Final Reflection Blog

I have now realised that technology is more than just hi-tech gadgets. It also encompasses the processes that take place whilst creating either an invention or innovation. The impact of technology in early childhood education is immense. This is because children are exposed to televisions, music, computers, digital cameras and joining technology such as glue, sello tape and paper clips. I have gained a lot from this course about how to implement aspects of technology into the early childhood centre.

This assignment gave me an opportunity to put into practice the concepts that I learnt from the literature researched. For instance, I was able to introduce joining technology to a child who did not have previous experience with the materials. This allowed her to familiarise herself with glue and tape so that in future she will gauge which is best to use for the purpose of her artwork. Furthermore, I agree with Priti's comment that the use of collage materials are good ways to introduce children to technology because these allow them to mould their thoughts into a creation. While doing this, the educator can extend on the child's social, fine motor and cognitive skills. In future, I can provide more joining technology such as paper clips and staples so that children gain knowledge that there are other things rather than glue and tape that can stick two objects together. Moreover, when the child engages in creating, he/she builds on his/her fine motor and cognitive skills. I can converse with him/her about her thoughts on what is going on and how improvisation can take place.

Improvisation is a critical part of technology as well. This is because plans can or need to change due to variables such as lack of resources. This aspect is prevalent in an early childhood setting. For instance, when J made his blueprint, he realised that the plan he had thought of changed slightly. Likewise, while building his scroll, he had to change his design because of the lack of materials. Hence, it is important to get children to understand the concept of improvisation. They need to understand that things do not always go ahead as planned. In J's case, I was there to guide him throughout the process and support him when he felt frustrated on not finding a suitable shape of material. I liked Emily's comment which summed up that we should reassure children that they are capable of thinking on their own and realising that innovation is part of the process of creation.

Even though technology is the focus of this course, the underlying message is that educators need to let children explore and learn on their own while being a source of support throught the experience. This was mentioned in Sonam's comment and I agree that as a teacher, we need to keep on asking open ended questions to get the children to think of what to do next. Raja and Annie mentioned in their comments that such interaction allows children to build on their imagination and change the way they interact with their peers and adults. For example, when a child is learning to use technology, he/she gain understanding of the concept by the help of the teacher and peers. Hence, next time, this child will be able to help others as well because of his/her new found knowledge. In addition, Amy also commented that allowing children to listen and take on other people's views and contributions can build on social skills and respecting other's views. In turn, the child will become more emphathetic towards others; one more step closer to becoming a competent learner.

As good as the exposure to technology sounds in early childhood education, it is not free of disadvantages. For instance, when children use the internet, it is important to follow NETSAFE strategies to ensure children are safe from unwanted sites and predators. Centres can implement these strategies by keeping their computers safe and perhaps providing information for the parents as well to keep the children safe at home too. Furthermore, children also become disheartened when there is not sufficient resources for them to create their artwork. Perhaps, it would be better to talk to the child about the types of materials that he/she would like to create with and then ask a parent or nearby neighbourhood shops to donate unwanted materials for the child to use. This way, the child will learn about recycling as well.

Hence, technology is important for children as they will grow up to be part of a workforce that deals with computers or some other aspect of technology. However, it is also significant that the teachers inculcate a sense of confidence in children so that they realise their capabilities.

Comments on Student and Class Blogs

Student Blogs

http://pritipratap.blogspot.com/2011/04/super-tots-and-cameras-smorti-1999.html?showComment=1304127165410#c8972923132509847923


http://rajapra5ad.blogspot.com/2011/04/using-computer-to-extend-learning.html?showComment=1304129510372#c6387958920337122259

http://amosgallagher.blogspot.com/2011/04/little-photographers.html?showComment=1304131661566#c4691954968314683171

http://lisasmithsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/many-possibilities-that-music-has.html?showComment=1304138134044#c2263683601198560690

http://bumblebeesonam.blogspot.com/2011/04/paints-and-technology.html?showComment=1304141305067#c9212908953927543657

Class Blogs
 
http://tamarwk.blogspot.com/2011/03/martin-robot-man.html?showComment=1304222317557#c2638990772422667806
 

http://tamarwk.blogspot.com/2011/04/children-as-competent-confident.html?showComment=1304225168354#c3831947858952224233

