Final reflective blog

I vividly remember on the commencement of this course when the lecturer asked the class what we thought technology meant, about 80% of us had similar answers.  For us, technology largely meant computers, TV and I Pad’s.  Now coming to the end of this course, my understanding of technology has a new insight.  Today if someone asks me what technology is, I can confidently say that technology can be digital and non-digital, I can further talk about how designs have changed over a period of time such as story books with tactile experience, story books with C/D’s and how technology has changed our lives. 

Additionally, through reading literature on technology, I have now become more informed of what technology means.  Smorti’s (1999) quote that technology is about helping people and providing opportunities to solve problem is one that I feel defines technology so explicitly.  This definition has actually opened my eyes to seeing technology differently, in everything around us and how as educators we can foster and support children’s learning and development through the use if this.

Furthermore, feedbacks from the group on my post were also informative.  It created a virtual learning classroom, a community of practice where the group members shared their perspectives and asked questions (Yang, 2009).  I have been able to learn from other group members and this opportunity may not have been there had there been no blogs.  In response to Stephanie’s first question on using simple technology to problem solve, I did another learning experience in cooking shortbread cookies as cooking is such a popular interest at our centre.  This time instead of using the electric mixture, I asked the children to use the wooden spoon to mix.  Even though this took a longer time, there was positive in it, children waited patiently for their turns which meant they worked well alongside their peers and the whole experience was more interactive.  We also used spoon to place the mixture on the baking tray and using fork made the design instead of using the pusher.  This question actually helped me develop creative learning experience for the children. 

Moreover, in response to Stephanie’s second question on C/D books where she asked my view on story books with C/D’s, I feel it is a great learning tool, it provides children autonomy and independence to solve their own problems as stated in Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa (1996) that programmes should provide opportunities for children to make choice and develop independence.  Additionally, I concur with Clare’s explanation that C/D books helps build children’s literacy and getting the teacher to be fully involved in dramatic play as she is not reading the book.  However, I also feel similar to what Clare suggests that that this technology should be used appropriately and not replace the practice of teachers reading the storybooks to children.  Reading story books to children has its own value such as building relationship with the children. 

 In response to Nicola’s question about ways teachers could help children understand technology around us is firstly the educators should become aware of digital and non-digital technology in the centre.  Then whilst observing the children, they should talk about technology, the change in designs to the children and how it can be used to solve problems.

 

The significance of use of technology in children’s learning and development is huge.  Children need to understand what technology is, the difference between high and simple technology and how it is useful to solve problems.  It is a means of exploring, linking to their social world, their culture and building social competence amongst peers.   Technology prepares children to have a smoother journey in schools and better people in the community.   We need to foster and better equip children around both digital and non-digital technology and provide a balance between high technology such as computer and simple technology such as sand pit, gardens in the outdoor environment.  Whilst computer can be an excellent inquiry tool, we should not limit the children to just that.  The outdoor environment provides yet another rich learning experience for the children.  Ministry of Education (1996) highlights that in order for children to participate in this world they need to acquire new knowledge and skills. 

Overall, this course provided me an excellent platform to learn what technology is all about and the importance of it in our everyday life.  I need to embrace it and foster in children as the significance of technology in children’s life cannot be ignored.  One more positive outcome from this course is that I have learnt how to blog, this is a great achievement for me and something I may use in my early childhood career.

References

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, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Yang, S. –H. (2009).  Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice.

            Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 11-21.

Photos from http://www.google.com/

Blogs i commented on

Nicola

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/children-can-use-cameras-too.html?showComment=1316491167382#c2776266056757078476

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/we-can-learn-lots-from-cooking.html?showComment=1316491270266#c4624341266836180870

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/computers-children-know-how-to-use-them.html?showComment=1316491371247#c796266434057216518

Andrew's Blog

http://andrewmoose.blogspot.com/2011/08/interactive-white-boards-theyre-amazing.html?showComment=1316491538585#c1222170984772912289

http://andrewmoose.blogspot.com/2011/08/shoot-me-shoot-me-our-obsession-with.html?showComment=1316491659424#c7847193233367497520

http://andrewmoose.blogspot.com/2011/08/bucket-technology-masterpiece.html?showComment=1316491744953#c8137927121749555280

Clare's Blog

http://claresharpe.blogspot.com/2011/08/light-table-fun.html?showComment=1316491835009#c7077976570138793081

http://claresharpe.blogspot.com/2011/08/technology-within-playdough.html?showComment=1316491914758#c2878224982482784157

Steph's Blog

http://steph-about-tech.blogspot.com/2011/08/simple-technology-tools.html?showComment=1316492011535#c314021997121848971

http://steph-about-tech.blogspot.com/2011/09/it-is-all-around-world-filled-with.html?showComment=1316492108481#c3266802767036368817

Jade's Blog
http://autobotjadey.blogspot.com/2011/09/ipad-thursday.html?showComment=1317088988158#c330092195960958744
http://autobotjadey.blogspot.com/2011/09/we-love-technology.html?showComment=1317088639008#c4678820247951689541

Baking cookies

Cooking with children has become a culture of many early childhood centres and is becoming an integral part of early childhood settings.  This is now incorporated in the programme planning in many centres.

