Jessica's blog

Friday, March 30, 2012

Final reflection

Since experimenting with digital and non digital technology in my centre I have now gained a deeper understanding of how both aspects of technology are important for both young children’s developmental needs and my own. Technology is not necessarily based around electronic devices but also pens, pencils and crayons can be classed as technology. Te Whāriki states that “children gain experience in using communication technologies such as crayons, paintbrushes, pencils, calculators, books, and computers”(Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 97). This is important because while the children were doing some of the activities I noticed and observed these types of technology embedded in the experiences that they were engaging in.

Throughout this experience I have gained a lot more knowledge from the interactions I have been having with the children and also from my peer’s comments in regards on how to further develop and improve my teaching abilities when it comes to using technology and non technology with the children in my centre. When I first started engaging in these experiences at first I thought that it was important for me to show the children about how to use technological devices especially when it came to using the digital camera. From my peer’s comments and my own personal interactions with the children I now know that I do not always need to show children how to use the devices first. For example during the making paper activity I decided to take a step back and watched to see if the children could turn the blender on by themselves. To my surprise the children were more then capable to turn it on by themselves. I believe that from this experience I have now decided to change the way I approach technology when it comes to children. I also believe that from this experience it would have helped the children with gaining and further developing their technological knowledge in regards to using the blender but also within technology itself and how it works. The New Zealand curriculum states that “through the technological knowledge strand, students develop knowledge particular to technological enterprises and environments and understandings of how and why things work” (Ministry of Education, 1993, p. 34).

I have also learnt from my peer’s comments that while the children are engaging in these activities I should ask more open ended questions which will help with further enhancing and developing the children interests within non digital and digital technology and also the activity that they are doing. I agree with these comments because as a teacher this is a very important teaching technique to be able to do this.

While observing the children engaging and interacting within these experiences I have noticed that through using both non digital and digital technology children gain and further develop problem solving skills, hand eye co-ordination, mathematics skills, science skills exploration skills through interacting with both forms of technology, being able to express themselves through the use of both forms of technology, fine motor skills, communication skills and it helps with building confidence in their abilities when it comes to using the non digital and digital equipment. I believe that this is very important because in Child development and teaching young children it states that “technology has gained acceptance in education of young children as being a tool, a medium for providing possibilities and opportunities for children” (Talay-Ongan, 2005, p. 226). I also believe that it is important to teach children about no digital and digital technology because in today’s society “most children now experience a range of technologies as a part of everyday life” (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 1993, p. 12). Overall throughout these experiences I have now learnt that non digital and digital technologies are not only important for children’s developmental needs but also for teachers and adults.

References

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (1993). Programming and planning in early childhood setting. Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Ministry of Education. (1993). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Talay-Ongan, A. (2005). Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Victoria, Australia: Gengage Learning.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Hyperlinks

Friday, March 23, 2012

Pirate play

Pirate play- non digital technology

This morning I was outside with the children when a few of them came over and asked me to play with them on the large wooden pirate ship that we have within the centre. We then began to pretend and imagine we were pirates on our ship sailing around in the big wide sea. After a while I then began to ask the children questions like “what do pirates need”? One child said “a hat” while another child said “we need to make a treasure map”. All the children agreed and then went inside so thee children could start to make their treasure maps.

Once we were inside the children then began to pick and choose the pencils, felt pens, crayons and paper that they were going to use to make their treasure map with. I noticed and personally felt that by using the pens, pencils and crayons gave the children the opportunity to experience a different form of technology compared to the everyday digital and electronic technology. In Programming and planning in the early childhood settings it states that “most children now experience a range of technologies as a part of everyday life” (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 1993, p. 12). This was shown to me through the use of the pens, pencils and crayons. In Te Whāriki it states that should we given the opportunity to “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). While the children were doing this I noticed that they were developing and further enhancing their fine motor skills through the use of holding the pens, pencils and crayons. I also noticed that they were developing their communication skills with their peers as they were talking about what and where they were going to draw the cross on the map for the treasure.