Collage Involves Technology

“Collage involves Technology” by Vandhana Prakash

Technology in early childhood is prevalent in a variety of ways. It can be in the form of telecommunications such as phones and computers or incorporated through the use of creativity and problem solving (Grant, 2010). However, another form of technology is constructing with the use of joining materials (Smorti, 1999). Collage experiences are available to children at all early childhood centres. It is surprising to know that the processes involved in creating a piece of artwork with collage pieces are actually part of technology. This is because glue, tape or any other object used to hold two pieces together denotes construction and creativity which are integral parts of technology (Van Scoter, Ellis, Railsback & Northwest Regional Educational Lab, 2001).  The children at my centre engage in art experiences every day. One morning, I observed a two year old child, who was new to the centre, using various materials to create a wonderful piece of collage work.  She is called D and had started at the centre three weeks prior to this experience.

I put out some glue, glitter, scissors, crepe paper, pipe cleaners, small cupcake cups, tape, felt pens, fuzzy craft balls and different coloured paper for an indoor art experience. D chose to create an artwork. I asked her whether she wanted to choose a yellow, orange or blue piece of paper to work on. She chose the yellow paper. Then, D looked at her options of materials and selected ones that she liked. She put these on her paper, arranging them in her desired pattern. Unfortunately, when she picked the paper up to show me, the pieces fell off. Then, she thought of observing other children at the table.  For instance, she picked a cupcake cup and then observed another girl gluing her cup to the paper. So, D chose to use the glue as well to stick the cup to her piece of art. Then, she chose a few pipe cleaners and fuzzy craft balls to decorate her work. She used glue for this purpose as well. D also spent time using the felt pens to draw on her paper.  It was fascinating to watch the children influence D along the experience. For example, a boy decided to use the tape and tore it off the holder. This appealed to D and she tried to do the same.  I could see that she needed assistance and so I asked if she wanted my help. She agreed so I showed her the steps to tearing off a piece of tape. Following this, it took her a few tries but she finally managed to tear off a piece. She used more pieces to stick materials onto her work. Throughout the experience, D enjoyed creating a collage made of materials that she chose. I also interacted with her and the other children at the table by discussing their artwork. It was also a learning process for her as well.

The technology involved in this experience aided D in her growth of knowledge. For instance, D learnt that in order to stick two objects together you need to use either glue or tape. She opted for the glue when she saw another child pasting the cup to the paper. Following this, D wanted to try tearing the tape from the holder. However, I had to model the correct way of tearing tape. This allowed D to learn the method correctly. This shows that she was thinking about the process of getting the collage bits to stick on the piece of paper. This was evident when she initially lifted the paper up and the fragments fell off. She used her observations to learn to use the glue and tape. In both instances, the joining materials made D realise that two objects could be attached together. This example signifies cognitive development as well because D built on her schema of objects that can be used for the purpose of connecting things.  Furthermore, cutting and pasting the bits and pieces are good for her physical skills. Moreover, my interaction with the children at the table provided D with a chance to have a conversation with me about what she was doing, even if they were short phrases rather than sentences. Such interactions will build on her social and language skills (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Thus, technology takes many forms in an early childhood centre.

References 

    

G         Grant, M. (2010). Technology integration in early childhood and

                         primary classrooms: access, use and pedagogy remain

                         criticial components to success. Memphis, Tennessee,

                         USA: University of Memphis.

            Ministry of Education.(1996). Te whāriki: he whāriki mātauranga

                            mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand:

                            Learning Media.

             Smorti, S.(1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education,

                            Autumn (19), 5-10.

             Van Scoter, J., Ellis, D., Railsback, J., & Northwest Regional

                              Education. Lab., P. R. (2001). Technology in early childhood

                              education: finding the balance. By Request Series. Retrieved

                              from EBSCOhost.

