Final Reflection

Using technology in early childhood education is not a new concept. “It can be traced back to when early cultures used complex systems of symbols and signs to record and transmit information” (Roblyer, Edwards & Haviluk, 1997). I think a technology can be any form s of tools, processes or materials we use to perform tasks more efficiently and meet our human needs. In the context of formal schooling, some of the best-known examples of technology used in teaching and learning are blackboard and chalk, pens, paper and textbooks. We would be familiar with other forms of technology used widely in schools, including digital video player, recorders, computers etc. “”Effective teaching is about choosing the best combination of these technological tools to enhance learning (Krause, Bochner, Duchesne & McMaugh, 2010).

 

Before I started this assignment, in my interpretation, technology is only about digital such as camera, computer, phone etc. I was confused when I was told that I have to write at least non-technology reflection as I didn’t have any idea of non-digital technology.  After read all the readings about Digital technology and Non-Digital Technology, I have gained a personal understanding of it. I think the N-DT doesn’t have to be an electronic product such as computer, camera etc. It can be a strategy, solution or idea which makes our life more convenient and simple. “Technology is about helping people and solving problems” (Smorti, 1999).

 

As Children are naturally drawn towards computers for their entertainment and development. I believe that digital and non-digital methods should be combined in education ideally. Both methods have pros and cons and I think a competent teacher can use the advantages and avoid the drawbacks. We cannot abandon the technical progress and all the facilities provided by it. But it does not mean we should disclaim old proved techniques in education.

 

From reading all the comments on my group members. I came to conclude:

For my first reflection, I talked about the ipad and iphone using in my centre. As my centre is private owned elite kindergarten, it was very challenging when I work in extreme social classes. Catherine asked me how that makes me feel. I would say, it really a big pressure for me to be honest, I have to be very carefully all the time. However,  I like the way my centre encourages children to expose to digital technologies as it really benefits children.

For my second reflection, I talked about the library and barcode.  I have a lot of good feedback from group members. I think it is because “the library” and “the barcode” are not available for every centre, so it looked quite new for us.  I chose this topic as believe it is good opportunity for children to operate simple basic computer skills, to learn how the barcode works etc.

 

For my last reflection, I talked about non-digital technology which is movement. I think it’s because I found it quite tricky in the beginning, so while I was writing it up, I didn’t explain it very well. I had a few disagreements from my group members. Their concerns were how I link movement to technology. And my example was not strong enough in this reflection.

 

I agree with what my peers had commented on my blog. To be honest, in the beginning, I was quite nervous to read the comments, because I was worrying about those comments were too ‘critical’. Actually, now I could see that my friends they read my reflections very carefully and their suggestions were really pertinent.  

 

 

Reference

Krause, K. L., Bochner, S., Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2010). Social, emotional and moral development. Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (3^rd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning.

 

Roblyer. M. D. Edwards, J.  & Havriluk, M. A (1997). Intergrating Educational technology into teaching. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 

 

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.

 

 

Referenc List

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

 

Isenberg, J., & Jalongo, M. (2009). Creative thinking and arts based learning: Preschool through fourth grade (5^th ed.). Columbus Ohio, United States of America: Pearson

 

Krause, K. L., Bochner, S., Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2010). Social, emotional and moral development. Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (3^rd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning.

 

McLellan, HG. (Ed.) (1996). Situated learning perspectives. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

 

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

 

Rothstein, E. (1997). Gate’s largesse stirs a discomfiting questions: Is there indeed a computer literacy? The New York Times, 7 July.

 

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

Susan, Y. (2003). Music with the under-fours: Expanding ideas of musicality. London: Paul Chapman.

Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children, 58(1), 1-9.

 

Going to the course…..

I decided to write about the Non-digital technology in my last reflection as when I first time touched this paper， I was a little bit confused about what is it  actually a Non-digital technology of? After read all the readings about Digital technology and Non-Digital Technology, I have gained a personal understanding of it. I think the N-DT doesn’t have to be an electronic product such as computer, camera etc. It can be a strategy, solution or idea which makes our life more convenient and simple. “Technology is about helping people and solving problems” (Smorti, 1999).

 http://comps.canstockphoto.com/can-stock-photo_csp7657606.jpg

In our centre, we take children to the course in every afternoon. At the course, teacher would set up some sport activities which benefit children’s physical development. The sport equipments teacher may use for these activities include ball, hula hoop, sandbag, flying discs and ropes etc.

