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 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.
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 (4th ed.). Boston, Ma: McGraw Hill
Smorti, S. (1999)Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, Vol 19 Autumn 1999
photos sourced from; Google images
photos sourced from; Google images
hi just testing
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ReplyDeleteOnce again Andrew you have written a very informative blog on the simplest of technology-the bucket. You are right in your comment on my blog that because I my age I find it harder to relate to technology that it non-digital.
ReplyDeleteYour blog has provided me (and I am sure many others) new ideas about how a bucket can be used and its relevance to technology.
When we do look at Smorti (1999) view of technology being about helping people, it is easier to understand what technology can entail. You have strongly understood the meaning of technology and the uses a bucket can have with regards to children (transporting materials, gain control of their bodies and understanding the uses and design of the bucket).
I do agree that buckets are a technology masterpiece as they have many uses and help many people. I feel they are still relevant today and children love to discover the many uses for buckets.
A great blog Andrew :)
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, Vol 19 Autumn 1999
Andrew, I really enjoyed reading about your focus for non-digital technology- a bucket. You talked about how using a bucket develops motor skills and math skills. I did find it a little difficult to read your blog after you told me to close my eyes! In saying that though, I feel that this was a great way to encourage readers of your blog to reflect.
ReplyDeleteAfter realising the importance and impact of non-digital technology such as a bucket, have you thought about discussing the uses of a bucket with the children? It would be interesting to ask them how they would transport sand and water without buckets. I wonder what ideas children would come up with for solving problems without a bucket. Through this we can help extend both their problem solving skills and imagination. Now that we can see the importance of non-digital technologies, we can aim to involve and talk with the children about this.
Andrew I enjoyed your blog about the bucket, the way that you have shown its many uses from people transporting water for their family to children learning mathematical concepts within their play. This really brought back to me how we need to look at different types of technology. This is such a simple invention but has so many good reasons for using it and not just for making sand castles although that is fun. It has made me happy to see that you are looking at technology not just as digital anymore and that you have taken on board Smorti, (1999) thoughts that technology is about helping people and solving problems. Just like you after reading his thoughts I was able to look at many different things we use each day differently and begin to start to see the technology behind them.
ReplyDeleteThis is also a technology that children can use out doors to explore not only sand but mud and so on. They can collect treasures in their bucket as they investigate their outdoor environment. Well done Andrew. What other technologies can we use in our outdoor environment to support children’s learning and social interaction?
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No. 19 Autumn 1999.
I love this post Andrew because you are so right about there being many different forms of technology.But I didn't close my eyes otherwise I wouldn't have been able to read the rest of your post but I get what you are saying. Without the bucket the task would be more difficult.I ask you this though the next time you are in the sand pit try taking the bucket away and see what the children do. At my centre the children find ways to carry that sand all the way over to another part of the centre in ways I don't know how so I guess you could say they are using their imagination and their initiative. Ill tell you this though, next time while playing in the sand I might give them a bucket just to make things a little easier, I have to go buy one first! All our sand pit equipment has slowly disappeared but I'm assuming they are under the deck. What I like most about your reflection is how you highlight how important the bucket is to some cultures and the many different uses the bucket has so i applaud you on that..Well done Andrew!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrew
ReplyDeleteLovely to see you moving from digital to non-digital technology. Your blog on the use of buckets and how children can use them to solve problems is enlightening. It endorses Smorti (1999) definition of technology which is helping and solving problems.
Additionally you have provided other advantages of children using buckets such as refining their gross and fine motor skills. I also feel children developed agility and manipulative skills. Furthermore, they are developing their social skills when they are playing alongside their peers in the sandpit for example.
Finally, I have a question for you, what could children possibly use instead of buckets to solve their problems if they had to transport material such as sand in the sandpit?
Regards
Shabnam
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, Vol 19 Autumn 1999 .