neelamaayush: 2013

Thursday, 4 April 2013

FINAL REFLECTION

Blogging was a totally new experience for me. When we were informed that we were going to create, I was really freaking out. When it comes to technology, I find it very difficult to embrace it at once. It takes a lot of time and encouragement for me to get my hands on on any new technology such as computers, Ipads and sophisticated mobile phones. I found blogs really interesting as it allowed the users to share information and reflect. Blogs engage people in knowledge sharing and reflection and they often attract a large readership (Hong, 2008).Instead of just providing information, blogs allow readers and users to respond, create and to connect.Creating a blog gave me a sense of ownership and I am really proud of this achievement.As a powerful tool that enhances communication, foster critical thinking and encourages collaborative learning, blogs have great potential in education (Hong, 2008).
The critical reflections and comments were really beneficial to me as it provided me with an insight to the various digital and non-digital technologies that were present within our wider world. Touching on the use of technology, many of my peers commented on the benefits of it. I would have really liked it if they were a bit more critical about the use of technology especially with children. The feedback from my peers enabled me to uncover the obstacles and discover how I need to change my beliefs in order to implement transformative teaching strategies. It created an awareness about how much I knew about technology and how confident was I in order to use technology as part of my teaching and learning experiences."Critical reflection fosters the most effective teacher interaction in professional setting by encouraging teachers to take a stand through questioning and challenging others' underlying assumptions" (Carr & Kemmis, 1983, p. 78).Having others critique my work and beliefs enabled me to grow in my capacity to self-critique and self-reflect. Because I am not very confident in using technology myself, the feedback form my peers have enabled me to absorb these new knowledge and information in my initial stage of learning to teach and bring this learned knowledge back to my classroom to provide the best for my children.
In today's world , children have been introduced to a wide range of technology ranging from computers, laptops to Ipads. While the use of technology in education provides for positive outcomes for children,research also indicates that technology needs to be developmentally appropriate for children,include tools to help teachers implement the technology successfully and be integrated into the classroom and curriculum in appropriate ways (McMannis & Gunnewig, 2012).When teachers support children and technological content is integrated with the curriculum, technology experiences are associated with better language and literacy outcomes, better socially competency, communication outcomes, better hand-eye coordination, greater peer collaboration and overall becoming confident users of technology.

There is growing recognition of the importance of incorporating
technology in meaningful and authentic ways into the curriculum
and day-to-day practices, and of the teacher’s crucial role in the full development and use of technology in the early childhood classroom (McMannis & Gunnewig, 2012).Providing children with digital and non-digital technological experiences enable children to develop an understanding of technology as a discipline and of how it differs from other disciplines. They learn to critique the impact of technology on societies and the environment and to explore how developments and outcomes are valued by different peoples in different times (Ministry of Education, 2007).
Educational technology is important for supporting early learners’ positive development. When integrated appropriately into the curriculum, technological experiences can strengthen the potential of technology to facilitate meaningful learning for young children.

REFERENCES
1. Carr, W., & Kemmis, S. (1983). Becoming critical: Knowing through action research. Geelong, Australia: Deakin University Press.
2. Hong, W.(2008). Exploring educational use of blogs in U.S. education. US-China Education Review, 5(10), 34-38.
3. McMannis, L. D. & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology with young learners. Young Children, 2(3), 14-24.
4. Ministry of Education. (2007). New Zealand curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

HYPERLINKS

Monday, 1 April 2013

WEAVING-Is it a technology?

In this technological world, when we mention the word "technology", the first things that come to our minds are computers, Ipads, mobile phones, laptops, cameras and other digital gadgets that make our work easier and help children learn. However, there are many other things apart from these electronic gadgets that facilitate children aimed at meetings learning and enable them to learn some very important skills such as turn taking, cooperation, working alongside others, be creative and use their imagination. "Technology is a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments" (Smorti, 1999, p. 5).

One such example of a non-digital technology is weaving. Weaving is a spiritual skill that is given a lot of importance in many cultures. In the Maori culture, weaving is more than a product of manual skills. From the simple rourou food basket to the prestigious kahu kiwi, weaving is endowed with the very essence of the spiritual values of Maori people (Patterson, 1992). The ancient Polynesian belief is that the artist is the vehicle through whom the gods create (Patterson, 1992). Weaving is sacred and interrelated with the concepts of mauri, mana and tapu (Patterson, 1992).
During the cultural week celebrations at our centre, we invited parents to share their cultural secrets with the children. One parent in particular brought some flax and other leaves. When asked, she said she was going to show and teach the children some basic skills in weaving. She declared that she was concerned that the skill of weaving was slowly dying out and the early childhood setting was a great platform to revive this amazing skill. She sat down with the leaves. Soon a group of children joined in. The parent patiently demonstrated the steps in making a flower using the flax leaves. She also showed children how to use the palm leaves and make a simple mat. Soon the place was bustling with a lot of excited children ready to create something unique. They chose the leaves that they wanted to use and became involved in their new experience. According to Ministry of Education (1996, p. 68), when children "experience an environment where they are affirmed as individuals, they develop a perception of themselves as capable of acquiring new interests and abilities".
I observed a lot of interaction happening between children. They were busy conversing to each other about their creations. Also many of them talked about some form of woven materials that they had at home. Their conversation with each other and guidance that they provided to each other implied that children were grasping the skill of problem solving. My conversation and praises provided children with some form of encouragement for them to complete as well as enjoy the task. This showed that through "dialogues with children, adults play a formative role in the development of children's self-conceptions, sensitivity to others, social skills, cognition and capacity to use language to gain control over thought and behaviour" (Berk, 2001, p. 74).