 

I believe that the movement is kind of Non-Digital Technology and it benefits children. Children would learn how to protect themselves from a cramp before the activity start. It is to do a warm up exercise. During the activity, children would learn the body balancing skills, problem solving skills etc. For example, if a ball was stuck somewhere, children would learn what the best solution to get the ball out is. After the activity, children have to help the teacher to put all the equipment back to the storage in a certain order. For example, big and flat equipments go to the bottom; ropes need to be hanged up on the hook; all the balls go to the big box etc.

 

 

“The children found that a light person could balance a heavy person, if the heavier person sat nearer the pivot (in this case the tyre the plank was balanced on). They also discovered that by shifting the pivot (tyre) along the plank, it took less effort to raise the load (the lighter child had to sit on the longer section of the plank)” – (Smorti, 1999).

 

 

I haven’t seen any disadvantages of using this technology; maybe the only risky thing for children is children may get minor injuries from these activities, such as falling down.  However, risk-taking plays an important role in children life and children sometimes are encouraged to take some risks. This is supported by Te Whāriki strand 1, Goal 3: “Children develop confidence that they can participate and take risks without fear of harm” (Ministry of Education, 1996).

 

 

 

Reference

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Hyperlinks

Ash

http://ash-khan44.blogspot.com/2012/08/laptops.html?showComment=1346471382665#c4256068012033407607

 

http://ash-khan44.blogspot.com/2012/08/blog-post.html?showComment=1345978488983#c804278279682764658

 

 

Catherine  

http://macdonald-catherine.blogspot.com/2012/08/fostering-use-oftechnology-in-my-center.html?showComment=1345973867237#c5634534620162152470

 

http://macdonald-catherine.blogspot.com/2012/08/photo-of-old-that-i-have-mentioned-in.html?showComment=1346473046047#c8761316590575095922

 

 

Jasmeet

http://jasmeetgrewal.blogspot.com/2012/08/ipad-cellphones-technologyis-vital-tool_1460.html?showComment=1345894358116#c5764585566117532293

 

http://jasmeetgrewal.blogspot.com/2012/08/ipad-cellphones-technologyis-vital-tool_1460.html?showComment=1345894358116#c5764585566117532293

 

Linda

http://lindazha.blogspot.com/2012/08/play-dough.html?showComment=1346481992164#c5260945958381584397

 

http://lindazha.blogspot.com/2012/08/dancing-with-music.html?showComment=1346480205208#c4486954883759083865

 

http://lindazha.blogspot.com/2012/08/paper-cutting.html?showComment=1345892778275#c3613877427341105171

 

Rachel

http://rachelsun-in-nz.blogspot.com/2012/08/hebi-ring_25.html?showComment=1346477688824#c7922580858238680184

 

http://rachelsun-in-nz.blogspot.com/2012/08/eftpos.html?showComment=1346476525468#c5796001202824791805

 

http://rachelsun-in-nz.blogspot.com/2012/08/cherrybytes.html?showComment=1345982501531#c2290586517424620546

Technologies in the library: Computers & barcode scanners

Technology- “Children gain experience in using communication technologies such as crayons, paintbrushes, pencils, calculators, books and computers” (Ministry of Education, 1996)

 http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFefQOzHEG2nha0DfXsCcYtV0YsgBjW5QTFfK0zLUnFeWj7XJ-OA&t=1

In my centre we have our own library which available for all the children and staffs. We take our pre-school aged children to the library on every Wednesday. Children are able to access the computers or borrow books on their own. The technologies happening here are children using computers and scanning barcodes (under librarian’s guidance) when borrow books.  The computer monitors are using L.E.D technology for protecting children’s eyesight； the keyboard is designed much more bigger and colorful than normal computers, it is in order to make children recognize easily and have more patience to offer; the barcode scanner tables are at children’s level to make sure they can reach it and scan it when they borrow or return books.

