Final Reflection

Final Reflection.

First time, when I heard about blog I was so confuse, but my group members help me to set up the blog. When I have set my blog, I felt so confident to use it. I have also learnt so much from my group’s feedback on my post. They gave me positive feedback on reflections and encourage me, as early childhood teacher I need to aware of use technology at the centre. When I got the feedback on my reflection “Children with the Mobile phone” from my group, was very motivated for me. I am very thankful for my group members.

My perspective about the young children using technology now has changed. Before this course, I thought technology means computers and software, aircraft and microwave etc. But technology is more than these touchable products. Now I understand what technology means, technology is the process by which humans modify nature to meet their needs and wants.  Non-digital technology also plays an important role at the every movement of human being. Technology is all about helping people and solving problems (Smorti, 1999). I have now become more knowledgeable about digital and non-digital technology. Through this knowledge, I am able to provide children with many different opportunities and tools that are use for different things to explore their world.

I realised that technology is an important part of early childhood education because children’s learning and development is vast with the use of technology. During this course I have realised technology has some issues. I believe children need to participate in outdoor physical activities such as running, climbing, jumping, water play and mud play etc. Therefore, children can develop their physical, social, emotional skills and problem solving skills. I thought that who use the technology miss the outdoors activities and social interaction, Which I think is normal, to gain something, obviously we have to lose something. As an early childhood teacher, we should balance the outdoor activities with the indoor activities .We should not allow children to use technology in isolation because it could be big obstacle in their personal growth and development. Te Whāriki states that children should experience an environment where they are able to participate in a range of social setting, and they develop a sense of responsibility for, and trust in, other people.

 I am not grown up in a technology world. As an early childhood educator, I am learning modern technology. So I can provide basic knowledge, encourage children write words, and read them, they can work in a group and help each other with technology. By doing this I can develop their language and literacy skill, and working in a group will develop their social skill. Smorti (1999) states that technology is a tool that can provide another way for children to learn and make sense of their world.         

I realised that we early childhood teachers want to children’s learning in technology.  So we need to broaden our understanding of technology and continue to extend our own knowledge and skill base (Smorti, 1999). Overall, this whole blogging assignment was a revelation for me.

Reference

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mätauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

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

Hyperlink

Gloria

http://glorialandsberg.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/digitalcameras.html?showComment=133305921621

http://glorialandsberg.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/little-artists.html?showComment=1333071607920

http://glorialandsberg.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/blog-post_15.html?showComment=1333087439976

Sarbjit

http://sarbjitsblog.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflectionthree-childrenwith-music.html?showComment=1333014794967

http://sarbjitsblog.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/technologyin-family-corner-children-can.html?showComment=1333015012158

http://sarbjitsblog.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/blog-1st.html?showComment=1333015355698

Monita

http://moni-tech.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/crayons.html?showComment=1333066056810

http://moni-tech.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/calculators.html?showComment=1333076013197

http://moni-tech.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/computer.html?showComment=1333080229875

Shahbeeha

http://shabz-techinece.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/chalk-art-non-digital-technology.html?showComment=1333054274323

http://shabz-techinece.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/computer-digital-technology.html?showComment=1333017714254

http://shabz-techinece.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/camera-digital-technology.html?showComment=1333055941895

Reflection 3

                                              Using digital cameras

This morning Child D was playing in the Garden. I went there to take their pictures for their learning assessments.  When child D saw me she got so excited, she came to me and said, “Teacher I know how to take pictures with cameras because my dad teach me when we went to beach”. Then she asks me if she can have turn after me to take some pictures with camera.  Through this conversation, I discovered that she had been really interested in using my camera. To further explore and enhance D’s interest about the camera I gave my camera to D. Te Whāriki states, “Children use a variety of technologies for different purpose as they explore their world” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.98).

I was so amazed to see the way she was taking pictures so confidently like adults. I never thought that 4 and half years old child could take pictures so perfectly. Te Whāriki states, “Children experience an environment where they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88). I believe that through the use of cameras children learn to capture images and see them through the display in the camera, they can take photographs of things they like and don’t like.

I realized that by using the cameras children can tell a story about the pictures they took and they can capture their own as well as others learning. I found that Digital photography could boost a child’s self-esteem, celebrate children’s interests and challenge their thinking. Te Whāriki states, “Children exploring and making sense of the world such as setting and solving problems with the ability to represent their discoveries through creative media and technology associated to them” ( Ministry of Education.1996,p.88)..

I discovered that as teacher my role is to set up the environment and activities, matching technology use to the curriculum as well as to the children’s needs and interests.  As a teacher I need to be less involved in directing the activities, and more involved in monitoring children’s activities, intervening as necessary to guide and pose questions that encourage thinking (Haugland,  1999).

My interaction with D has made me more aware that children are very capable and competent and that we teachers need not to tell them what to do but provide opportunities for them to explore the use of technology whether it is digital or non-digital. D knew what she was doing, he knew what angles took good pictures, she knew what pictures she wanted to take and I as the teacher was there just to support and learn alongside him. This made me realise how important it is to make technology a part of curriculum.

My perspective about the young children using technology has changed now. This experience as allowed me to let children discover technology. I have realised that digital cameras provide children direct visual clues for developing self-concept and understanding their role in social interactions with peers. Through this course I have learnt that my role as teacher to allow children to make their own choices of when and how they want use technology without forcing them.

Reference

Haugland, S.W. (1999). “What Role Should Technology Play in Young Children’s learning? Part 1.” Young Children 54 (6): 26-31.

http://www.google.co.nz/imghp.

Ministry of Education (1996). Te Whariki: He Whariki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa. Welington, New Zealand: Learning Media LTD.

