it is possible for everyone. There is a good thinking in the process of organisation, but she didn’t express any joy in her planning for her or for children. In my opinion it should be organised like good invention combining with current children interests through play “by doing, asking questions, how things work… by purposeful use of resources” (p.82). In my centre I will play with children “the pirate treasure hunting”. I will offer to find the equipment and explain to other children what this equipment for. Our children learn through play “very important for children’s development… in later life” (Claiborne & Drewery, 2010, p.160) and “the equipment should be provided … for technological learning” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.83). (156)