Date 01/04/13

Non-digital technology:

Technology can be simply defined as about helping people and solving their problems. It can be anything- ball pen, computer, radio, cloth peg, newspaper etc (Smorti, 1999). In today’s fast and modern world, in our centre’s we introduce new digital technology and children love to explore with it. But non digital technology is also equally important and popular in our settings. Everyday children explore the setting with the non digital technology such as: chalks, pens, pencils, glue, scissors, hammers, spades etc.

Collage table is one of the favorite corners for children in our centre. Scissors, glue, paper, pen, pencils are always accessible for our children. Today children were busy at the collage table. They were making Easter eggs and cards. I observed how confident they were while using the scissors and glue. They were exploring their unique skills and creativity to make those cards and eggs. To use scissors and glue we need special skills to learn. First of all children learn how to hold the scissor and how to cut the paper. It helps in developing their hand and eye coordination. At first stage we can help children by telling how to hold the scissors if they were not holding it correctly. Vygotsky talked about ‘Zone of Proximal development’ in his theory, “which is the range of tasks that are too difficult for children to master alone but which can be learned with the guidance and assistance of adults or more skilled children” (Santrock, 2010, p.241). When I was young we only used to do academic study at the school. There were no fun activities or collage experiences for us. Art was also optional subject. But when my son started his preschool, I realized children are learning lifelong skills in a very interesting way.

 Often children come and explore the collage table. They use their imaginations and unique skills to make products using scissors, glue and other material. Sometimes they amaze us with their unique and expressive collage piece. It gives them an opportunity to be creative and explore. They also discover the problem solving skills. Technology is not boring activity. It is a creative and purposeful process. We use knowledge and skills together to find the solution of the problem (Smorti, 1999). The experiences like cutting, tearing and pasting of any available material give children an opportunity to work constructively in a new field. Children can collect different material from available resources or recycle material and reorganize them and create something new. Through this experience children learnt how to handle material and explore it (Somerset, 2007). “children experience a wide variety of the material and technology used in the creative and expressive arts, such as clay, fabric, fiber  scissor, glue etc” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.81).

In the preschool classroom, children draw and paint using a variety of traditional tools, such as pencils, crayons, markers, paints, and paintbrushes. With development and experience, young children gain increasing control over these tools, thereby producing increasingly more accurate representations of their thinking. These active learning activities enhance children’s eye-hand coordination, motor and cognitive development, and emergent literacy skills paving the way for later academic learning, including writing. While having the non digital technology, children become able to access and explore the different materials. Te Whāriki states that “using many materials for different purposes enable children to recognize that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.95). We also see in our centres that some non digital material represent the particular cultural groups such as rolling pins, henna (Indian), chop sticks (Chinese), poi (Māori). Children in early childhood settings learn through experiences, they need concrete, hands-on opportunities with a variety of materials that are different from those in their home environment (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008).

As early childhood educators, it is my responsibility to facilitate children’s learning by providing material and resources to explore (MacNaughton & William, 2009). I also use other teaching strategies with children such as: scaffolding, encouragement, questioning and praising while children explore the different material (MacNaughton & William, 2009).

References

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

Google Images. (n.d.). Retrieved on 31/03/12 from https://www.google.co.nz/search?hl=en&q=

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice. Frenchs Forrest NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall

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. (2009). Lifespan development (12^th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

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

Somerset, G. (2007). Work and play in the early years. Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand playcentre publications.

Date: 31/03/13:

Let’s explore the computer together:

Today I was sitting with a group of children inside. After few minutes, J came to the centre with his mum. He looked tired and did not want to leave his mum. Unwillingly he left his mum’s hand and gave her a kiss and said bye. Then he came to me and started pulling my hand. I asked him “what do you want J?” He replied ‘Computer’. One of the teachers told me that he wants the computer because he loves to hear songs on computer, especially the ‘The Fire Truck’ song. I took him to the computer. We searched the ‘Fire Truck’ song on YouTube together. I also found that J and other children love to do drawings on computer.

I observed that ‘J’ was very happy to hear the song and watch it visually. Using ICT in children’s learning enhances their interest. Through ICT techniques children can hear and see their favorite songs and stories. This will help in their learning and they can remember it for a long time. ‘J’ felt more relaxed and happy by watching his favorite song because he can see the colorful pictures and things moving around. Technology is increasingly recognized as an integral learning tool for promoting the social, linguistic, and cognitive development of young children. Drawing and painting, precursors to formal writing, are representational forms of communication. As such, freehand drawing is a common activity through which preschoolers represent their thoughts and knowledge. The use of computers in preschool has also been found to increase children’s interest and engagement in drawing. Children’s self-portrait drawings are sometimes more detailed and had a higher level of representation when constructed on the computer. They hypothesized that this may be because the computer requires different fine-motor skills than freehand drawing. Certainly, the most common forms of computer software involve the use of a mouse and a different set of visual-spatial skills than writing on paper with pencil or markers. It is suggested that, for some children, the computer could be a more interesting tool and therefore might be able to maintain their interest longer and lead to the inclusion of more details in their drawings (Couse & Chen, 2010).