Reflection 2

                                     

                                                    Magnifying Glass     

All the children were playing outdoors.  Child M came to me and He said that look at this teacher I found a caterpillar in the garden. Child C run to the science corner and brought a magnifying glass.

She started to see the caterpillar through the magnifying glass. All the children were very excited and they all wanted to see the caterpillar through the magnifying glass. They start asking me so many questions such as how the bug looks bigger through this glass, and how the bug’s colour looks different and shiny. Through technology, children develop their understanding how and why things work (Ministry of Education, 2007).

She called other friends to see the bug through the magnifying glass. They had only one magnifying glass so they learnt taking turn.

Then the children drew the bug picture. They used non-digital technology such as papers, pencils, colours. I introduce them non-digital technology because I was grown up in non-digital technology. I had faced some challenges to explain the digital technology to the children.

Te Whāriki states, “Children learn strategies for active investigation, thinking and reasoning (Ministry of Education, 1996, p88). Then I have thought, it would be the good time to extend their knowledge about the technology. Then we turned the computer on and showed them how they can use the mouse of the computer. Children have gained their knowledge about the life circle of the caterpillar to butterfly through the computer. Children also learnt how to turn on and turn off the computer.

The use of computers in the classroom gives students this interaction. They are actively engaged in their learning because they are controlling it. They must do actions to move on to the next thing and can manipulate what it is they are learning in their own unique way. The use of technology also provides a good interactive experience between teacher and children.

A child who is four years old he explained to the children what bugs eat and how they grow. I was surprised to see that how confidently he explained to the children. I asked him how you know that, he replied me that my dad has shown me on the computer about the life circle of the caterpillar on the butterfly. In the European Kid Smart, research shows the majority of parents were support the introduction of computers at home and home learning environment did their children (Iram and Siraj-Blatchford, 2004a).

Te Whāriki states, “Children use a variety of technologies for all the different purposes as they explore their world” (Ministry of Education, 1996). Wilson (1997) mentions that nature provides opportunities for children to grow in all areas to their development.

These days technology plays very important part in children’s life and it is very vast these days, but I have not seen that before a four years child can use magnifying glass and explain perfectly. Te whariki stats that in order to participate in this  to participate in the world, our children will need to confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills( Ministry of education, 1996).   

As an early childhood, I must need to aware of the technology. I need to set up the environment where the children can use technology for their needs and interests. National policy strategies for the use of ICT in education should provide strong ICT component that is well embedded in to educational goals and strategies for early childhood education (IBM, 2003).

I encourage to the children ask open-ended questions for children’s understanding about the technology.

References

Images: Retieved 18/03/12 fromGoogle image www.google.co.nz

Iram and Siraj-blatchford,J. (2006). Guide to developing the ICT curriculum for early childhood education. Great Britain: Cromwell Press Ltd.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga  ngā mokopuna Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Wardle, Francis. "The Role of Technology in Early Childhoods Programs."  N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. <http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=302>.

Children with mobile phone

Date 07/03/2012

This morning child P’s dad dropped him off at the centre with his mobile. P’s dad said that to the teacher he did not want to come to the centre, because his mother is in the hospital, she is expecting a baby girl and nobody at home to look after him. I tried to give him my mobile phone so he can agree to come to the centre and it works. Technology is about helping people and solving problems (Smorti, 1999). Te Whāriki states that growing experience in solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others (Ministry of Education 1996, p.96).

When he was playing outside, I asked him that oh you got a mobile phone, why you brought it in the centre. When my mum gave birth to my sister than she will call me and I can hear my baby sister crying and also my dad told me that than my baby sister will buy me superman dress. Te Whāriki states that Children experience an environment where their emotional well-being is nurtured they develop an increasing ability to identify their own emotional responses and those of others, confidence and ability to express emotional needs (Ministry of education, 1996).

I felt so amazed about the 4 year olds child using a mobile phone, because I was not grown up with the technology and that time not much people were using mobiles. He was also trying to send text massage and knows which button need to be pressed. It helps him to learn alphabets and develop vocabulary. One good thing about technology is that, children are natural manipulator of the world. They learn through controlling the movement and interactions between object in their world (Kneas, 2010).

Finally, he got a call from his mum and he did have a great conversation with her. He was very happy  and excited to see his little sister and start talking with his friends my mum told me that my little sister have brought a superman’s dress for me. Next day he came in superman’s dress to the centre. He was very happy and showing his dress to other children. Te whāriki states that children experience and environment where their emotional well-being is nurtured and develop and ability to identify their own emotional responses and those of other (Ministry of Education, 1996).

    

Children develop social emotional skills trough technology beyond their anticipated levels. Technological areas include structural, control, food, and information and communications technology and biotechnology (Ministry of Education, 2007).

I believe that as an early childhood teacher, we need to be aware of experience technology environment and provide activities, which are offers opportunity for children to increase their understanding about the world. By using technology in early childhood classroom can be very beneficial for all children. Using technology in early childhood classroom can be helpful and beneficial for all children and it is something that all early childhood teachers should consider integrating into their classroom.

I realised that as an early childhood teacher we are decision maker in where, what, when, whether, how and why technology is implement applying their expertise and knowledge of child development and learning individual children.

References

Iram and Siraj-blatchford,J. (2006). Guide to developing the ICT curriculum for early childhood education. Great Britain: Cromwell Press Ltd.

 Images: Retieved 18/03/12 from  Google image www.google.co.nz

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga  ngā mokopuna Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Wardle, Francis. "The Role of Technology in Early Childhoods Programs."  N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. <http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=302>.