Final Reflection

Over this course I have learnt so much about what technology really is. Before starting this course I saw technology as something digital, as electronic devices such as computers, laptops, cameras etc. I also did not realise the full impact of technology (both non-digital and digital) on children’s learning and development.

Feedback from group members has helped me to reflect further and extend my learning. From my first blog about spoons a couple of my group members questioned me on what other non-digital technology tools could I introduce to children to extend their learning.

 After some though about this I have gathered a few simple technology tools to take into the centre for children to discover and explore. One of these tools is the old wooden pegs used to hang clothes on the line. They may recognise that these pegs may be different to the ones used at home. Not only can pegs be used to hang clothes on the line, they can also be used to hold something together- such as a packet of food. I wonder what ideas the children will come up when exploring with these.

Another non-digital piece of technology we already have in the centre is handbags. Through using these children are finding ways of carrying and transporting things around (problem-solving). Both of these pieces of technology (pegs and handbags) connect links with the home (Ministry of Education, 1996).

In my next blog about the washing machine, a member from my group commented that I am guiding children to lean about the foundations for understanding technology as well as life skills. The washing is a process that needs to be done and the washing machine and dryer aid us in this process making it a whole lot easier! As adults the washing machine is something we take for granted as always there. I talked in my blog about how I saw the washing as a chore and then realised that it was a learning experience for children. A member from my group commented that children love to help with chores and it helps with their learning. I was challenged to reflect on digital technology for my next blog.

It really was a challenge to look around and see how we incorporate learning about digital technology. Firstly this was a challenge as I work with under 2s. Then I noticed the children playing with the digital cameras and after I started to reflect I realised that this is a piece of technology that they are building the foundation of their understanding about. They show signs of being able to use cameras at such a young age.

Technology plays a significant role in children’s early learning and development. Firstly, technology teaches children about solving problems. Smorti (1999) states that technology involves solving problems and helping people. Therefore technology, both digital and non-digital, influences and contributes to children’s learning. As children use and explore technology they are learning about tools that help us to solve problems and achieve a goal. After investigating and exploring with tools children can be further encouraged to look for ways to use technological tools to solve problems they may come across. Therefore, through this thought processes are extended (Swim & Watson, 2010).

Social interaction and culture play roles in the types of technological tools children will use. When children are given the time and opportunities to interact with different types of technology, they are developing competence within the society and culture in which they are involved (Arthur et al., 2007). Children strive to make sense of experience and learning to use technology gives them an understanding of the world they live in (Clark, 2004).

The children I work with are two years and younger. I have come to understand that their early experiences with technology (such as I reflected on in my 3 blogs), are building the foundations for understanding their technology filled world. They are learning and developing skills to become competent and confident within their world (Ministry of Education, 1996). As I look around my centre at the technology we have integrated into the everyday life of the children I have come to realise that I had never before fully understood the impact of this technology on children’s learning and development. 

References:

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

Clark, A. (2004). Changing classroom practice to include the project approach. Early Childhood Research  and Practice. 8.2 Fall 2004. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/clark.html

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

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

Swim, T., & Watson, L. (2010). Infants and toddlers: Curriculum and teaching (7^thed.).
 Australia: Cengage Learning

(Photos from google images).

Blogs That I Have Commented On

Andrew’s Blog:

http://andrewmoose.blogspot.com/2011/08/bucket-technology-masterpiece.html?showComment=1315878847068#c2608244576323706261

http://andrewmoose.blogspot.com/2011/08/interactive-white-boards-theyre-amazing.html?showComment=1316316384748#c8147365997957877624

Clare’s Blog:

http://claresharpe.blogspot.com/2011/09/exploring-with-magnets.html?showComment=1315879887541#c7500529536453394346

http://claresharpe.blogspot.com/2011/08/technology-within-playdough.html?showComment=1315885705465#c3915663272288597746

http://claresharpe.blogspot.com/2011/08/light-table-fun.html?showComment=1316317404524#c4146031823885089853

Shabnam’s Blog:

http://shabnamsinnovation-shabnam.blogspot.com/2011/09/design-has-changed-story-book-with-cd.html?showComment=1315888138774#c869129259769130971

http://shabnamsinnovation-shabnam.blogspot.com/2011/09/baking-cookies.html?showComment=1316319326100#c7556195686442320512

