A three fold technology experience...

Today we saw Monarch butterflies flying above us; I asked the children where they thought they had come from. One of the children reminded us that they were around the corner in the garden. So off we went to investigate.

                                                                            

 

 

As we walked through the gate the monarch we had seen in the playground came and settled on the plant, I asked the children who were so excited to see the butterfly what was the plant called. A child replied “a swan plant” “what do they do with it?” another replied “eat it” why I asked, “cause they hungry” replied another.  “Where do they go?” asked a child, I stopped for a moment and looked down, very slowly and quietly, I suggested the children look where I was looking. To their surprise they spied some chrysalis, one child asked “what are they?” another child said “their house” “what do they do in there?” asked another. The children all looked at me, I replied “maybe they sleep” then another child said “they change into a butterfly”  “Oh” cried the children.

The children wanted to stay for longer but our day was ending and I knew the warm weather was leaving us soon and so would the butterflies. I asked the children  how  could we keep looking at them after they were gone. The children were sad that they would be going  soon and said  "we could catch them". I suggested that the butterflies might be sad too if we caught them, so is there something else we could use. A child pointed to my little bag and said "your camera Kathy"so that was exactly what we did. After we took the photos I down loaded them onto  the laptop and the children chose which ones they wanted to print, then we laminated them, the children were fascinated with this. The children now have a series of photos that depict a monarchs life cycle and they can see anytime they choose.

In our centre each teacher has a camera and I carry mine in a  bag just in case of a teachable photographic moment. Each teacher has varying beliefs around the use of the camera, so not all children use them consistently at the centre. Personally I don't believe it to be a problem, I ensure that the children have instruction on how to hold the camera making sure the safety strap is on their wrist and if they need help I am available. Smorti highlights technology and science as intrinsically linked and that introducing the technology is about us as teacher's changing attitudes, and that you don't have to be a scientist to use it.  Mac Naughton & Williams (2009)  highlight empowering the child by  providing opportunities for them to develop and experience control over their own lives. It is from here  the learner then becomes the starting point and they bring their skills and knowledge from home and other environments that would enhance this experience (Bronfenbrenner cited in Santrock, 2009; Ministry of Education, 1996)

 

The laminator was certainly a new piece of technology for them and was not well known,the children watched fascinated as the paper went into a pocket of plastic,  I then got them to feed the pocket through .The children were very excited when it came through the other side and even more excited when they saw the colours get brighter one child said "oh it's been washed".

It was within a short period of time that the children experienced three instances of digital technology Fleer  & Jane (2011) identify these as camera, laptop/computer  and I would surmise the laminator. The use of these met the immediate and future needs of the children and provided new  technology experiences (Smorti,1999). Throughout this facilitated experience the children developed understanding in action by being involved throughput the whole process (Ministry of Education, 2007). Te Whariki, he whariki mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa, our New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum describe this as "curriculum, it is the total experiences activities and events whether direct or indirect ...designed to foster children's development (Ministry of Education, 1996, pp. 10)".

I would never have surmised that children receive so much pleasure out of interacting with technology and how knowledgable they can be and how this contributes to my learning.I still remember being seen and not heard and certainly not allowed to use anything that was electronic. In my day this was limited to electric jugs, dishwashers, wringer washing machines, stoves Polaroid camera's and radio/stereos and it wasn't necessarily the norm for families to have these.How times have changed and it is young children teaching us oldies how to interact with technology, who knows where we will be in another twenty years time.

I have included this for your enjoyment

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

Mac Naughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices of theory and practice (3^rd ed.). Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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

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

Santrock, J. W. (2010) Lifespan development: International student ed. (12^th Ed.). Boston, Ma. McGraw Hill

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

 

Youtube and Goggle Images for clips and photos

 

 

A Cultural Perspective in Technology.

A Rain maker, a Cultural Perspective in Technology

The interest in water is still central in my centre as the environment around us dries out in response to the drought. A spontaneous musical show at our local school provided a welcome respite from the sun and has prompted this next technology experience.

 

The children were exposed to instruments that they had not seen or heard before, Te Whāriki he whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa, Early Childhood Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1996, pp. 86) identifies the importance of experiential learning and exploration to support the child’s ability to research, while creating individual understanding of the world around them .The particular instrument they were curious about was one that I identified as a rain maker. We didn’t have access to the laptop and upon investigation the books in the centre didn’t identify the particular instrument they had described to me. Fortunately a small replica on our music stand provided practical, hands on experience; Fleer & Jane (2011) highlights deconstruction as a valuable tool for the learning of new technological knowledge.

The children then started to visually break down the different components which prompted questioning. MacNaughton & Williams (2009, pp. 156) identifies this strategy as  valuable in supporting acquisition of new knowledge, Ministry of Education (1996) highlights further outcomes of children becoming more familiar with the makeup of technology and the material components through this experience .

