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.