(It was unfortunate that I could not retrieve photos of the experience from the centre camera. I have used images from the web instead)

Building and Innovation

Building and Innovation by Vandhana Prakash

Carpentry is a form of technology that allows children to develop their cognitive, manipulative and social skills (Ministry of Education, 1996). According to Sorti (1999), the concept of technology also comprises of elements such as problem solving, creating and innovating. This means that children can use various materials to construct a new product. Furthermore, the child will learn to plan his/her creation and then execute the plan but learn to improvise along the way (Wang, Kinzie, McGuire & Pan, 2010). The whole process will be significant for the child as it will involve the enhancement of various skills (Rosen & Jaruszewicz, 2009). I had the opportunity to observe a four year old boy, J, who became interested in wanting to create a scroll after watching an episode of his favourite cartoon.

One morning J came to the centre talking about his favourite cartoon, Adventure Time. Apparently, the main character had to look for a scroll and went through various difficulties to find it. So, J decided that we wanted to create one of his own. I talked to him about the materials that he wanted to use. I mentioned that a scroll is made of paper. However, he insisted that he wanted to make it out of wood as the one in the cartoon was brown. Perhaps the one in the episode looked wooden. Nevertheless, he had a fair idea of what his scroll would look like. I asked if he would like to draw picture of his idea and he agreed. I explained that it would be easier for him to work on the piece of wood if he could see his idea on paper. J was provided with a large piece of paper to simulate a blueprint. He set out by using different coloured felt pens to draw. It was wonderful to see him start out by drawing an outline of a rectangle and then filling it in with his designs. During the course, I could see that he was giving it much thought because he would sit back and think before proceeding to draw. Once he had finished his blueprint, he wanted to start on the woodwork straight away. So, in the afternoon, he was provided with a piece of wood and various materials to create his design as a three dimensional product. It took him three days to finish his scroll as he would work on it for about half an hour each day. Most of the time would be taken on finding the correct pieces of materials that was suitable to his creation. Ultimately, he was happy with his product and played an adventure game with his friends which took place over a week.

The learning that occurred for J was essential to his development. For instance, making a blueprint helped him to think about what he really wanted to create. During our conversation about the scroll, J seemed sure of what the end product would exactly look like. However, while drawing his plan, J would sit back and think of what to include on his scroll. In other words, he was reflecting on ways to incorporate his ideas on paper. At times, he would opt for a different design because he would realise what he wanted would not be up to his expectations. This was evident when he told me, “Hmmm, I don’t want the sun anymore....I know!” (proceeding to draw). Moreover, creating a three dimensional figure of his scroll allowed him to learn about improvisation (Wang, Kinzie, McGuire & Pan, 2010. For instance, J had to use the materials available for his designs. So, naturally it led to some disappointment when he couldn’t find the correct shape or colour. Hence, he had to improvise his design by following what was available to him. For instance, instead of having squiggly lines to the sides of his scroll, he opted for circular and cylindrical materials with nails. Situations such as these help children to efficiently problem-solve. At the end of his project, he had learnt to be creative using tools such as paper and felt pens, hammer and nails and wood. However, the important aspect of this project was how the whole process helped his cognitive (having an idea, making a blueprint, improvising), physical (using his fine motor and gross motor skills to build a three dimensional scroll) and social developments (talking to me and his peers throughout the process).

Technology does not end at high-tech gadgets. It involves thought processes and innovations as well. This can be seen when children use available materials in the centre to create new products. However, it is not the product that matters but what the child has learnt as a result of that creation that guides the child to becoming a competent learner (Donahue, 2003).

References


Donohue, C. (2003). Technology in early childhood education. Childcare Information
              Exchange. 6, 17-20.

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te whāriki: he whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna
              o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Rosen, D., & Jaruszewicz, C. (2009). Developmentally appropriate technology
            use and early childhood teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood
            Teacher Education, 30(2), 162-171. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Smorti, S.(1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, Autumn (19),
            5-10.

Wang, F., Kinzie, M. B., McGuire, P., & Pan, E. (2010). Applying technology to
            inquiry-based learning in early childhood education. Early Childhood
            Education Journal, 37(5), 381-389. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

                                         

Which letter is this? CLICK

Which letter is this? >CLICK< by Vandhana Prakash

The use of computers in an early childhood centre is commonplace nowadays. Children’s interaction with educational games and programmes are able to enhance their literacy and language skills (Isikoglu, 2003). Furthermore, children in early childhood programmes are more likely to gain access to the computer. This enables them to expand their cognitive knowledge about the world as well (Hong & Trepanier-Street, 2004). The children at my centre are a mixed age group. I observed that while the older children are inclined towards playing the educational games, the younger children also like to observe and ask for a turn. Sometimes, the younger children are more excited about using the computer. One morning, I noticed a young girl, K, taking an interest in the computer.