The question they asked in response to the name “why didn’t it make rain?” “We need rain”.This  provided opportunity to explain that long ago people believed that if they danced with or without this instrument outside when there was no rain, it would rain. Mindes (2006, pp. 108) depicts this form of social study supporting the building of community. How had the children known more of their community than what was immediately around them? The children said they heard it on the news on the radio and television, Smorti (1999) highlights these as a form of technology that helps people to solve problems, in this case lack of water and rain.

In my day I either had to rely on my parents, peers or teachers to inform me of what they may have considered relevant for me to know. How limiting this was and how empowering this form of technology is for our children. Mac Naughton & Williams (2009, pp. 311) discuss how empowerment enables children to have power over their lives, in this case the knowledge of their world around them and what they could do to solve the problem of no rain.

Vygotsky’s social cultural theory (cited in Santrock, 2007) believes that children, and I can assume as well adults, learn from their social-cultural environment and that the learning environment is through experiences at home and at the centre.  It hadn’t really occurred to me until I reflected on this that I was responding with knowledge attained by my own experiences and prior knowledge, learnt through technology and relationships that were relevant to me . Te whāriki, our New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1996) identifies the importance of exploration, to actively explore the world while creating understanding through the use of equipment within our environment.

The outcome of this experience was that the children created their own rain maker, which Fleer & Jane, (2011) suggests supports the concept of crossing the cultural barriers and creating an environment of Inclusion through technology. The children and I have learnt that not everyone has the same beliefs and we have started to develop a cultural awareness of the wider technological world, where not all people believe, use or have access to the same technology as we do.

 

I have included this link for your enjoyment,so you to can experience the sound of a rainmaker.

 

 

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

Mac Naughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices of theory and practice (3^rd ed.). Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Mindes, G. (2006). Social studies in kindergarten. In D. F. Gullo (Ed.), K today teaching and learning in the kindergarten year (pp. 107-115). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

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

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

http://www.monstermarketplace.com/hawaiian-jewelry-and-gifts/bamboo-rainmaker-instrument-w-hibiscus-flower

Santrock, J. W. (2010) Lifespan development: International student ed. (12^th Ed.). Boston, Ma. McGraw Hill

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Technology, water and the humble laptop

This is my first blog  and it is highlighting the use of computers within our centre but also of the child’s world and what influence this has for them and how it can influence others. A small group of children have a strong interest in water play at present. Play is said to be the best learning environment for children. It is considered as Reggio Emila (cited in Gonzalez-Mena, 2005) suggests the third teacher. In response to this interest I had provided an opportunity for the children in water play. This experience had prompted them to explore for themselves how to transport water from one place to another.

In our centre there is not a strong ethos of ICT technology, but in saying this we have a centre laptop which we are able to bring into the class room if we choose to. Through this the children have investigated the making of a water wheel that interested them. Fleer & Jane (2011) supports computers as technology, they define this as a form of high technology which they moot as becoming the norm for our modern world.

Why do I believe in being a responsive teacher and support the use of computers for research?   MacNaughton & Williams (2009) suggest responsiveness promotes the children‘s ability to learn, explore and experiment in this case with technology. This ideal is interwoven with self-worth; feeling valued which creates an environment that is positive and supportive. Te Whāriki, he whāriki mō nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa, Early Childhood Curriculum (1996) states our aspiration for our children is for them to be “competent, confident, capable learners...”.This is not just for early childhood it is also in ‘The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007) a vision for young people …”confident, connected, …lifelong learners’” it also defines technology as “an intervention by design”…to…expand possibilities…”.

 Furthermore with links to ECE curriculum, technology for our children is woven throughout our strands (Ministry of Education, 1996) and highlights enabling children to recognise various technologies, higher or lower. Fleer & Jane (2011) point out that these skills and knowledge can be utilised in varying environments. I was amazed at how comfortable the children were in suggesting looking on the laptop computer. If it had been up to me I probably would have used books to support their learning, computers did not exist in my world as a child, so it is not part of my instant thought process. There is also thought that ICT should be outside our scope for ECE, Greenfield, (2006) argues that we need to provide the most basic forms of play and learning, as children are forgetting these and how to be a child.

I believe children are familiar with this technology in the first instance due to their home environment, Fleer and Jane (2011) summarise, it as what is used as part of a community it becomes normal and entrenched as part of the natural thought process. Broffenbrenner (Santrock, 2007) suggests systems that surround the child form the basis of their learning and Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory with our individual and collective 'Zones of proximal development' highlights, a social cultural environment that influences the child’s learning through experience, I agree that these have created the basis for a successful experience with ICT and contributed to my attainment of new understanding and skills. In essence this form of technology has contributed to equipping the child and me for participation in our current world of now and into the future.

Greenfield, C. (2003). Outdoor play - the case for risks and challenges in children's learning and development. Safekids News, 5.

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Foundations of early childhood education: Teaching children in a diverse society (4^th ed.). Boston, Ma: McGraw Hill.

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

Santrock, J. W. (2010) Lifespan development: International student ed. (12^th Ed.). Boston, Ma. McGraw Hill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnBj_v4GlvA How to make a water wheel

https://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1254&bih=651&q=children+and+laptops&oq=children+and+laptops&gs_