Today, the children at my centre were going to make some cookies.  Jill (one of the teachers) had the recipe for cookies ready and went to the kitchen to fetch the ingredients, bowl, spoon, scale, pushers, electrical beater and a baking tray.  The children together with the teacher weighed the amount of butter required on the scale.  They were using maths to work out the amount of butter that was needed.  They then using a cup measured the amount of flour and sugar and placed them in a bowl together with the butter.  Using the electrical beater, they mixed all the ingredients to the right consistency.  It was then time to scoop the mixture and putting them in the pusher.  To my amazement, the children were able to put the mixture in the pusher and pressed the pusher making their own creative patterns of the cookies.  Later, I placed the cookies in the oven to be cooked and the children all enjoyed them during “Kai time”.

   When I think of this cooking experience, I realised that this simple process enjoyed by the children was a rich learning for them.  Firstly it was creative; the children made their own patterns of the cookies and the end product (baked cookies) also looked different.  The children were able to use their knowledge to problem solve such as weighing the amount of butter, counting the number of cups of flour and sugar needed for the cookies, holding the electrical beater steady inside the bowl, turn taking, working alongside with their peers, seeking information from the teacher to ensure they had the correct amount of the ingredients, making their desired patterns of the cookies using the pusher and finally licking the left over ingredients of the pusher.  This process cooking was a technological activity (Smorti, 1999).

I also feel that cooking with the children helps them to have a sense of belonging as it provides links from home to the centre (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Additionally, cooking is part of their social world, they observe and even help their parents and siblings in cooking at home (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008).  The children used the resources (ingredients) and their knowledge/skills (funds of knowledge from home and support from the teachers) to problem solve.  The end product was yummy cookies.  The children also developed social competence such as sharing, taking turns, talking and working alongside with their peers.  Ministry of Education (1996) states that children develop strategies and skills for enjoying a relationship with other children by way of turn taking, problem solving, negotiating and understanding others feelings.

Through this cooking experience, I also realised how technology has changed.  With the use of the scale, spoon, bowl, electrical beater and an electric oven, the children were able to make their cookies so easily.  My grandmother used her hand and at times a wooden stick to prepare her Indian sweet mixtures and would use open fire to do her cooking.  With the advancement in technology, the method of cooking and the design of the ovens have changed.  I was talking to one of the teachers at the centre and she said her grandmother had a “coal range” for cooking, heating and baking.  Nowadays, coal range cookers have become antique and modern designed ovens have taken over.  Also, “forcer” was used before the new designed pushers.

I felt that talking to children about how designs have changed over a period of time was important.  I talked to them about open fire cooking and used the computer as a tool of inquiry to show the children picture of a coal range cooker and a forcer.  As an educator, I feel I would want children to ask technological questions so that I can incorporate them in the programme planning (Fleer & Jane, 2011).  This will only be possible if we as educators make the children aware of what technology is and how technology has changed.   Ministry of Education (1996) stresses that growing experience in problem solving together assists children to understand how technology can help them as well as others.  Additionally, as educators, we also need to keep abreast with what technology is all about and to foster it in children.  This course “People, Places, Things and Events” has served as an excellent platform for me to learn, become aware and embrace both high technology and simple technology.

References:

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

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, New South Wales,         Australia: Pearson Australia.

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, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Photos from http://www.google.com/

The Design has changed - Story Book with C/D

 During mat time this morning, one of the teachers did a puppet show with the children about “where the wild things are”.  The children absolutely loved it.  After mat time, the children chose their own activities to do. 

In the music corner, I noticed three children going through the book box trying to look for the story book “where the wild things are”.  I assisted them to find the book which also contained a C/D.  They all sat down with the story book and one of the children placed the C/D in the C/D player.  As the C/D played on, the children listened to the story and tried to follow it with the story book.  To my surprise, they figured out when to turn the pages over.  The children all sat together in a group and listened to the whole story.  I was totally amazed to see how a puppet show had actually extended the interest in children to further listen to the story.  With a little guidance from me in searching the book, the children were quite competent and capable to actually pushing the right buttons, placing the C/D in the C/D player, playing the C/D and at the same time, following the story and turning the pages over on time.  My observation of these children completely endorses what Ministry of Education (1996) states that children are competent and capable learners. 

