The first part of my final reflection I will address what I have learned in class and read about technology and how it affects the children we work with. The second part of this reflection, I will share with you, what I have learned by reading the feedback on my blog, by my fellow class mates. Finally I will sum up how I feel about technology now and what the future may hold.
Over the last view months we have had a number of speakers as well as videos on the subject of technology and how it impacts the children we teacher. To get a true perception on technology we needed to strip it back to its bare bones and find out what it is. The majority of the class (myself included) automatically though of digital technology when asked, “What is technology?” According to Smorti, “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (1999, p.5).
Now we have a definition, we see technology in a whole new light. Technology is as simple as a pen, a spoon (Stefanie’s blog), a glue stick, a clock, a bucket- almost anything and it doesn’t have to have an electrical plug. As teachers it is our responsibility to teacher our children this fact about technology, because it sounds like we weren’t.
In class we learnt how amazing digital technology can be. Bronwyn Glass from Botany Downs Kindergarten visited. She showed us movies made from the children, centre blogs and their website as well a video of everyday life in the centre. For additional information check out their web and blog at http://web.me.com/bdownskindy
In class we set up our own blog, which I found a colourful exercise to start with (Ann I think you know what I mean) but the more I used the blog, the more possibilities I see. I feel one of the main purposes for setting up and using blogs, is to get familiar and confident with them and teach them, to the children we care for, because blogs and similar apparatuses are here to stay. “New Zealand is part of a world revolution in communication, technology, work, and leisure. Change in these and other spheres is a feature of everyday life”(Ministry of Education, 1996, p.18).
With anything computer based it is very important to learn how to use them safely because of their potential harm. Net-safe visited and gave us some useful information, if you wish to find out more visit: http://netsafe.org.nz/keeping
I feel by reading through the blogs, many of my class mates see technology in a new light as I do.
The feedback that I got back from my digital camera blog was very encouraging. I had many comments agreeing that cameras are easy to use and that children love them. I liked how Nicola saw the creative possibilities cameras provided, while Clare recognised the social benefits cameras bring. Jade also had an interesting point when she commented; teachers do not often give out their cameras. I agree with her and I can’t work out why, so few centres don’t buy cheap cameras and make them available for the children.
The whiteboard board blog had some interesting comments; Clare the whiteboard is on everyday but for only short periods of time and supervised by the teachers. During wet days and in the winter it is on for longer periods of time. To answer your question Nicola, I think the next step is to purchase more programs for the white board as we only use two or three programs.
It is amazing how a simple blog on a bucket had so many comments. Stephanie, you had a good point when you asked me if I had talked to the children about a bucket, I haven’t but I will; thanks for the advice.
I also feel if children had, had no buckets, they would have come up with some interesting ideas (I might try that next week) and report it back to you Steph. Clare I like how you always bring things back to the importance of socializing children. I believe playing with any object can and does encourage conversations between children.
In concluding this reflection, I feel that technology in the twenty first century especially digital is moving so fast and as teachers, sometimes we need to slow down and smell the roses. I feel we need to be careful not to look at digital technology as the ultimate teaching device but find a balance with older technology like a bucket, a spade and a sand pit.
References
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Smorti, S. (1999)Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, Vol 19 Autumn 1999
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