Reflection three

Reflection three

  Connecting communities through technology

My centre visits local rest home once a week.  It is a good opportunity for children to explore local community and expand their learning boundaries.  When children visit the ‘old kids’, children and teachers usually dance to the music while the elderly sit and clap for us.  At the last visit to the ‘old kids’, we sang a special song which we have been practicing for several weeks at mat time.  It was a special performance for Easter.  One of the teachers recorded the whole performance with video camera.  For the next few days, centre laptop was placed on the play table near the entrance door, playing the recorded performance.  Teachers encouraged parents and children to take a look at the video.  Parents showed great interests in watching what their children actually did at the time.  Children seemed enjoying to see their images on the computer.  Some children kept watching the video several times. 

When I sent my daughter to the kindergarten some years ago, portfolio was the only communicational way through which I can see my child’s activities, participation, developmental progress, and detailed relationships.  I always felt there was not enough communication between the centre and the parent or between the teachers and the parent.  Now, I feel very positive about the way New Zealand ECE services have introduced technology into their curriculum.  I agree with Smorti (1999) that some ECE centres have “taken up the challenge and have used a focus on technology to revitalise curriculum … excited and motivated by change” (p. 5).

Also, Te Whāriki supports using technology in the learning areas because technology can help children understand that diverse technological items can be used in diverse settings (Ministry of Education, 1996).  I strongly believe it is teachers’ responsibilities to introduce new technological challenge to the centre curriculum so that children can prepare themselves for the future professions.  I agree with Fleer and Jane (2011) that children should be encouraged to participate in technology activities as purpose-oriented technology focuses on real world problems and help children enhance their understanding on making effective technological products.  I believe teachers should support children to develop technological capabilities in early years so that children develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes in which they can connect to the real wider world within and beyond early childhood settings. 

Yang (2009) confirms that the technology development has changed the direction of educational programmes as all learners of all ages now have access to technology such as world wide web, mp3, and social networking system.  Especially, emails and electronic bulletin boards are promoting technological communication between teachers and learners.  I have to admit now I can’t imagine living without internet any more.  This is a quite dramatic change.  I grew up where there were no such things called computers, internet, mobile phone, and ipod.  Children went to the classroom to meet the teacher and watched blackboard for information and read books to deepen the knowledge.  However, technology now stimulates more learning and teaching.  I have no idea how things will be changed rapidly for the young generation.  I just can tell things will be very different when they are grown up.  This is why we, early childhood educators, have to be equipped ourselves first to the up-date technology so that we can support and further enhance children’s capabilities in their journey to the technological era. 

Even, Ministry of Education supports technological learning environment to meet the needs of “key stakeholders, current and potential users” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 30).  I believe it is very important the official education provider is responsible for the implementation of the technology curriculum in New Zealand.  So, I feel very positive for young children’s learning as New Zealand’s early childhood education sector is fully aware of the importance of children’s learning through the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICT).  According to Ministry of Education (2005), ICT is a part of children’s learning already so teachers have to understand the impact on the children’s lives and use ICT to enhance children’s learning for the purpose of providing better communication, cooperative relationships, creativity, imagination, problem-solving, and flexible thinking. 

I believe teachers have to keep working on discovering and integrating ICT into their teaching practice.    

Reference

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

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

Ministry of Education. (2005). Foundations for discovery. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

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

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Yang, S.-H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. Educational Technology & Society, 12(2), 11-21.

Reflection two

Reflection two

  Technology in the culture

My centre often provides cooking session for baking. But I planned a very new menu for our children to introduce technology in food and culture.  It was noodle salad.  I prepared lettuce, tomato, avocado, cucumber, and carrot.  I encouraged children to use bread knife to cut vegetables into small pieces.  Carrot was hard for children to cut, so I did.  Then, I added noodle and home-made sauce into those chopped vegetables.  Then, it was time to eat.  I first showed children how to use chopsticks properly.  Children attempted to imitate me.  Some children couldn’t pick any noodle with chopsticks, some managed to hold a little. I know it takes a lot of time and practice to use chopsticks.  I was impressed by some children’s persistence in learning this new technological skill.

I think it was a very productive learning experience for the children who are not using chopsticks in their home life as the activity clearly showed “culturally framed technology” (Fleer & Jane, 2011, p. 193).  It was certainly a challenge for some children who are not allowed to use knifes at home or do not use chopsticks for eating.  But I encouraged them to try.  In fact, people have been using knives as tools to help in food preparation since the Middle Ages which is a period from AD 500 to around 1500.  People in the Middle Ages used knives with narrow blades and pointed ends to spear their food and then eat it which was quite dangerous to use at dinner tables.  Over the time, in the late 1600s, table knives became blunter and wider, a shape that made them more useful in catching the food. (Answers, n.d.).  People in China started to use chopsticks since 1766 BC and the food was cut into tiny pieces, making them easy to manipulate with a chopstick (About.com, n.d.).

I believe using knifes and chopsticks helped children enhance their technological capabilities.  Also, as a teacher, I’m proud I was able to provide technological literacy to the children.  According to Fleer & Jane (2011), technology is everywhere in our lives as we use it every day such as building, tools, digital devices, and medicines.  We need technology to be efficiently working on the daily basis.  I think kitchen utensils are something we use every day with children, so it is easy item for teachers to introduce and explain about technology to the children.

Smorti (1999) also confirms that cooking process is a technological activity which could be used by early childhood educators for the purpose of fostering children’s learning experience.  Children improve their knowledge about “processes and problem solving … physical skills … social and emotional skills, and languge … educators as sources of information” (p. 6).

