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.