Andrew Moose: August 2011

Tuesday, 30 August 2011

Blogs I have commented on;

Friday, 26 August 2011

A bucket, a technology masterpiece!!!

After finishing my first two reflections, I feel it is important to move in a different direction and not focus on digital technology (and its impact on our young children) but on the simple bucket.

You may ask; why a bucket? Or what has a bucket got to do with technology? I chose a bucket because in many cultures a bucket is a necessity and a technology masterpiece (especially if you need to carry water, for your thirsty family).

According to Smorti, “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (1999 p.5).

Bringing this reflection back to the children in our centres; how is a bucket helping or solving problems?

Let’s close our eyes for a second and move outside to the sand pit. What do you see? I would be safe to presume you see children, playing with spades, buckets, diggers and each other. Keep your eyes closed, are they moving sand to make sandcastles with a bucket (without a bucket is this task more difficult?), if your answer is yes, you have just defined, Smorti’s definition to what technology is all about, helping and solving problems.

The common bucket also helps with two other important developmental skills that young children need to experience in their early childhood.

The first deals with their fine and gross motor skills. I believe for children to learn and gain control over their own bodies they need to keep active (making big movements as well as small movements), and I cannot think of a better way to begin learning these skills, than filling a bucket up with water (with small spoons or spades) and carrying it to a hole dug in the sandpit and pouring it in.
The second deals with cognitive development especially in the area of maths. “When toddlers pour sand in the sandbox or water at the water table, they are learning about quantity, mass, and volume. Eventually, with the experience, they will come to see that equal amounts of sand or water remain equal even when poured into different-shaped containers” (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008, p.400-401).Without a bucket (or bucket shaped object) these types of activities would be difficult and learning is hindered (or not even attempted). So buckets help with measurement and space awareness.

In concluding this reflection I feel buckets are a technology masterpiece, not so much in our time (even if they are used daily by most people worldwide) but many years ago when carrying water was the only way for its transportation.

You can open your eyes now, but I need you to do me one more favour, don’t tell the children, buckets are old school, they are having so much fun.

References;

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

Smorti, S. (1999)Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, Vol 19 Autumn 1999

photos sourced from; Google images

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

Shoot me, shoot me; our obsession with digital cameras!!!

If you asked me how I wanted to be shot? With a camera would be my answer.

Andrew Green (2011)

If you were to ask me; what I believed was the best thing that digital technology has given to our children in the last decade? My answer would be the digital camera.

Until the early 2000’s the use of camera’s was limited in early childhood (and the rest of society) for three main reasons. The first being cost, until cameras were made digital, photos needed to be printed at a cost of approximately a dollar per photo. The second reason was our/children’s inability to view the photos just taken and the capability of deleting any photos they wished. The third (but not least) reason, cameras have become such a great tool within our centres is the infinite possibilities they bring when photos are down loaded onto our computers. I almost forgot there is one more reason digital cameras are such a great technology tool in early childhood, THE CHILDREN LOVE USING THEM!!!

Te Whāriki feels children need to “experience an environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.80) and digital cameras create those experiences. Why is this so important? For children to mature into creative and expressive adults they need to have as many opportunities to express themselves (in childhood) and digital cameras allow this in a non-threatening medium. Without creative people, where are the next Einstein’s, Gates, Mozart’s and Marso’s coming from?

Another significant impact that digital cameras have on our children, is their ability to edit photos. When children take photos and then edit them, it is very significant because it is teaches them the concept/idea on empowerment. “To empower means to give others the power (or ability) to do something” (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009, p.311) this is important because as children grow up, they need to learn how to master a wide range of age appropriate tasks and it is our duty to teach them this concept though empowerment at a young age.

Digital cameras (with the help from a professional teacher) are fantastic tools to help children document their own learning by taking photos of their current interest. At a later date, the children can either reminisce or build on these interests. “The use of a digital camera can encourage children to reflect on past experiences, observe detail, share personal likes/dislikes, sequence events, record and share a significant event”(Bruce, 2008,p.22).

