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Egg Beater

25/08/12

Every Thursdays we have baking with our four years old as part of their transitioning programme. I thought that it was a good idea to introduce the children to a new technology tool that we are going to use, which is an egg beater. We started by putting all the ingredients that we need on the table, I had eight children who were interested in baking with me today, we started by letting the children have turns put the eggs in the bowl ready to mix. I was holding the egg beater, showing the children  and how to mix the eggs in the bowl. The girls had no problem with using our piece of technology as they are familiar with how their mother’s used it when baked at home. The children each had turns holding the egg beater and mixing the eggs in the bowl, the boys were delighted to experience this new technology in the centre as we usually use the spoon but now we used the egg mixing tool in the kitchen, which is a good opportunity to work with technology in a different curriculum area which is new to some children who usually works with computers. “Students should be encouraged to access relevant knowledge and skills from other learning areas” (Ministry of Education, p. 34). 

As a student educator I believe that it is important to expose children to different kinds of technology in different curriculum areas to extend their learning, this is because we use technology in  various places and settings and it is important for us educators to support children’s learning with technology, this is supported by Te Whāriki that, “Using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognize that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p. 95). Furthermore process cooking is a technological activity when children use thier physical skills to mix, hold bowls and spoons. "For example, process cooking is a technological activity or system, developed, used and adapted by early childhood services to meet children's learning needs" (Smorti, 1999. p. 6).

 After we mixed the eggs we then add together all the ingredients and start mixing it again with our  technology tool,  D a four year old boy can’t wait to have his second turn again says that, “this is cool” and was engaging with us for an amount of time working with the egg beater.  M also a four year old girl says, “I love helping my mum when she’s baking, this is my favourite job and this is how I do it with my mum” she then puts the bowl sideways and starts mixing. "Children use thier knowledge about processes and problem solving (technology), science, reading, mathematics. They use: physical skills (eg holding bowls and spoons, mixing), social and emotional skills, and language" (Smorti, 1999. p. 6). I then explained to the children the reason why we used the egg beater is because it helps us mix our eggs and cake fast also it is easy to use which is why technology is vital to us. “The simplest definition of ‘technology’ I found was that – ‘technology is about helping people and solving problems’. Each of the above items are thus associated with technology” (Smorti, 1999. p. 1).

With the egg mixer children were able to work collaborative with their peers, develops verbal communication, sharing and developing social skills such as turn taking. Children also develop awareness about different technologies and their use, and why they are important. Most of all children had fun using the egg beater, and I believe that’s the important part about learning is having fun; furthermore some children didn’t have the opportunity to work with egg beaters before and I believe that it was important to introduce technology in an early age so that children can be confidence to use them as they grow up or transit to Primary School. This is align with Te Whāriki as cited in Smorti that, “ Te Whaariki states that in order to participate in this world, our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” (Smorti, 1999. p. 1).  I believe that exposing children to different technologies helps them become aware of technology, more confidence to use technology and communicate collaborative with peers and adults.  

Reference List

http://www.fotosearch.com/CSP386/k3867692/

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, 19, 5-10.

 

Digital Camera

Our centre was given a digital camera from our retired manager as a gift, and I thought this is a good time for me to introduce this ICT to a group of four years old who were showing their excitement about how the camera works, as we have lots of new children who are new with technology. I showed them different buttons on the camera and how they works, besides letting them hold and took photos of their activities. Some of the children speak about how our camera is similar to their mum’s camera at home, “My mum’s got same camera as this one but her one is pink”, it was good to see how children relate this to people, places and things that they see at home and the centre; this is supported by Te Whāriki that, “The curriculum is provided by the people, places, and things in the child’s environment: the adults, the other children, the physical environment, and the resources” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p. 11). This means that children were making opinion of this small technology, which is familiar to most of them.

The children had turns holding the camera and they show interest and curious about how different they see themselves in the lenses of the camera, which is why I believe it is important for educators to teach children about technology as we now live in a technological world. This is align with Smorti, (1999) saying that, “There is an increasing awareness of the technological world that we live in: a world that people have created and changed through technology” (Smorti, 1999. p. 1). We also showed and talk with children during mat time about the importance of this instrument and how it works to help them see the world around them differently.

