Final Reflection

 I believe that technology has a big part role in children’s learning, whether it being in the earlier days or today. As technology involves everything from a pencil to a computer; it shows that with everything the children are doing within their play they are using technology to enhance their learning.  I feel that for the children to get the best learning out of their time at day-care, they need to have the best use out of all technologies. This means that the children have access to all kinds of technology .

Thank you to all that commented on my blogs, I was extremely glad that we could do this group assignment together, but based at home. It makes it a lot easier than trying to arrange times that work with everyone to get together and work on the assignment

Lyian’s comment http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/tools-for-cookingwhat-do-we-need.html?showComment=1316910650561#c2171564006860515637 on my cooking blog was a great way to look other perspectives. Cooking seems to be popular and to see what other children do was a great way for me to think about how I can extend on my own children’s play. I loved the electronic jug; I might have to look into acquiring one for my centre. Emma http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/tools-for-cookingwhat-do-we-need.html?showComment=1316934409651#c4928092514539675298 had some great questions for me; I feel that the question about the children bringing in a cooking tool from their own culture is fantastic idea. As it brings the connection from home and also allows us to explore different cultures. I thank you Luahine, http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/tools-for-cookingwhat-do-we-need.html?showComment=1316836977567#c2286171618874862999 for reminding me that there are disadvantages as well as advantages with technology. It will be a great thing to teach the children. Faa's  comment http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/tools-for-cookingwhat-do-we-need.html?showComment=1317264367125#c1312384794693236268 on finding out the children's views, made me think again about what they would think. I feel the best way to get a result is just by next time we do some cooking providing them with an electric tool, and taking it from there as we all know when we expect it to go one way, it tends to go another.

Thank you girls, for making me feel that I’m not the only one that thought of technology being just digital.  Emma’s comment http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/glue-sellotape-scissors-galoreglue-gun.html?showComment=1316936249153#c3851566218874319863  has made me think about ‘inventing’. I also believe that we take such small technology for granted and to think about the inventing side of it might be a good idea to try and do with children. I wonder where that may lead us.  Thinking about this sort of technology again, I agree with Lyians comment http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/glue-sellotape-scissors-galoreglue-gun.html?showComment=1316909159329#c470324529957230968 about how it is used to help with problem solving or meeting their needs. I feel to make this happen I need to encourage children a bit more to think about certain things they could use to help. I believe what Luahine said http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/glue-sellotape-scissors-galoreglue-gun.html?showComment=1316837336218#c7962879183103243629 , it’s all about scaffolding. Teaching them and then letting them develop even further is the best way for them to learn. I really had to think about Faa's comment http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/09/glue-sellotape-scissors-galoreglue-gun.html?showComment=1317265602469#c3821353047030922778 on how I could extend on the learning with the glue gun. I really don't know at this point, I feel that I  ave to give the children more opportunities to us the glue gun for me to work out an extension.  

I believe that one of the best way to empower children when learning about new technologies to let the children explore them themselves. I was very grateful that Luahine http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/08/cameras-at-work.html?showComment=1316838019295#c99305193620492031 and  Emma picked up on that through my reflection. Taking Emma’s suggestions http://mel-technologywithinece.blogspot.com/2011/08/cameras-at-work.html?showComment=1316938366311#c736961737350175362  into consideration, I feel these are great ideas to create a follow on for the children’s interest. It will be a great way to extend on different digital technologies.

Thank you again for the comments, they have made me stop and think about ideas about technologies and how they affect children and their learning.

Blogs I have commented on!!!

Emma
comment on 1st blog
comment on 2nd blog
comment on 3rd blog

Faa
comment on 2nd blog
comment on 3rd blog

Luahine
comment on 1st blog
comment on 2nd blog
comment on 3rd blog

Daranne

comment on 1st blog

comment on 2nd blog

Liyan

comment on 1st blog 

comment on 3rd blog

Tools for cooking....what do we need?