 

At the computer children can approach learning from a variety of perspectives and follow various path to a goal (Smorti, 1999). Such as mathematic, learning colors, drawing and music etc. Children are also able to develop basic computer skills, such as knowing how to switch on a computer, and how to use a mouse and a keyboard, as well as knowing how to use computer applications and touch-type smoothly (Rothstein, 1997).

At the barcode table, children gain an understanding of how a barcode scanner works and what is the use of barcode. Children told me that once you scan the barcode at the back of a book, the librarian would know all the information about the book, and the computer recorded everything.

 http://www.playerzblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/free-online-preschool-games.jpg

I believe as educators we play an essential role when digital technologies are used with young children. We should provide some technological activities which can extend children’s learning, develop their social skills and problem solving skills. I think the computer and barcode scanner are two good strategies for teachers to use with children as these two items have connection. It is also a kind of ‘transmission’ process. Children understand that once they scan the barcode, the data will be transmitted into computer.

One disadvantage of using these technologies in my centre is that children cannot access to them whenever they want. Because children cannot go to the library by themselves as it is quite far from kindy for them. On every Wednesday, teachers would lead them to the library and all the children must go.

 

 

 

Reference

 

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

 

Rothstein, E. (1997). Gate’s largesse stirs a discomfiting questions: Is there indeed a computer literacy? The New York Times, 7 July.

 

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Iphone & Ipad

I first owned a mobile phone when I was 12 years old, I first owned an MP3 player when I was 14 years old and I finally bought myself a Samsung Galaxy 2 two months ago. School children and young adults of the 21st century belong to a generation known as ‘digital natives’ or the ‘net generation’. We are the first generation to have grown up with the broader set of digital technologies.

 

 http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/child-with-ipad-ogrady.jpg

Unfortunately, compared with the children in my home centre I realised that I am not the ‘trendiest’ one. My home centre is a private-owned elite kindergarten, so all the children are coming from what we say ‘rich’ family. All the teachers except student teachers have their own Ipad as teaching tools. Every afternoon we have one by one study time. Teachers would call out one child’s name and he or she must be sitting with the teacher. The teachers would set up some tasks in Ipad and children need to complete them by using Ipad.

 

My centre also allows children to bring their own Iphone or Ipad from home, so children are able to share their ‘News’ at mat time if by any chance their news is from internet or a clip, video etc. “Concept of e-learning and ICT have become integrated in most educational planning strategies in New Zealand, and also at the national level in each country” (Krause, Bochner, Duchesne & McMaugh, 2010).

 

 

I personally believe this is a good way of using technology even it looked a bit extravagant for children. It motivates children, develops their interest, expands children’s options for learning, and poses problems that engage children’s interest, provides complex challenges and gives learners opportunities to apply their knowledge. This is linked to “Children gain experience in solving problems together and develops their understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of education, 1996). However, learning in classroom today still remains a combination of traditional book-based learning and teacher-led instruction, alongside ICT-based learning environment.

 

Clip from YouTube: http://youtu.be/pT4EbM7dCMs

 

 

It is clear that wider social and cultural forces are increasing the prominence of ICT in the lives of both children and teachers, and this raises a number of issues for me to consider. 

 

http://www.parentsexpert.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/ipad-kids-300x168.jpg

Child ‘K’ brought her Ipad 3 to kindy to show us some of her photos. After that she came to me and asked: “do you have an Ipad3?” I said: “No, I don’t have one.”  Then K said to me: “how come you don’t have Ipad. Why don’t you ask your mummy to buy you one?”  I was not being jealous, but I can’t afford it now. I think in K’s mind she has got a stereotype that ‘everyone should have an Ipad’ just like her and her peers in kindy. She doesn’t know that only the minority of people have Ipad and the great majority people out there don’t have one. My concern is if K takes the stereotype when she is growing up, her thinking may make poor people down. As an educator, I think we are responsible to let children have a positive understanding or what is a hierarchy and also teach them to treat others with dignity and respect.

My second concern is the healthy issue. If children are glued to these equipments it will affect their physical development and eyesight. So adults should give children some limits for using those high-tech equipments.

 

Overall, I personally would keep encouraging children to use these high-tech equipments as they really benefit people.

 

 

 

Reference:

 

Krause, K. L., Bochner, S., Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2010). Social, emotional and moral development. Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (3^rd ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning.

Ministry of Education.(1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

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