As we all know for cognitive growth one of the key areas is conversations between other peers, family or adults. According to Ap & Talay-Ongan(2005), “early childhood is the time in which much of the most critical learning takes place; it is during this period that secure literacy foundations are laid or not laid”(p.193). If this is correct as responsible teachers we need to ensure we make available tools to encourage dialogue and digital cameras are perfect for this. “One of the main benefits ( of photos taken with digital cameras) is encouraging dialogue with parents- children and practitioners can capture activities and experiences throughout the day that can be shared with parents and carers when they arrive to collect their children”(Bruce, 2008,p.25).

In concluding this reflection, I feel digital cameras are a great tool and cannot be underestimated in the cognitive development of our children in the twenty first century, and as teachers we need to hand over our cameras to the children and not hog them for ourselves for learning stories.

References;

Ap, E. A., & Talay-Ongan, A. (2005). Child Development and Teaching Young Children. Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Bruce, T. (2006). Early Childhood: A Guide for Students. London, England: Sage Publications Ltd

McNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3^rd ed.). Melbourne,Vic.: Addison Wesley Longman.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

camera images sourced from; Google Images

Interactive white boards, they're amazing!!!

If you want to fight technology, I suggest you bring your own stretcher.

Andrew Green, 2011

My first reflection shows how when a technology tool (interactive white board) is introduced correctly it is a win, win for all involved. Approximately eight months ago our centre purchased and installed an interactive whiteboard. I had strong reservation it was money spent unwisely (as I could see other areas outside needing repairs and we needed new outdoor equipment) I believed commuter/ICT technology was better suited for older children and should be left at home for children to use in their own time.

Since the introduction of the interactive white boards I have changed my opinion on them and believe they are an important tool in literacy and can help children become confident in our digital age. “Children are surrounded by ICT in their immediate environments. Increasingly, new technologies support, influence and shape the lives that we lead, and are also an integral part of the experiences of even our youngest children” (Bruce, 2008, pg.22).

I also believe another advantage of having user-friendly interactive white boards is their ability to share information/skills with groups of children. “An interactive whiteboard is particularly effective for sharing experiences; for example small groups of children can all collaborate and, as importantly, can all be a part of an activity”(Bruce, 2008, pg.23). This can be done by exploring the internet (sites like netsafe, wiggles e.t.c) , playing literacy/mathematical games, using stamp/colouring games or just sitting down as a group on a rainy day and watching a movie (not that I have ever seen a group of forty children make it all the way to the end of a movie) with popcorn.

I also noticed (while watching children using digital technology) ICT has no favourites and many children who are quiet or shy or struggle socially with their peers, excel when it comes to computers and this allows these children to teach other children through the idea/ concept of scaffolding. “ Theories of social problem-solving often draw on the theories of Vygotsky and focus on the role of scaffolding and peer tutors in the process of problem solving”(MacNaugton & Williams, 2009, pg.348). When this materializes, children’s confidence increases and socially they improve.

Inactive white boards are connected to computers and this is important because our culture is now very much intertwined with digital technology (in all we do) and children are using computers to gain knowledge from an early age. “Thus in one culture, children might learn to count with the help of a computer; in another they might learn by using beads” (Santrock, 2008, pg.44). Computers are now becoming an important tool (not a toy) in educational settings and this is only going to increase for our children in the future. By hiding our heads in the sand (which I was doing), we are not being authentic teachers, whose reasonability is to prepare our children for the future, a future with digital technology at its core.

In concluding this reflection, I feel technology is now an important part of New Zealand’s early childhood ethos and should be encouraged as much as possible alongside play and social interaction with others.

References;

Bruce, T. (2006). Early Childhood: A Guide for Students. London, England: Sage Publications Ltd

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3^rd ed.). Melbourne,Vic.: Addison Wesley Longman.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Santrock, J. W. (2008) Lifespan development: international student ed. (11^th Ed.). Boston, Ma.: McGraw Hill

Interactive white board images sourced from; Google Images