K is a two and half year old girl who loves to play in the family corner. One particular morning, I noticed her observing the other children having turns on the computer. Then, she would go off to play with her favourite doll and return a while later to look at the game. After morning tea, the sun was out so most of the children decided to play outside. This gave K an opportunity to use the computer. After having a ten minute turn, K went to play with her doll again. Then, she would return after a while to see if she could have another turn on the computer. All this while, she carried her doll with her. For example, if she was feeding her doll, she would bring the spoon and doll along with her while on the computer. It was fascinating to see her eyes light up and how quickly she became accustomed to using the mouse to click on wanted icons. The game that she was playing was based on literacy. The child had to choose different shapes and colours to create a piece of art. For example, various shapes would be displayed and K would choose one. The chosen shape would then move to the centre of the screen and the voice would ask K to choose a colour from the list given. Each time a shape or colour was chosen, the voice would name them. K also had the opportunity to play another game. This involved recognition of letters and letter sounds. A letter would be displayed in the middle of the screen and the voice would sound the letter. Then, K had to choose the letter from a list of three letters displayed at the bottom. These experiences allowed K to be exposed to various forms of literacy.

The learning that occurred for K was pivotal in starting her recognition of shapes, colours and letters (Ministry of Education, 1996). Although, K is only two and a half, computer programmes such as these allow her to start gaining recognition of literacy elements. For instance, the more she listens to the sound of a letter while looking at it, the better she can start to link the sound and symbol together in the future (Hamer & Adams, 2003). Likewise, she will gain knowledge of shapes and colours by choosing the wanted icons in the programme. This also allows her to create an image that she has envisioned (Donahue, 2003). For instance, if she chooses a circle, she thinks of a colour for it. Her mind will produce an image of what the finished product will look like. This allows her to choose the colour from the list provided. Therefore, this programme helps K to use her imagination as well. This became evident when I praised her for her creation and she said, ‘That’s my ball at home,’ (she had made a green circle). So, it is not only selecting a random colour or shape. Moreover, the novelty of being able to use a computer allowed K to keep coming back for more turns. She was fascinated by the idea of using a mouse and looking at the screen display. Hence, this fascination fuelled her interest in learning about the various colours, shapes, letters and sounds. Furthermore, the fact that she had her doll with her indicates that she still wanted to go back to her imaginative play. So, it was not as if she was on the computer for long periods of time and did not engage in other aspects of play. She just found time to keep on coming back.

Computers are a valuable resource for children in today’s day and age. Society is enriched with a myriad of technological advances now; imagine the developments that will occur when children like K become adults. That is why we, as educators, need to utilise various forms of technology (Smorti, 1999). This will help children to keep in touch with the advances that occur and at the same time, be able to enhance their learning of the curriculum at the centre through the use of these measures (Wood, Specht, Willoughby & Mueller, 2008).

References

Donohue, C. (2003). Technology in early childhood education. Childcare Information
           Exchange. 6, 17- 20.

Hamer, J and Adams, P.(2003). The New Zealand early childhood literacy
           handbook. Auckland, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.


Hong, S. B., & Trepanier-Street, M. (2004). Technology: a tool for knowledge
           construction in a reggio emilia inspired teacher education program. Early
           Childhood Education Journal, 32(2), 87-94.Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Isikoglu, N.(2003). New toys for young children: integration of computer
           technology into early childhood education. The Turkish Online Journal
           of Educational Technology, 2 (4), 27-34.

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te whāriki: he whāriki mātauranga mo
          nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.


Wood, E., Specht, J., Willoughby, T., & Mueller, J. (2008). Integrating computer
          technology in early childhood education environments: issues raised by early
          childhood educators. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 54(2), 210-226.
          Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

"SNAP!" Look at my photo!

