Cameras at work

Technology is everywhere. Digital technology is probably one of the most popular types of technology used within an early childhood education setting in this day and age. Children have all types of digital technology to learn from including computers to cameras.

I find this fascinating as it is a regular thing in part of their day; children are able use cameras as they would any other toy. I noticed that children were using old digital cameras taking pretend pictures, even with the old film cameras opening it up and exploring within it. I decided to provide a real camera allowing the children to explore the technology even further. Te Whāriki states that “children develop the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them,” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88).

While the children were familiarising themselves with the camera, I asked them what they would like to do with the camera? They started by taking pictures of their friends. I then suggested to them about going outside and seeing what would interest them. The children took pictures of things such as monkey bars and trees.

I wanted to let the children explore the camera that works, as I feel that it is a very important part of their learning, it is allowing them to learn on their own. I believe that through this the children are empowering themselves, then after they have mastered the technique, the children would be able to scaffold other children and show them how the camera works and what to do. Sue Smorti discusses about the “process approach to technology, it is the ‘doing’ that is important, rather than the ‘product’” (1999, p 6). I agree with this as I feel the children have more fun taking the actual photos and they don’t worry about what the end result looks like which is great. I feel that it builds on children’s social skills quite a lot, as I have seen, when a child has had the camera other children love to come up and let their photo been taken, they then discuss that photo amongst themselves and what it looks like etc.

When using a camera, I believe that it is helps children’s overall development and learning of technology as it is where the world and education is heading in this day and age. It also builds on their cognitive skills, general knowledge and their social and emotional development (Van Scoter, Ellis, Railsback, 2001, p 8). I feel that it builds on their memory skills, as they are able to revisit their photos any time with a digital camera. This is also supported by Talay-Ongan & Ap who state that the use of cameras “enables [children] to access a world of animation and imagination…in enriched and engaging ways,” (2005, p 226).

Overall, cameras are a big part in the digital technology side of education; I think that cameras should be around every day for the children to use as there is a lot of exploring and discovering to be done and cameras can help with that.

References

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga

mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.

Talay-Ongan, A. & Ap, E. A. (2005). Child development and teaching young children. Sydney, Australia: Thomson.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Van Scoter J., Ellis, D. & Railsback, J. (2008). Technology in Early Childhood Education: Finding the Balance.  Retrieved on September 6^th 2011 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED458008.pdf.

Images retrieved from google images.