While the children were working together in constructing their treasure maps I decided to just sit and watch as I wanted to see what they would come up with without any verbal instructions from me. I found it really intriguing and surprising at how detailed and thought out the children had made their treasure maps. While the children were making the maps I could really tell that they were thinking about where they were going to put certain things as they were continuously talking about it with their peers. In The New Zealand Curriculum it states that children “come to appreciate the socially embedded nature of technology” (Ministry of Education, 1993, p. 34). I could clearly see this happening as the children freely communicated and interacted with their peers throughout the whole activity.

Once they had finished making their maps we then went back outside and found our pirate hats, and then we went and got back onto the pirate ship. It was very interesting to see who took on the role of being the lead pirate who would steer the ship as it was a very quite child who I would have least expected to take on this role. I feel that by the child taking on this role began to develop their confidence when interacting with their peers. It also taught me that when children engage in role play they begin to develop their confidence and take on the persona of the person or character that they are playing. Overall from this activity I have learnt that it is important to encourage children to interact with different forms of technology as not only do they learn something but also you do from observing the interactions that they have with it.

References

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (1993). Programming and planning in early childhood setting. Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Ministry of Education. (1993). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Photos references

Berkshire. (2009). Children in need. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/berkshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8366000/8366712.stm

Birthday express. (n.d). Pirate hat. Retrieved from http://www.birthdayexpress.com/Pirate-Hat-Child/52064/PartyItemDetail.aspx

Hyannis public library. (n.d). New Books. Retrieved from http://hyannispubliclibrary.blogspot.co.nz/2011/05/ahoy-mateys-if-its-pirate-chatter-ye-be.html

Stock photo pro. (2010). Children playing pirates. Retrieved from http://www.stockphotopro.com/photo_of/playing/B14FK2/children_playing_pirates

The kids window. (n.d). Children’s hand crafted pirate ship play centre with mast for kids. Retrieved from http://www.thekidswindow.co.uk/Selling.asp?product=5128

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Making recycled paper

Making recycled paper- digital technology

This morning in my centre I decided to do the activity of making recycled paper with the children, as this is an activity that they really like to do and is also an exciting an easy way of demonstrating how the children can use technology to produce and develop something new. The first thing the children did was cut up old paper into small strips so that they could fit them into the blender. During this experience I noticed that the children were further developing and enhancing their fine motor skills and hand eye co-ordination through holding the paper and also doing by cutting with the scissors. Te Whāriki states that “using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognise that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 95). Once the children had finished cutting the paper I then set up the blender for the children to begin to put these strips and some water into the blender. While doing this the children began to develop mathematical skills as they had to measure how much water they were going to put into the blender.

I decided to take a step back and not show the children how to turn on the blender as I wanted to see if they could work out for themselves how to turn it on. I then asked the children if they have used a blender before. I was really surprised when one child said “yeah mummy uses this at home” and then turned it on. I usually tend to show children first about how to use technology but this time I decided to wait and see if they could do it alone. I have learnt from this activity that I should not underestimate children’s technological abilities as they are more than capable of figuring it out on their own first. The New Zealand curriculum states that “through the technological knowledge strand, students develop knowledge

particular to technological enterprises and environments and understandings of how and why things work” (Ministry of Education, 1993, p. 34).I felt that the most important technological aspect of this activity is when the children have to use the blender to blend the paper with water so that it forms a thick pulp substance which is then further used to produce the recycled paper. In Child development and teaching young children it states that “technology has gained acceptance in education of young children as being a tool, a medium for providing possibilities and opportunities for children” (Talay-Ongan, 2005, p. 226). From this experience I have noticed that the children began to develop and enhance their mathematical and science skills. They developed their science skills through the process of blending the paper and water together and changing it into a thick liquid substance.