Nicola’s Blog:

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/children-can-use-cameras-too.html?showComment=1316310741582#c4309984065299920627

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/we-can-learn-lots-from-cooking.html?showComment=1316312373425#c2549139938438093833

http://nicolastechnologycorner.blogspot.com/2011/08/computers-children-know-how-to-use-them.html?showComment=1316315382737#c1152032682544947265

Jade’s Blog:

http://autobotjadey.blogspot.com/2011/09/ipad-thursday.html?showComment=1316321209723#c1043585827515193581

http://autobotjadey.blogspot.com/2011/09/we-love-technology.html?showComment=1316323817248#c2051124089747469315

Early Exploration of Technology- Digital Cameras

A form of technology used with the infants and toddlers within my centre is digital cameras. The children have toy digital cameras that no longer work, to play with. They also experience the technology of digital cameras at the centre as the teachers use cameras to take photos and videos of the children to document learning. Many children would also experience cameras outside of the centre, with their families. Parents often take photos of children from birth to re-capture memories.

I have noticed that from a very young age children will smile at a camera when it is pointed their way. Children become very aware of cameras at a young age. “Children have a sense of wonder and excitement about the world” (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008, p. 407). When observing their play of digital cameras recently, I could see that they have basic knowledge of how to use it. By this I mean they can hold it up the right way, aim it at a person or object, and pretend to take a photo by clicking the button.

The other day I was sitting with a child (aged 21months). He held up the toy camera he was holding and said “cheese”, then clicked the button pretending to take a photo of me. He then pressed some buttons and showed me the screen, pretending to show me the photo.

When children play with digital cameras in this way we can see the knowledge they have built about this form of technology. This knowledge has been developed from children’s experiences and watching others use digital cameras. “Modelling is a process through which children learn how to behave by copying (modelling) the behaviour of others” (MacNaughton & Williams, 2004, p.125). As children see how parents and teachers use cameras, children begin to realise how to use this technology. Often at the centre, children will want to look at the photos the teacher has taken. We show them the photos on the screen and the children point out themselves and friends.

The significance of the learning for children includes building understanding, and becoming competent in the world around them, as they discover the beginnings of technology use and how it helps us in our lives. Technology has become a central part of everyday life, resulting in the importance of letting children explore and investigate technology so that they may become confident and competent users of technology within our world. Children naturally explore to make sense of experience, investigate their understandings and adapt to their physical and cultural environment (Clark, 2004).

As the children have old digital cameras to play with they are able to build a knowledge base about digital technology. “Knowledge is… relative to the developmental interaction of man with his world as problems arise to present themselves for solution” (Clark, 2004).  I believe that my centre provides infants and toddlers with the opportunity to build these early understandings about technology and the chance to explore how it works. “Children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.98). Through this children learn about how technology’s role in our society and how it can help us.

According to Piaget children develop as a result of interaction with their environment (Arthur et al., 2007). This shows us the importance of the environment we set up in our centres and the resources we have available to children. For them to learn about technology it is important for us to encourage interaction and investigation of different types of technology within our world- both digital and non-digital technologies.

References:

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

Clark, A. (2004). Changing classroom practice to include the project approach. Early Childhood Research  and Practice. 8.2 Fall 2004. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/clark.html

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

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2004). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (2nd ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Addison Wesley Longman. 

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

It is all Around: A World Filled with Technology

The toddlers I work with are great little helpers. One activity which they help me with is the washing. At times a small group of children will come through to the laundry with me and help me to load the bibs and cloths into the washing machine. I show them how we pour the washing powder into the machine before closing it and pressing the ‘on’ button. Once the bibs and cloths are washed, my willing helpers return to the laundry with me to transfer the bibs and cloths from the washing machine to the dryer. The children have come to know which is the ‘start’ button, but need help pressing it as it is fairly hard to push. They often enjoy watching the dryer when it starts, as it begins to whirl the clothes around. After this long process the children will often help me to remove the washing from the dryer and attempt to fold it alongside me before we return it into the drawers.