The process of weaving was something that many children may not have seen at all yet it is very important skill that many cultures would like to inculcate in the younger generations. It was important to provide a weaving experience to children to help them discover that weaving is a creative process of making something beautiful with your own hands. Children developed the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them (Ministry of Education, 1996).
As the children began the simplified weaving process with leaves, they found out that weaving takes practice and skill. The process of choosing the leaves, placing the leaves over and under and keeping to the design to make a beautiful flower or mat, was a challenging process. Each child spent their time exploring the weaving process and went about completing the task in their own way. It clearly shows that they were playing with properties of materials and technology use in the creative and expressive arts (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Some children preferred to cut smaller pieces or leaves while others preferred to use longer pieces. No matter how the children went about making their mats and flowers, they all were able to find ways to help each other solve their problems and come out victorious in their endeavors. Weaving, therefore has taught children the skill of problem solving and how to successfully work with and alongside others.
While using the scissors and weaving the leaves, children have developed some great skills such hand-eye coordination, development of finger muscles and fine motor skills. As children express and interpret ideas within creative, aesthetic and technological frameworks, their confidence in taking risks is increased (Ministry of Education, 2007). Weaving is a form of creative arts where students learn to work both independently and collaboratively to construct meanings, produce work and value and respond to others' contributions.
Therefore, in my view weaving is a form of technology as it helps children to problem solve and engage in unexpected outcomes and to explore multiple solutions through the use of their imagination.

The following video clip shows the determination, creative and imagination of a spider who weaves his own web. This can be related to the determination and problem solving skills that children needed to have in order to engage in the weaving experience. Click to view the video.

Spider weaving his web

REFERENCES
1. Berk, L. (2001). Development through the lifespan (3^rded.). Boston, Ma: Allyn and Bacon and Pearson Education.
2. Images: Retrieved on 30/03/13 from www.googleimage.com

3. Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
4. Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
5. Patterson, J. (1992). Exploring Maori values. Palmerston North, New Zealand: The Dunmore Press Limited
6. Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Friday, 29 March 2013

LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF A CAMERA

Cameras are an amazing gadget. It not only lets you to click photographs but capture those memorable moments that will be cherished for the rest of your life. Those moments may not come back but pictures help you to re-live those moments as many times as you want.
Cameras at my centre clinks to staff as it is part of our uniform. Recently some children have started showing interest in the cameras as well. They like to click pictures and then look at them. One child (R) in particular is mad about cameras and loves to walk around clicking pictures. She then with the help of the staff, looks back at those pictures and talks about them. Today as R came in the morning with her dad, she came to me and asked for the camera.

She took the camera from me and took it to her dad. She with the help of her dad, switched on the camera and started looking through the pictures. There was a lot of excitement as the two went about looking through the pictures. I realized that ICT can help develop children's dispositions to learn by increasing self-esteem and confidence or by supporting independence and persistence in the face of initial difficulties (Harthley, 2009). Cameras, I realized, had more potential than only taking photographs. It has potential for promoting pleasure in learning by enhancing engagement, motivation and the desire to learn. Digital cameras infact has the potential to extend the possibilities for children's learning. Seeing R's dad helping her to use the digital camera shows that many parents see their children on the verge of technological revolution and they are convinced of the importance of technological skills that their children need to have. Parents do not want their children to miss out in future, either at home or at work by failing to become confident users of technologies while they are young (Bolstad, 2004).

The world is becoming more and more wired every day and that children who do not have superior technological skills will be at a disadvantage as they grow up.
The thoughtful and meaningful use of ICT in early childhood education services can support children to "grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make valued contribution to society" (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88). This was very much evident in R's use of the camera. She was exploring and enhancing her knowledge of technology. She was also very confident in using the camera and show pictures to her dad. She was engaged with the camera for a very long time. This incident was an eye-opener for me because at her age I would not even dream of touching a camera leave alone using it. According to Ellis, Railsback and Scoter (2001), unlike some adults, children are unafraid of technology but are confident to try out new activities and because they find the work so interesting, most children have longer attention span when using any form of technology.
Like it or not, these playful technological experiences will have significant implications on children's future. Therefore, it is the role of early childhood teachers to to look at the children's experiences through a "technology lens". This will no only foster technology education in children but also make them confident users of technology.