Once the children had finished blending all the paper I then helped them with pouring the pulp into a large container where they then submerged the screen so that the pulp substance will stick onto it. They then place the pulp onto a sheet of paper to let it dry before they could use the finished result. Overall from this experience I have learnt that instead of jumping in straight away to help children with technology I should not underestimate their abilities and give them the opportunity to try and figure out how to work the technological device or equipment first.

References

Ministry of Education. (1993). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Talay-Ongan, A. (2005). Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Victoria, Australia: Gengage Learning.

Photo references

Flicker. (2012). How to make paper. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/bzedan/sets/967347/detail/?page=2

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Jessica's Blog

Camera play- digital technology

Today in my centre while I was taking photos of the children building in the sandpit I noticed a couple of children seemed very interested in what I was doing. I then decided to invite these children to come and sit down with me while I talked about and showed them the photos I had taken. I then began to show and talk to the children about what a camera does and how to properly use it. I also showed them how to use the buttons on the camera. While I was showing the children all the buttons on the camera one child asked me “what’s this button called and what does it do” I then proceed to show and talk to the children about the camera as I thought that this would be a good opportunity to enhance and further develop the children’s interests within camera technology. Technology can be described as “methods and tools that a society has developed in order to facilitate the solution of its practical problems” (The Free Dictionary.com, 2012).Through this activity I believe that the children also began to further develop their verbal language skills as they started to learn how to pronounce and name the proper parts and buttons on the camera. In Te Whāriki it states that “children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 98). This is relevant because while the children were using the camera I noticed that it gave them the opportunity to develop, explore and have meaningful interactions with the surrounding centre environment.

I believe that using technology within the centre is very important for children as it helps “children develop the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and use technology associated with them” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88). While doing this activity with the children I noticed that they began to gain confidence in their abilities within understanding how to properly use and where they could use the camera. In The Zealand Curriculum it states that children gain “an understanding of material properties, uses, and development is essential to understanding how and why products work the way they do” (Ministry of Education, 1993, p. 34). I also noticed that while playing with the camera the children began to enhance and further develop their hand eye coordination skills as they had to work out how they were going to hold the camera while pushing the button and looking through the screen at the object they wanted to take a picture of.

I personally feel that by encouraging and allowing the children to use the camera within the centre has given them the opportunity to gain and “develop valuable technological skills that will be beneficial for future learning” (Talay- Ongan, 2005, p. 226). From doing this activity with the children I have now gained a deeper understanding of why it is important for teachers to use as “the use of technology in early childhood settings enables teachers to easily tailor the curriculum to meet individual child needs” (Talay- Ongan, 2005, p. 227).

Overall I personally feel that it is important to introduce and include digital technology within the centre environment as it gives the children the opportunity to explore, express themselves through technology and helps with developing and further enhancing their interest within technology.

References

Ministry of Education. (1993). The New Zaland Curriculum.Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Talay-Ongan, A. (2005). Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Victoria, Australia: Gengage Learning.

The Free Dictionary.com. (2012). Technology Retrieved
from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/technology

The Free Dictionary.com. (2012). Technology Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/technology

Photo references

Better parenting. (2012). See the world from your child’s eyes with digital photography. Retrieved from http://www.betterparenting.com/see-the-world-from-your-childs-eyes- with-digital-photography/

Buzzle.com. (2000). Best digital cameras for kids. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/best-digital-cameras-for-kids.html

ICT in the Early Years. (2008). Using digital cameras and scanners. Retrieved from http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/resources_65.html

My baby photos. (2008). Kids being real digital cameras to Fridays show and tell. Retrieved from http://mybabyphotos.net/kids-bring-real-digital-cameras-to-fridays-show-and- tell/

Tuscarawas County Public Library. (n.d). Children’s programming highlight: summer reading photography contest. Retrieved from http://www.tusclibrary.org/content/childrens-programming-highlight-summer- reading-photography-contest