Te Whāriki claims that children should be provided learning opportunities in which they use many different materials for different purposes so that they enhance their understanding different technologies can be used in culturally diverse places and settings (Ministry of Education, 1996).  Also, Smorti (1999) points out that “technology is influenced by the culture or the society in which it occurs” (p. 6).  

I believe more and more non-Asian people are using chopsticks these days and people view chopsticks as a technological tool not as a simple cultural item.  I think all these changes and challenges show how closely we are all connected with technology.  I agree we cannot function properly without support from technology.  That is why early childhood teachers should consider technological system in their knowledge and teaching for the purpose of supporting children’s confidence and competence.  We need to help children explore technology more positively and actively in their learning experiences.  

Reference

About.com. (n.d.). Chinese food. Retrieved from http://chinesefood.about.com/od/restaurantdining/a/chopsticks.htm

Answers. (n.d.). When were knives, forks, and spoons first used?. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/when-were-knives-forks-and-spoons-first-used#ixzz2ODgNV0Gs

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

Google Images. (n.d.). [Children with chopsticks]. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=666&bih=728&q=children+with+chopsticks&oq=children+with+chopsticks&gs_l=img.3...2569.10251.0.11687.24.14.0.10.10.2.213.2107.4j8j2.14.0...0.0...1ac.1.7.img.UO9oG5dz1-c

Google Images. (n.d.). [Noodle salad]. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=666&bih=728&q=children+with+chopsticks&oq=children+with+chopsticks&gs_l=img.3...2569.10251.0.11687.24.14.0.10.10.2.213.2107.4j8j2.14.0...0.0...1ac.1.7.img.UO9oG5dz1-c#hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=noodle+salad&oq=noodle+salad&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i5l7.60692.67691.0.72416.35.21.0.0.0.6.207.3291.6j10j5.21.0...0.0...1c.1.7.img.8xOUz9dWL6M&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44158598,d.cGE&fp=fb11a9873e6b03a7&biw=666&bih=728

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

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Reflection one




Reflection one

New Era of Technology                                      

Google Images (n.d.)

I have noticed 4 years old girl, C, was taking photos with a digital camera.  C seemed very confident in using camera, knowing which button to press to take photos.  When I asked her to show me what she had taken, C knew very well what she was doing.  I looked at the photos C had taken, mostly it was teachers of the centre, not her peers.  After lunch, I observed C was touching centre Ipod to select her favourite music to play.  C told me she is searching for Kangnam style as it is good for dancing.  C knew how to operate preschool Ipod. 

I was quite amazed by her knowledge and skills about those technological items.  I thought she knows far more than I do about those machines.  When I asked C where she got the camera, wondering she is using one of teachers’ cameras.  But C showed me the camera, it has clear sign on it, saying 'Children’s'.  I was not only impressed on the ways children are able to use technological items in the preschool, also, centre teachers are incorporating technology into their teaching practice.  Teachers are providing 'children’s camera' to any child who wants to take photos in this centre. 

C is operating Ipod

I think it is so fascinating to see how different now about teachers’ attitude toward using technology.  Personally I never allowed my children to touch my camera or video cam.  I am from the generation that only skilled adults manage technological devices.  Children were not allowed to have an access to any devices.  When children in my centre asked me to give them camera, I have to admit I was very reluctant to hand it to them, worrying what might happen when they drop it or break it.  I agree with Tsantis, Bewick, and Thornton (2003) about our common myths on using technology in the early years.  We think it is less beneficial educationally for the children if children know more about high technology than teachers so that teachers themselves become obstacles for children to explore more about technology including computers in early childhood. 

     

However, I believe this society is changing so rapidly in terms of embracing technology into educational services.  Mostly, people are so enthusiastic about owning and utilizing new technology in their lives.  According to Fleer and Jane (2011), teachers should incorporate technological literacy into their teaching practice, allowing the children to have opportunities to enhance their independence, creativity and technological learning.

Ministry of Education clearly states in The New Zealand Curriculum that there are important values in the technology education.  The aim for using technology in the early years is to encourage young children to develop foundational technological literacy so they can be equipped to participate in the wider society as they are getting older to have access to technology-related jobs in the future (Ministry of Education, 2007).  Also, New Zealand’s early childhood educational curriculum, Te Whāriki claims that children can develop capability in problem solving when they are using technological materials in various places and settings which help them improve self-confidence and well-being (Ministry of Education, 1996).

It was really good to see that my centre and teachers are actually embracing new technology into the teaching practice and encouraging children to make the most of it.  I believe it would be really beneficial for children as they have technological experience when they are using camera and ipod.  Because that is what we are doing at present and shows contemporary examples of technology.  I was quite technology-illiterate, not knowing what to do, being scared to try on new digital devices, and dependent on younger generation when it comes to using technology.  However, now I am very willing to learn new technology, being open-minded, and be helpful to children in their technology-exploration journey.         

Reference

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

Google Images. (n.d.). [Child with camera]. Retrieved from https://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1440&bih=738&q=child+with+camera&oq=child+with+ca&gs_l=img.1.1.0l7j0i24l3.2722.6524.0.9106.13.10.0.3.3.0.215.1612.2j6j2.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.7.img.j8h2iaoWVcw

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

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

Tsantis, L., Bewick, C., & Thornton, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computers in the early years. Young Children on the Web, 2003, Noverber, 1-9.

C took photo of me