Food technology has changed dramatically since the early days of the Maori, where they had only the essential to work with. Such as the wood, fruit and leaves off the trees, shells from the sea, and stone from the ground "Methods of cookery were severely limited the only containers to hold liquid were Hue (gourds), wooden bowls or vessels made from stone,” (Royal, 2001, p 1). Over the years, the cooking tools have changed and become more efficient, making things much easier.

The tools that assist in cooking such as bowls, measuring cups/spoons, and even mixing spoons have a technological aspect to them. Cooking technology is about the system of interactions that involves the tools and involved specific techniques to be able to complete the objective, (Kaplan, 2009). Honestly thinking about, before doing this reflection I never really thought about spoons and bowls in the technological way. I have now come to realise that as they are a very big part of cooking now a days, and if we did not have these items we would not be able to have the right measurement, it would have to be altered all the time.

Cooking always plays a big part in the day to day learning for the children at the centre. The children are always doing some sort of cooking, whether in the family play area, sand pit, or cooking with real food alongside a teacher. Every day I am amazed to see the big interest that the children’s are showing. I can see that they are developing “connecting links between the early childhood setting and other settings that relate to the child, such as home,” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 56). I feel that by having cooking tools in these areas, it is allowing the children to extend on their imagination. They are able to create, which builds on children’s development such as cognitive and language. I also feel cooking is great way to help develop children’s mathematics, science and literacy skills. The cooking tools support this as the children can count the cups used; the mixing spoon to mix ingredients and the recipe to read the ingredients.

I love the idea of cooking with children, as I can see the children love being so involved with it. I believe it is a great way to build on skills such as turn taking, patience and problem solving, “solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 96). 

I would like to be able to extend on their learning of food technology, by providing the children with other ranges of cooking such as the electronic tools. I wonder what their views would be on how the electronic tools work, what do you think?

Reference

Kaplan, D. (2009). Readings in the philosophy in Technology. Retrieved on 13 September 2011 from http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=NYKFv-m7Be8C&pg=PA115&dq=technology+spoons&hl=en&ei=_mNwTradBormiALbxdyPBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=technology%20spoons&f=false

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.

Royal, C. (2001).  Kinaki NZ: Wild herbs. Retrieved on 13^th September 2011. From http://www.maorifood.com/traditional.htm

Images retrieved from google images.

Glue, sellotape, scissors galore………glue gun more!!

Technology is everywhere. “Technology is everything we use around us,” (Fleer & Jane, 2011, p 2). When I think of technology I think of things that are digital, but I have now come to realise that technology comes in many different forms, forms such as glue, sellotape and scissors. Every morning there are experiences on the tables set up where children are able to use glue, sellotape and scissors. There is always a group of children being involved using the scissors to cut and sellotape and glue to stick things onto other materials, learning about “which joining technology to use in the college,” (Smorti, 1999, p 6).  I feel that by providing these every day they are able to experience and experiment with creating something different. Just by providing the essential things and then changing other items daily their imagination changes completely.

I decided to set out the hot glue gun as we don’t have that out on a day to day basis, straight away there was a group that was interested. I could see that all the children wanted to use the glue gun at once, so we sat down and had a discussion on how to use the glue gun properly, and away they went. Sitting with them, I was able to let the children know if they wanted any assistance I was there to help. “Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products,” (Smorti, 1999, p 5), I feel that this experience meets this statement as it is providing the children with another sort of technological creativity.

I believe that this experience allows the children to learn from each other, once one child has mastered the use of the glue gun, they are able to pass on those skills to another child through scaffolding, where children are able to move from one point to another and then able to do it by themselves (MacNaughton & Williams, 2008).  This in turn builds on their social interaction, problem solving and concept development (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, Farmer, 2008).

Through this reflection I have come to realise that children should have every opportunity to work with all sorts of technological items, why should only certain things be out at all times? I feel by allowing access to all items, it will be a great way to expand on the children’s creativity which builds on their confidence, “solving practical problems contributes to self-confidence,” (Ministry of Education). It allows them to choose their own materials and ideas and explore them confidently to see where it will take them.

References

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

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest,

               N.S.W: Pearson Australia

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory  and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.

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

Images retrieved from google images.

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.