Furthermore I showed the kids how to connect our camera to the computer so we can print the photos that they took, it was amazing how they choose the photos by themselves, and they were happy with their achievements, that J said, “I want to put my photo in my portfolios for my mum and dad to see”. They children were happy with the outcomes of what they did, and were happy to take more photos of interesting activities and events happening in the centre. Our country is a part of a world uprising in technology, freedom, communication and changes; and I believe that we need to introduce children to the world of technology so that they can be confidence to continue and acquire new skills by using technology. This is supported by Te Whāriki that, “To cope with such changes, children need both the confidence to develop their own perspectives and the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills. The curriculum provides an educational foundation that supports the full range of skills that children will need as life-long learners” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p. 18).

Technology has changed over the years, and it seems to improved  over the past years. Before we use to have  large size cameras but now cameras are getting smaller and smaller, example, M says that, “We use to have a big camera at home but now dad and my mum have a smaller one just like our new camera”, children in our centre develop their skill to reflect technologically about the similarity of technology they used at home and the centre, which shows how they are connecting back to their families, people, places and things. As an educator I supported the use of ICT in our centre as it gives children the opportunity of leading their own learning and gives them another way of viewing their environment. I believe that by providing opportunities like this in the centre, will encourages children to be more aware of different technological tools that we now used to improve the way we live, as MacNaughton & Williams states that, “The provision by the adult of a meaningful context in which children could solve technological problems and develop an extensive technological vocabulary through conversation with adults and each other” (MacNaughton & Wiiliams, 2009. p. 377).

Reference List:
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8535677992956049910#editor/target=post;postID=2388061138344032523

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

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

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

 

http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?imgurl=http://kids-camera.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/kids-camera.jpg&imgrefurl=http://kids-camera.net/&h=351&w=200&sz=19&tbnid=3JFWVyspbg7O4M:&tbnh=94&tbnw=54&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dimages%2Bof%2Bchildren%2Busing%2Bcameras%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=images+of+children+using+cameras&usg=__9MymzZMF2b8uO-JhYAlTgHHXqP8=&docid=pR9d8nHp1n5eeM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cms3UIXMA6rBiQfClIDICA&sqi=2&ved=0CDMQ9QEwBg&dur=375

computer

18/08/12

Blog 1: Computer

I have notice how children in our centre uses computer as a mean of technology to help them go on games, learn how to hold and press the mouse, understand about how to go about looking for important information on the internet. In our centre we only have one computer so children compromise new skills about how the computer works, by turning on the power button, eye and hand co ordination and fine motor skills. This is supported by Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa Early Childhood Curriculum that children, “using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognize that different technologies may be used in various places and settings. This means that children can use technology which is a computer to play games, find information, and learn new skills, save data, watch movies, play music and follow instructions about how to look after and care for our computer.

I recognize that children who are new with technology in my centre develop confidence to sit at the computer desk as before they didn’t have the confidence to work with computers. Now with technology they are confidence to learn new skills and our role in the centre is to give children time to learn new skills, follow instructions about how to use computers and how to look after our computer when they are finished. I think that having technology in our centre help develops children’s critical thinking about the importance of computers which is align with The New Zealand Curriculum that, “The aim is for students to develop a broad technological literacy that will equip them to participate in society as informed citizens and give them access to technology-related careers”. (p. 32). This links to Te Whāriki saying that, “Using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognize that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (Ministry of education, 1996. p. 95). I believe that when children have a base knowledge about technology they will be able to work their way around technology when they go to primary school which will empower them to work better with technology.

With the introduction of this ICT technology into our centre children were able to get familiar with new software, learn how to operate the mouse with accuracy, shared skills and ideas with adults and peers, writing for purpose and recognizing everyday use of ICT. Te Whāriki also outline that children develop, “experience with some of the technology and resources for mathematics, reading, and writing” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p. 78).

Computers also gives children access to further learning activities, learning resources and learning programmers’ on the internet, not only that but I believe that computers are vital and a good way for children to be creative by drawing pictures and learning about colors. Besides this computer also improves children’s academic development by exposing them to world view about other countries besides their country, learn about the environment and get images of farms, forests and animals if they live in the city as well as pictures and images of the city and museums if children live in rural areas. I as an educator believe that computers extend children’s knowledge about science and technological world which they didn’t encounter before; this is supported by Te Whāriki that children, “have developed some initial strategies of active exploration in the wider context of the biological, physical, and technological worlds” (Ministry of Education, 1996. p. 83).



Reference List



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

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