This experience has actually made me realise how technology has changed (more so advancing at an alarmingly rate).  During my days, neither there was no C/D’s enclosed with story books nor were there any story books that had tactile experience in it.   By reflecting on the past about technologists, their career milestones can help us learn about these individuals who made a difference in the technology sphere and in turn highlight it to children about some of the inventions ( Fleer & Jane, 2011).  I shared my experience with the children and told them how lucky they were to have the story books with C’D’s now.

When I compare my experience of growing up with only story books to children’s experience of growing up with C/D’s and story books now days clearly demonstrates that technology has advanced and is multidimensional.  The designs have changed and will continue to change.  Fleer & Jane (2011) requires us to understand that technology is multidimensional which entails technological knowledge, design processes and technical skills. 

Apart from how the design had changed, using the C/D player was also technology.  The children were able to use the C/D player confidently. They understood the process that by pushing buttons, inserting the disk and pressing the play button had enabled them to listen to the story via this medium.  Smorti (1999) defines this as technology being skills and resources combined to find solutions.  As I would presume most early childhood centres have C/D players, educators can use this medium effectively to foster the children’s learning and supporting them to acquire new knowledge and skills.  Ministry of Education (1996) aptly suggests that children should gain experience using communication technologies and make sense of the world around them. 

As our world is full of technology children experience a range of it as part of their everyday life.  In the case of the above (using the C/D player) is part of their social world, they have it at home and watch their parents and siblings using it.  Due to children having access to technology and the fact that they take active roles in their learning and display ability to seek information independently (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008), I feel we should not undermine their capability.  It is time that I broaden my understanding of technology to effectively scaffold children’s learning in this area.

References:

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

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, New South Wales,         Australia: Pearson Australia.

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, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Photos from http://www.google.com/

Dealing with technology - Playstation 3

Two years ago, my husband purchased a PS3 player in which we can watch Blue Ray movie DVD’s and play games as well (information provided by my husband).  Last month, he went and bought “Disney Cars game” for our son which cost him $88.00.  I was incensed as that amount could have been spent wisely on food which would have lasted us at least for a week or two. 

Would my three and a half year old son be able to play that game and will he be able to take care of it? I thought to myself.  Anyways, both my husband and my son sat down together to play the game.  My husband demonstrated to my son how to use the control and to manoeuvre the control so that the car would not go off the track.  For the first couple of weeks, he could not follow it, and whilst playing the game, the car would keep smashing into the barriers and be all over the place.  It is now almost a month and I have noticed that he is able to keep the car on the track for at least for a little while. 

He is content, quite occupied with his new game and is slowly showing dexterity in using the control.  How should I, as a mother and more importantly as an early childhood educator be feeling in regards to his experience with this new technology?  You guessed it right.  I slowly realised that since he is growing around technology, I needed to be positive, provide support and scaffold his learning.  Smorti (1999) views technology as providing opportunities to solve a problem. 

When I think back of how I had initially reacted, I feel angry with myself for not seeing the bigger picture in terms of how acquiring the skills can equip him better around technology in this twenty-first century society.  Ministry of Education (1996) highlights that in order for children to participate in this world they need to acquire new knowledge and skills.  I now sit with him when he is playing the game and guide him in how to manoeuvre to the left or right or keep going straight.  Using Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural theory, in the form of social interaction, I have provided that guidance where he is learning to understand the instruction and is internalising this information to regulate his performance (Santrock, 2008).  He is now able to use the control quite deftly.  His fine motor skills are refining and his hand and eye co-ordination is becoming better.  I feel I had initially misjudged his capability and seeing how he is now able to manoeuvre the control, I will spend more time supporting him acquire this new skill.

As an educator, I need to understand that my environment as I was growing up was way different to what it is now.  I played with sticks, empty paint gallons, marbles and climbed trees.  Children live and participate in daily life activities that are permeated with the presence of wide range of technologies.  They have access to many high technology toys, games, experiences and equipment.  Some examples are talking dolls, remote control vehicles, books with music CD’s, Nintendo’s and the list goes on.  This is due to an influx of the range of technological artefacts now available to children (Fleer & Jane, 2011). 

Given the fact that technology is here to stay and going forward will become more advanced (I was amazed to see a virtual reality game just the other day in one of the electrical stores), I should not miss the boat but embrace it and let our children grow with it.  My role is to provide support and learning opportunities to prepare children to become competent in using high technology.  Although in saying this, children should also experience simple technologies such as playing with spades and buckets in the sandpit, having their own vegetable garden and caring and sustaining the natural environment.  As educator, I need to provide that balance so that children can experience both high and simple technologies.

References:

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, New South Wales,           Australia: Pearson Australia.

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

Santrock, J. W. (2008).  Lifespan development (11^th ed., International).  Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

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

Photos from http://www.google.com/.

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technology is so good if you have the patience to learn about it.

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