hyperlinks

For Robyns links sorry for the delay

http://robbiekihi.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/video-player.html?showComment=1367912118274#c6053614453089259710

http://robbiekihi.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/cash-register.html?showComment=1367912499140#c6139865205986045312

http://robbiekihi.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/clocks.html?showComment=1367913169203#c143567210039543462

final blog

Through this class I have learnt a lot about technology especially about non-digital technology and what it includes. I have grown up in a world where digital technology is all around us my family has usually always had the latest items of technology through the years. I always thought I had quite a bit of knowledge on digital technology well this was until I started working in a daycare. I have been surprised with what knowledge the children have on the technology around them, what surprises me the most is they don’t have to be shown how to use this technology for example an ipad they figure out how to work it and sometimes know more than me.

I really enjoyed reading the feedback about the three blogs that I posted in relation to the camera I am planning on documenting the learning that has taken place and put these photos on their portfolios and also carry on this learning expierence further to develop the children’s camera skills. I would also like to go into the community with the children and take photos possibly of the diggers around the centre as this is an ongoing interest with the children and a way that I can link it together. Greenfield, (2011) said that being out side should encompass a sense of freedom (.p.6) I also really liked the idea about letting the children go free with the camera and exploring for themselves I am not too sure if I would be able to do this as we only have two cameras and might not be able to replace one if it was broken but with teacher supervision it should be ok to do.

With the keyboard I would love to extend the activity through having the children play with a keyboard that is connected to an actual computer but this is not available in the centre. To further this I could do a drawing activity with the children writing their names or I could possibly even bring my own personal laptop into the centre so that the children are able to see the letters on the screen when they press the buttons. Encouraging boys and girls to use these skills as they engage in co-operative learning tasks can help to support their success in these tasks and help to build positive sense of community for children within the group (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009)

With the digger this is mostly popular among the three and four year old boys   but I have also seen the smaller boys on it. I have not yet seen any girls have a go on the digger but from what I have observed they are more than happy to help dig around and interact with the boys that are playing on the digger They are encouraged to learn with and along side others (Ministry of Education, 1996)

. What I would like to do to carry on this interest of diggers with the children as I said before to link with the cameras is to take the children on a excursion walk to see what construction is going on around the centre and we can take photos of the changes that have been made. Other ways that I could encourage and enhance the problem- solving skills within my centre is through putting out resources that will be new and different to the children, I would not explain how the items that I set out are meant to work/ be put together and stand back and observe the children would work with this. They will learn knowledge of trying things out, explorations, and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning (Ministry of Education, 1996)

Having nearly completed this assignment, I am more aware of the technology around me both digital and non-digital how it affects our everyday lives. I have learnt to embrace that and even if I do not understand the new technology that is being brought out and how it works. The children that I am working with will know this technology and I need to embrace this and move forward with them.

Reference list

Hamer, J., & Adams, P. (2003). The New Zealand early childhood literacy handbook. New Zealand: Dunmore

Greenfield, C. (2011). Outside is where we need to be: A guide to providing optimal outdoor environments in early childhood settings (2^nd ed). Manukau, New Zealand: Manukau Institute of Technology.

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices for theory and practice (3^rd ed.). New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Education Australia.

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

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

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early education, 58 (1), 1-

9

Comment hyperlink

My comments for Emily

1) http://emilyswordsonict.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/keyboards.html#comment-form

2) http://emilyswordsonict.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/skateboards.html

3 ) http://emilyswordsonict.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/the-microwave.html

My comments for Kirstie

1) http://kirtymarie.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/digital-camera.html

2) http://kirtymarie.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/stereo.html#comment-form

3) http://kirtymarie.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/balance-bike.html#comment-form

My comments for Marisa

1) http://marisagraham2.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/making-smoothies.html

2) http://marisagraham2.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/carpentry-today-i-noticed-m-busy-at.html#comment-form

3) http://marisagraham2.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/computers-we-have-two-computers-in-our.html#comment-form

Camera

I was using the camera to take photos of the classroom and the outside environment and I noticed that a small group of children were looking at me taking the photos, soon P came up to me and asked “ can I use the camera” then Z asked the same question.  I decided that I could make this a learning experience for the children, even though I might not have all the answers for the children that the may have I could still enjoy working with the children with this piece of technology(Smorti, 1999). I explained to them that they could each take turns with the camera and go around the classroom taking pictures of their favorite things to do at daycare. Through this activity the children are going to gain a better understanding of how this piece of technology work and gain new knowledge and skills (Ministry of Education, 2007).

First P had the camera, she went over to the art area and said,  “I am taking photos of the art corner because I love painting”. I watched how she zoomed in and out to make sure that she had exactly what she wanted in the fame and to make sure that it was in focus I thought to myself this is not the first time she has operated a camera, I thought she was very advanced for her age. When P had finished taking pictures she handed the camera to F and I noticed that this child was not as confident as the last child with operating the camera. This child was unsure on how to hold the camera and how to take photos. He struggled to take the photos in focus and asked for assistance from the other children. He soon took a photo of the puzzles and said this was because he liked solving puzzles and that there are lots of puzzles to choose from. Lastly Z had a turn with the camera he was more confident than the last child but I could see that there was still some learning to be done. He went onto the deck and took a photo of the family corner and dress up area in the background, he said he took this photo because he loved to dress up and play in the family corner house.