According to NAEYC, computers can be a vital component in the early childhood classroom if used in a developmentally appropriate way. Many researchers are finding that a new generation of children are dealing with computers in very different ways than in the past. This is also aided by a new generation of touch screen and hand held devices that actually promote interaction in the same way that reading a book can. This evidence suggests that computers have been found to help children with cognitive, verbal skills, concrete experiences, long-term memory, and social-emotional growth when successfully applied in developmentally appropriate classrooms. When children play on computer, they love to play with their peers. During the joint computer activities children show both prosocial and antisocial ways of interacting with the computer partner. They develop skill of problem solving without the help of the teacher (Chen & Geist, 2012). “Technology makes enterprising use of its own specific knowledge and skills, together with those of other disciplines. Graphics and other methods of visual representation offer important tools for communication and exploration” (The New Zealand Curriculum, 2007, p.32).

I remember before starting this course I haven’t had much access to computers. I bought my own laptop when I started my studies. Now I feel very confident to use technology in my life. It becomes a part of my life. I can access to my many social sites and get connected to my family and friends. When I came to New Zealand I often felt home sickness. But by using computers I feel that I am very close to my family and friends. I have noticed that children have great interest in computers. Therefore I will use computers more often with them. I will also use other ICT technology such as; digital cameras, video cameras, scanners and photocopies with children. Children can take photos; they can print their learning stories and also can make videos.  Click on this link to know the benefits of computers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96HeYROlpso

References’

Chen, H., & Geist, E.A. (2012). A Qualitative Examination of Social Interaction During Cooperative Computer Activities. Education, 133(2), 383-390.

Couse, L.J., & Chen, D.W. (2010). A Tablet Computer for Young Children? Exploring Its Viability for Early Childhood Education. Journal Of Research On Technology In Education, 43(1), 75-98.

Google Images. (n.d.). Retrieved on 30/03/12 from https://www.google.co.nz/search?

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 o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Date: 05/03/13

When I went center this morning I noticed that children were very excited and they were busy in one corner of the center  One of the teachers told me that we have two new I pads in our center for the children. Children were exploring the I pads with the teacher. With full of excitement they told me “Harjeet look we have I pads . To remain their excitement I asked them what can you do with I pads  “We can see photos”, “we can play games”, “we can see cartoons”, “we can see animals”, “and we can hear songs”. They came up with these ideas.

There is no doubt that this is the world of technology. Through technology we feel connected to the world. The new products of technology such as touch screen phones and I pads are very handy and easy to use for children. They are very curious and excited to see that how a touch of their small finger can take them to their dream world. It is way of their entertainment but also a good resource of knowledge. It is also a good resource for teacher to use. Sometimes children ask questions about animals, plants, cars etc. It is not necessary that we know all the answers so we can quickly search and tell them write answers of their questions. The other thing which is good about I pads is they are very handy to use and also portable.

If children are playing outside and they find any insects, we can quickly search about that insect on I pad and also its pictures to show children and also get some deep knowledge about that insect. We can also make children’s videos on I pads and show them on mat time or while having one on one time with them. Children love to do reading and writing on I Pads rather than with pencil and paper. In india we start our studies from 3 years. We have to sit in the class and read and write. I find it very hard for children who are only 3 year. But technology is making children's learning easier and faster and also interesting. There are some applications which we use to do reading and writing with the preschoolers. Children can also hear the sounds of the words and repeat it. When children work or play on I pads as a group, it enhances the cooperative play. Children help each other, ask questions, give instructions to each other while sharing I pads. Having interactions with each other develops their vocabulary. According to Vygotsky children learn though interacting with others (Santrock, 2010). when children have hand on experience with technology it helps in their future learning and make them able to get technology related jobs (Ministry of Education, 2007). 

I pads are new and fast way to document children’s learning and development. But having two I pads with 20 or 30 children is another issue. It is also one of the challenge for us as educators that how we can encourage children to share and wait for their turn. I believe that we can find the solution together by talking with children. This will give them an opportunity to think and find the solution of their own problems. They will also learn how to learn with and alongside others (Ministry of Education, 1996). Early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki states that “Growing experience in solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 96).

Teachers have been using technology of one type or another with children for decades, but the development of new technologies and their presence in classrooms is increasing rapidly. Interactive single-touch—and now multitouch—screens in a variety of sizes, from interactive white boards to tablets, have changed the way children engage with technology. Alongside these is the explosion in learning content, particularly for mobile devices (Shifflet & Toledo, 2012).

References:

Images: Retrieved on 19/03/2013 from www.googleimages.co.

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. (2010). Lifespan development: International student edition (12^th ed.). Boston, Ma., United States of America: McGraw Hill.

Shifflet, R., & Toledo, C. (2012). Touch Tablets surprised: A preschool teacher’s story. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/Touch%20Tablet%20Suprises.pdf

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