                    “SNAP!” Look at my photo! by Vandhana Prakash

Technology seems like such a sophisticated word in regards to an early childhood setting. However, this is far from the truth. Simply put, technology is applying scientific knowledge to help one understand the world better (Keengwe & Onchwari, 2009). If we apply this notion to early childhood education, the concept of technology becomes far easier to comprehend. How so? The answer is that any object that involves an underlying scientific purpose can be used to enhance children’s learning (Hubbell, 2007). The digital camera is a good example of such technology. This is because its purpose is to capture moments in time through the use of scientifically formulated reactions. I had a wonderful opportunity to observe a 3 year old girl’s interest in trying to take photographs.

I was taking pictures of the children at play when T asked if she could use the camera. I obliged due to my curiosity of the types of photos that would be taken. She was quick to hold the camera in the correct position and put her index finger on the shutter release button. I even noticed that she was careful not let her thumb get in the way of the lens. This made me realise that young children are constantly surrounded by varying forms of technology throughout their daily lives. I remember that I needed to be told how to hold a camera properly when I was very young. However, T’s efficient manoeuvring of the camera is evidence that present day children have access to technology from a very young age (Grant, 2010). Hence, they are more likely to be able to utilise a piece of equipment properly because they have more opportunities to interact with it through their daily experiences.

 I observed T as she went over to the bird cage and took photos as well as taking pictures of the plants around the playground. She was very excited and a couple of her friends also joined her out of curiosity. They went around the outside environment and some children contributed to what should be photographed. T turned around to ask me if the other children could have a turn as well and I assured her it was alright. It was fascinating to watch the children taking turns. In addition, T was scaffolding the others on how to properly hold a camera. Following the experience, I uploaded the pictures in the computer. That afternoon, I showed the photos to the children.

The learning that had taken place for the children was invaluable. For instance, T was able to use the camera to take photos of things she thought were intriguing. These were a showcase of her perspective of the environment. For example, the tomato plant in the garden caught her attention. The picture would be an everlasting monument of the exact time and frame of thought she was going through when she photographed it. Hence, she will always be able to look at the photo and recall the experience she had with the camera (Ching, Wang, Shih & Kedem, 2006).  Furthermore, T was able to facilitate other children’s learning of operating the camera.

During this process, T was learning to become a competent leader. In future experiences, she would be confident in helping others learn a skill because of her ability to succeed in this situation (Ministry of Education, 1996). Moreover, the children that handled the camera learnt how to properly operate it. This experience also allowed them to learn that taking photos is another form of art to perceive the world. This is because two of the children that were involved in the experience stated, “I drew that yesterday!” (describing the tree trunk) and “I took that. That’s H and R in the sandpit” (being thrilled by the fact that she took a photo).   Furthermore, the children involved learnt how to work as a team. For instance, one boy told T to photograph a group of children petting their guinea pig and T did so.  In turn, the boy has learnt that his contribution was valued and will be able to contribute to other experiences without fear.

We live in a world where each one of us is constantly bombarded with technology. Hence, it is common sense to include it within the centre experiences. However, technology should be used as a means to extend a child’s learning (Gibbons, 2006). This is evident with the digital camera. The camera was given to the children to be able to see the world through a different point of view and take snapshots so that they could revisit the experience in future.

References

 Ching, C., Wang, X., Shih, M., & Kedem, Y. (2006). Digital photography and journals in a   

          kindergarten-first-grade classroom: toward meaningful technology integration in early

          childhood education. Early Education and Development, 17(3), 347-371. Retrieved from  

          EBSCOhost.

Gibbons, A. (2006). The politics of technology in early childhood in Aotearoa/New Zealand: fitting

          early childhood educators in the ICT grid. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 31(4), 7-14.

          Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Grant, M. (2010). Technology integration in early childhood and primary classrooms: access, use

           and pedagogy remain criticial components to success. Memphis, Tennessee, USA:
           University of Memphis.

Hubbell, E. (2007). Technology in the early childhood classroom. Learning Connections. 3, 32-35.

Keengwe, J. and Onchwari, G. (2009). Technology and early childhood education: a technology

          integration professional development model for practising teachers. Early Childhood

          Educational Journal, 37, 209-218.

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te whāriki: he whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o

         Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.