It amazed me as I realised after our first technology class that this process which I viewed as a chore was actually a great learning experience for the children. Technology involves thinking about processes (Smorti, 1999). The washing machine and dryer are pieces of technology which aid us in the cleaning process. The children are learning about the problem solving process of how their bibs and face cloths are cleaned, that they don’t automatically come out of the draw clean. This is a concept which the toddlers may have never considered, if they had not had the opportunity to help with the process of washing and drying.

Through helping me with the washing the children are learning about the technology used within their society to carry out this process. “Technology is influenced by the culture or society in which it occurs” (Smorti, 1999, p.6). The toddlers are building an understanding of how the world around them works (Ministry of Education, 1996), and in this time they are building an understanding of the technology used within their world. Along with building an understanding of the technology used within their world, young children are also learning how to become competent users of it. “Children are competent users of technology, active agents in their own learning and very aware of the world beyond their family” (Arthur et al., 2008, p. 275). This links with my previous blog on spoons, as I discussed how children practice from infancy to become competent at using a technology tool such as a spoon.

This learning is significant to children as they develop an understanding of how technology solves problems and makes our lives easier. The children will all be familiar with washing machines and dryers as many would have them in their home environment. Technology is all around us, and we have become so use to it as part of our lives we do not often stop to think of the significance of technology for both us, and the children we work with.

References: 

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

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

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

Simple Technology Tools

I spent some time feeling slightly confused about the ways in which the infants and toddlers I work with use technology. To begin I had to find out the meaning of technology. After a couple of classes and doing some reading it became clearer to me that technology was a way of solving problems. “Technology is about helping people and solving problems” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). I looked for ways in which we use technology within my centre, and my view of what technology is began to change.

At first I found it challenging to reflect on how the children I work with use technology. As I began to think of technology as anything that helps make life easier and solve problems I began to see technology all around the centre. This led me to realise that a tool as simple as a spoon is a piece of technology which the infants and toddlers explore with. Through this I also recognised the many ways in which children use this tool.

In the family play corner the children use spoons to pretend to mix food and feed the dolls. They also pretend to feed themselves and each other. Later outside in the sandpit I saw some children using spoons to transport sand from one bucket to another and pretending to eat. Through engaging in make believe and pretend play, children’s problem solving skills are developed and thought processes are further extended (Swin & Watson, 2010).

Continuing to observe the children I then saw some of the toddlers using spoons to feed themselves at lunch time. “Children solve a self-feeding spoon task in advance at a relatively young age because the spoon is one of the first tools used in this culture” (McCarty, Clifton & Collard, 2001, p.1). This links to the view of Vygotsky, who emphasises that children learn and construct knowledge through social interaction and the culture in which they are involved (Santrock, 2008). Through being fed and watching others such as parents, the children learn that spoons are a tool which we use to transport food into our mouth.

It is important that children experiment with spoons in different ways and different places to gain an understanding of how this tool can be used to solve problems. For example, it is much easier to use a spoon to eat yoghurt rather than your hands as you can have bigger mouthfuls using a spoon. Through realising that spoons are a piece of technology used to solve a situation (transporting food to mouth) children are beginning to gain the confidence to use the materials and tools in the world around them to manipulate situations and solve problems they may come across (Ministry of Education, 1996).

“John Dewey (1859-1952) maintained that education is the reconstruction of experience” (Clark, 2004, p. 1). Children are fed with a spoon from a very young age. As children grow they experiment with the use of spoons, feeding themselves and their dolls in pretend play. Through this practice children progress to be able to feed themselves at meal times using a spoon. They also learn other uses for a spoon such as measuring and stirring when they are involved in activities such as baking.

After reflecting on the use of this simple technology tool I believe that technology extends children’s thought processes and inspires them to solve problems they come across using the materials available.

References:

Clark, A. (2004). Changing classroom practice to include the project approach. Early Childhood Research and Practice. 8.2 Fall 2004. Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v8n2/clark.html

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

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

Swim, T., & Watson, L. (2010). Infants and toddlers: Curriculum and teaching (7^thed.). Australia: Cengage Learning

Santrock, J. W. (2008) Lifespan development (11^th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill.
McCarty, M., Clifton, R., & Collard, R. (2001). The beginnings of tool use by infants and toddlers. Infancy. Vol 2 (2).