After taking time to think about this experience I have realised that even though these children do know the basics about the camera because this is a common piece of technology, there is still more learning to be done. I think the children had learned a lot from this expierence realizing that technology can be used in different places and settings( Ministry of Education, 1996). I would like to do another experience similar to this that will further their skills with the camera. I also think this because a digital camera is different to a camera that you have on an Iphone or an Ipad which the children are very familiar with because these seem to be a more common item in the house these days with the children in my centre.

Reference list

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

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

smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early education, 58 (1), 1-9.

Computer Keyboard

Recently we received an old computer keyboard at the centre for the children to use, this was not plugged into anything at was just the keyboard with the cord cut off.  Technology is about helping people solve problems (Smorti, 1999) and although this is not plugged in as I said before it is still enabling the children to explore this technology. Because this was something new it was popular among the children when used in the family corner that we have set up outside on the deck. One thing that I did notice is that no child asked me what this was, they all seemed familiar with this piece of technology and I believe this could be because they see the keyboard in the office at preschool or most of the children are familiar with computers and use one at home.  We do not currently have any computers for the children set up in the classroom but obviously they are familiar with this piece of technology through play at other places.

I spent some time in the afternoon over a couple of days observing the children near the family corner area while they were playing with the keyboards.  While I was there  the overall game that I saw was  that the children would sit on the chair and take turns at typing as if they are at work or in an office.  The child with the keyboard had a friend that seemed to be some sort of assistant and the other children would cook the food and bring it to the workers. the scenarios varied slightly but the main idea stayed the same. Through this activity I could see that the children were participating effectively with each other and this is helping them to understand the world around them( Ministry of Education, 1996). As I said earlier the children were very familiar with the keyboard and how to operate it.  This can also help them prepare and develop skills for later in life as they are role playing scenarios that they may have seen before from their parents or even on TV. Through this it will help the children to participate in society and will help them be able to get technology related careers( Ministry of Education, 2007).

one other important thing that I also noticed was that the children that took turns at using the keyboard some of these children just pressed random buttons to really taking notice of the letters and numbers.Although some other children actually took the time to look at the different symbols, numbers and letters and were able to recognise letters associated with their own name.  I think that even though this isn’t a working computer keyboard it can  better meet the social, physical and learning needs of young children (Tsantis,, Bewick,  & Thornton, 2003 ) as the children are still learning a great deal from looking at the keyboard and engaging with the other children. Each of the children can also share their own ideas and experiences that they have had with keyboards and computers so they can help teach each other new things.

Reference list

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

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Cirricilum. Wellington, New

Zealand: Learning Media.

smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early education, 58 (1), 1-9.

Tsantis, L., Bewick, C., & Thornton, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computers in the early years. Young Children on the Web, November 2003, 1-9.

The Digger

Since it has been nice weather outside the sand pit is where most of the children have been spending their time.  This is partly because it is sheltered and also because it is close to the hose. One of our newest additions to the sandpit is the digger and this has been especially popular getting all of the attention due to the road works and house construction going on around the centre.

Today I spend some time in the sand pit observing the children and what they were doing.  I noticed that they each took turns on the digger learning from each other the skills that are required to operate it. Through this the children are gaining an understanding of how and why this works (Ministry of Education, 2007)If they were not on the digger the rest of the children would be around helping the digger dig with spades making tunnels for the pipes to fit into so that the water could flow through. I noticed that the children all took turns really well with using the digger which i did not expect i expected to have fights over it. I think this is because they were all so engaged in working together so that they could get the hose turned on to see if what they had created was sucessful.

Smorti (1999), said that the definition of technology is “helping people and solving problems” (p.1) This digger is technology because it was built to replicate a real digger and to teach the children that through different movements you can move the digger in different ways. For example if you move one handle it moves up and another handle it moves in and out which can help you scoop, pick up and drop sand to the desired location. This helps with the children’s gross motor skills and hand eye coordination because you need to be able to use both of these to help move the digger. This can be a sensory expierence for the children and it also helps them engage in experimenting (Greenfield, 2011).  When a child has mastered how to use the digger they are able to move at a quick pace and use problem solving and thinking skills about where to dig and put the sand next te whāriki (1996) states that” growing experiences in solving problems together develops children’s understanding of their roles, rights, and responsibilities” (p.96). I think this toy digger is a great piece of technology because it enables the children to copy and put their knowledge into practice using the digger like the real ones that they keep seeing around the centre, which is an ongoing interest. I would really like to observe the children more with using this digger and to see what other skills that they may acquire through this piece of technology. I am looking forward to seing if their interest change with this digger and if it is the same group of children interested in this or it changes.

Reference list

Greenfield, C. (2011). Outside is where we need to be: A guide to providing optimal outdoor environments in early childhood settings (2^nd ed.). Manukau, New Zealand: Manuaku Institute of Tachnology.

Ministry of Education. (207). The New Zealand Cirricilum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

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

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early 

education, 58 (1), 1-9.