"An understanding of material properties, uses and development is important to understanding how and why the products work the way they do" (Ministry of Education, 2007, para. 7). For children to get a better understanding of how things work, teachers should not only provide physical guidance but also plan a child's return to the activity and to continue monitoring their interactions (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008). When children's experiences are documented and revisited, they will be able to recognize their own competence and the way it has developed overtime. And what better way is than through the use of a camera.
The following video clip shows us how the camera is utilized to revisit children's learning experiences. Please click on the following link to view the video.
Exploring the world through the eyes of a camera

The use of technology will continue to grow over the years. As early childhood teachers, we have the opportunity to harness these new technology tools to make a real difference for our young children, parents and families in our care if we work together to overcome the barriers and share our best practices with one another (Donohue, 2003). I am really excited about the possibilities and can not wait to see what new technology tools and toys will become available and the creative ways we can use them in our early childhood programs!!!!!
The following video describes views of people who think why we should use digital camera in education.
Why do we need to use digital camera in education?

REFERENCES
1. Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S., Farmer, S., & Death, E. (2008).Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4th ed.). Melbourne:Thomson.
2. Bolstad, R. (2004). The role and potential of ICT in early childhood education: A review of New Zealand and international literature. Retrieved from, http://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/publications/role-andpotential-ict-earlychildhood-education-review-newzealand-and-intern.
3. Donohue, C. (2003). Technology in early childhood education: An exchange trend report. Child Care Information Exchange, pp. 17-20.
4. Ellis, D., Railsback, J. & Scoter, J. V. (2001). Technology in early childhood education: Finding the balance. Portland: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
5. Hatherly, A. (2009). ICT and the greatest technology: A teacher mind. Retrieved from, http://earlyyearsliteracymath.wikispaces.com/file/view/ICT+and+the+greatest_technology+a+teacher+mind+Ann+H.pdf
6. Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
7. Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Monday, 18 March 2013

COMPUTERS- Objects of amazement

The staff in the toddlers' room were informed that they will receive a computer for children's development and learning in ICT. We were really excited about it and shared this information with the children at group time. I did not expect much reaction from the children as I believed they were "too small" to understand or know about computers. My mouth was left open to see the amount of excitement among this children. It was like I was among a group of alien children. For me, this was a culture shock as I had never seen a computer let alone hear about it until I was in college. Even then I was frightened to use it without the expert's guidance. Here at this moment, I realized that the world has headed towards a technological age and for this children they are exposed to computers from an early age.

As soon as the computer arrived, children were seen swarming around it like busy bees. There was a lot of talking and interactions among the children. I let one of the children sit on the chair and showed them how to go about using the computer. I even showed them how to type letters. Soon they were seen taking turns at using the computer. Some older children were even seen helping the younger ones to get started. The concept of "ako" was clearly being demonstrated here.

When children were using the computer, a lot of talking could be heard. Children who in normal circumstances would be seen quiet, were seen talking in their own "languages". A variety of languages could be heard as well. This was a wow factor for me because children were engaging in high levels of spoken communication and co-operation. Fischer and Gillespie (2003), found that children develop co-operation and communication skills since they have to share one work area. To add onto this, Lee and O'Rourke (2006), noted that children's oral language is enhanced through the collaborative tasks they engage in when using the computer.

Another wow factor for me was to see that children with some degree of behavioral problems were actually abiding to the rules of social interactions. One of the children would never share or play with other children. But the existence of the computer has actually enabled the child to get a grip on such components as turn-taking, patience and sharing. He would be seen as waiting patiently for his turn to use the computer. Children were also seen playing at the computer with children whom they would not be seen playing if they were in an outdoor environment. The computer, here has clearly demonstrated that when technology is used appropriately, it can promote social interactions and develop social competence in young children.

In the past, I would have questioned if computers were developmentally appropriate for children of this age. But now such questions have no merit when I see children at this very young age showing comfort and confidence in using the computer. They can turn it on and enjoy "their time" at the computer. These were the proud moments for children when they were able to confidently type using the keyboard or the cursor. Besides enhancing their mobility and sense of control, computers can help improve self-esteem (Chen & Chang, 2006). This was a learning opportunity for me as I realized that the use of computers in early childhood settings has become an integral part of the curriculum. As a field we have the opportunity to harness this technological tool to make real difference for the young children, parents and families in our care if we work together and share our best practices with one another.

Since we are preparing children for jobs that do not exist at present, it is vital for us to provide a variety of technological resources in our centres. We need to make sure that children have experience and hands-on learning that will make them confident users of computers throughout their lives. According to Ministry of Education (2007), technology in early childhood education is about providing products, systems or environment for children to learn and develop in a creative way and use skills that enhances their practical problem solving abilities.

To see a video on the benefits of using a computer, click on the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3SAea2-_WA

REFERENCES
Chen, J. Q., & Chang, C. (2006). Using computer in early childhood classrooms: Teachers' attitudes, skills and practices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 4, 169-188.

Fischer, M. A., & Gillespie, C. W. (2003). One headstart classroom experience. Boston, MA: Pearson Education Incorporation.

Lee, L., & O'Rourke, M. (2006). Information and communication technologies: Transforming views of illiteracies in early childhood settings. Early Years, 26 (1), 49-62.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.