In my home base centre, we are doing
“letters” topic in this period. Today, I found that children use their body to
present the letters. Children went around and looked for letters around the
classroom. Children made their bodies into the shape of a letter and one of our
teachers took a photograph for them. Then we also input the photos to the computer
and discussed about the letters together.
I found
this activity is very interesting because children have used camera to support
learning in diverse ways. In planning for children’s ICT experiences, I
should consider how to set up the learning environment to support children’s
spontaneous play by using technology (Lee, & O'Rouke, 2006). Moreover,
by sharing in children’s play with technology, teacher can support their interests and understand how to
use technology to support children's learning and development. I believe that teacher
stimulate children’s interests, offer
children scaffold learning and encourage higher
levels of engagement that children will be supported in developing
ideas and learning from each other, care others’ feeling, sharing valued experiences or perspectives on the
world (Ministry of Education, 2007).I also found that it can help children
to learn technical vocabularies and model languages e.g. use correct technical
terms. l
Google Image. (2012). Children are
discussing about a camera. Retrieved from
http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=camera+children&start=21&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=584&tbm=isch&tbnid=3G2cScttMUG7CM:&imgrefurl=http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/planning.html&docid=MeVUWHMWd9BgeM&imgurl=http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/library/1228003200/DigitalCamera2children_295.jpg&w=295&h=196&ei=UEhmT8OHHY6YiAet6Pi8BQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=269&sig=100027190629991029903&page=2&tbnh=121&tbnw=161&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:21&tx=137&ty=45
The latest
research about technology in early childhood education shows that confidence in
the use of ICT by adults and children but also in stimulating debate about
teaching and learning(Clark, 2011).
Google
Image. (2012). Children are discussing about a camera. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=camera+children&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=584&tbm=isch&tbnid=2LzHs17cGiVa9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/child-photography.html&docid=AXsbLfnVrSJPoM&imgurl=http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/images/ChildPhotographer2.jpg&w=288&h=250&ei=TkhmT9PoOKrAiQeY2YHrBQ&zoom=1
I think
that the facilitating role of the teacher is very
important to guide and instruct children how to use camera and encourage
purposeful use. For example, teacher and children could talk about what the
buttons, lights and turning plate are for. Teachers take part in conversations led by children as they enjoy
playing with camera, and direct children’s attention with conversation and
questions, or sequencing and breaking down activities (Clark, 2011).Direct guided interaction takes place in a face-to-face
situation involving adults and children and may happen through gesture, touch,
language or emotional support (MacNaughton &
Williams, 2009).
Google
Image. (2012). Children are taking photos. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?q=camera+children&num=10&um=1&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=584&tbm=isch&tbnid=2LzHs17cGiVa9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/child-photography.html&docid=AXsbLfnVrSJPoM&imgurl=http://www.best-family-photography-tips.com/images/ChildPhotographer2.jpg&w=288&h=250&ei=TkhmT9PoOKrAiQeY2YHrBQ&zoom=1
Use open-ended
questions can encourage children deeper thinking. For example, I encourage children to problem solving
e.g. “I wonder what happens if…?” I also support social, collaborative
learning, like “Perhaps if you pass it to Shirley can help? Lastly,
teacher support children in relation to their ability to become involved in
their own learning. ‘Technology has an exciting part to play in giving a
multimodal communication tool to children’ (Bolstad, 2004). I like to give children opportunities to understand the
place camera has in their lives.
Digital camera is a kind of technology tool
for support children learning toward curriculum. Digital camera can help to develop children’s dispositions to learn by
increasing self-esteem and confidence, or by supporting independence and
persistence in the face of initial difficulties. It also boosted
their self-esteem and gave them a sense of responsibility to use such ‘adult’
equipment. Digital camera has potential for
promoting pleasure in learning by enhancing engagement, motivation and the
desire to learn. ICT technology developed ways of actively guiding and
extending children’s learning through questioning, modeling, praising and acting as a supportive presence (Ministry
of Education, 1996).
Today we can see that providing opportunities for talking
about technology with children helps them to develop their understanding of the
cultural place that technology has in their lives and will help them be able to
make choices about uses of technology.
Reference
Bolstad, R. (2004). The role
and potential of ICT in early childhood education. review of New Zealand
and international literature. Wellington:
NZCER.
Clark, A. (2011). "The silent voice of the
camera?". Young children and
photography
as a tool for listening. Early Childhood Folio, 9, 28-32
.
Lee, L., & O'Rouke, M.
(2006). Information and communication technologies: transforming view of
literacies in early childhood settings. Early Years, 26(1), 49-62.
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G.
(2009). Techniques for teaching young children:
Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, NSW, Australia:
Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington:
Learning Media.
Ministry
of Education. (2007). The New
Zealand Curriculum. New Zealand: Learning Media.
No comments:
Post a Comment