Entry One
Evaluate a child or small group of
children’s ICT skills i.e. their ability to capably and competently use a
computer / laptop/ ipad etc. (So-what
Model)
What
ICT can be explained as “anything
which allows us to get information, to communicate with each other, or to have
an effect on the environment using electronic or digital equipment” (Siraj-Blatchford
& Siraj-Blatchford, 2003, p. 4, as cited in Ministry of Education, 2004, p.
4). At my centre we use laptops,
cameras, DVD player, TV and telephones as ICT (information and communication
technology) to promote children’s learning and development. Children are
allowed to use cameras to take pictures, use TV and DVD remotes. They also get
to play games on laptops.
Telephones
are used to communicate with the other teachers in different classrooms when
one can’t leave the classroom and need to talk to another teacher. It is also
used to communicate with the outside world such as parents and whānau, when
planning excursions, making appointments with visitors and so on. Children use
toy phones to role play but not allowed to use centre’s telephone. Our centre
also has a Facebook page where parents and children can access children’s
pictures and their day to day activities.
So What
By using
these ICT tools my centre is supporting children’s technological literacy that
will give them confidence and knowledge to participate in society (Ministry of
Education, 2007). It is great to see that children at my centre are often seen
playing games on laptop such as learning alphabets, recognising words, matching
numbers and pictures. Their confidence level and knowledge about these ICT
devices shows that they are competently using their ICT skills. They develop
their literacy and numeracy skills through using these devices and tools (Fleer
& Jane, 2011). They use cameras to take their own and other children’s
pictures without a teacher’s help. They know how to change videos and songs on
TV and DVD player by using remotes.
By using Facebook page we providing parents as well
as children with opportunities to see what children learning at the centre,
connect with other families and visiting past experiences. As mentioned by
Rogoff (2003 cited in Ministry of Education, 2015), that tools such as Facebook
can be used to stay in touch with families and friends. It is a great way to
access children’s activities and experiences regularly rather than waiting for
parent & teacher evening to share the experiences.
I believe
teacher and adults have a great responsibility to walk alongside new technology
and give our children opportunities to learn about ICT everyday as its changing
and improving day by day. "Children entering early childhood centres
have been born during 'the Google era'. Yet barely ten years ago few adults,
let alone children, knew what Google was. Technology will continue to develop,
changing the nature of our world" (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Now What
Teachers at my centre including
myself will continue to use ICT tools and provide children with new and advance
technology to enhance their learning. I will ask my AT for permission to introduce ‘Google’ to children so they can
learn how ‘Google’ can help us explore on a particular topic for example know
more about bird’s lifecycle or animals rather than just playing games on
laptop. “children will develop the confidence and competence in a range of
technologies and adaptability to use new technologies” (Ministry of Education, 2007,
p. 13). Introducing
new websites to the children can help them learn mathematics, science and
literacy skills if they get support and supervision of adults (Talay-Ongan,
2005; Couse & Che, 2010).
In my centre, we will
also continue to include parents into ICT through Facebook and other social
networks as it helps to communicate as well as strengthen the relationships
between early childhood centre’s communities (Bolstad, 2004). My centre is also
considering on doing e-portfolios for children from September 2015 so that
parents and teachers can access children’s portfolios online. It will be a
great ICT tool for everyone
including children.
Entry Two
Evaluate a
child or small group of children’s Digital literacy skills i.e. their ability
to apply their ICT skills to solve a problem, collect data, manage data,
analyse data etc. (So-what model)
What
At my
centre, children are allowed to take pictures using a camera, play games on
laptop and use remotes for TV and DVD player on a regular basis. TV and DVD
players are used for entertainment purposes such as watching movies, listening
music and watching slideshow of children’s pictures using a SD card. Children
are very well familiar with the devices at the centre and it shows their level
of digital literacy and technological knowledge. Teachers at our centre provide
children with support and guidance when they use these digital devices.
Today,
child A asked me if he can watch a song from movie ‘Frozen’. I replied to him “we
don’t have the DVD for that movie so it is not possible to watch that song. He
said “We have a laptop, can we watch the song on laptop?”. I did not think of
that option and I think that was very intelligent of him but to know more about
his level of digital literacy I replied to him “we don’t have that song in
laptop either”. He was quiet for a moment and then he said to me “Do we have Wi-Fi
at Lil Champ (our centre)”. I smiled and responded “Yes we do!” He then asked
me to connect the laptop with Wi-Fi so he can watch the song. When I asked him
how he knows about Wi-Fi connection and connecting a laptop to it in order to
watch the video, he replied “My mum always do that for me”. I then played the
song for him on laptop by going on ‘Youtube’ and he was very happy.
So what
It was really amazing to
see that child A was well aware of use of laptop using Wi-Fi connection. He
showed me that he understands the logic of connecting a laptop with internet
connection in order to get what he wanted. This also showed me that child A was
using his digital literacy to solve a problem. This was something he learned
from home as he mentioned his mother plays the songs for him by connecting a
laptop to a Wi-Fi connection. The wide range
of digital devices and tools helps reflect the notion that ICT is simply just
children using computers (Archard, 2013).
Using networking
facilitated by information technology is an important means for education as it
creates opportunities for the improvement of teacher expertise (Tsantis, Bewick
& Thouvenelle, 2003). That also helps enhance further development of
teacher’s practice with networking and continuous use of online sharing. I believe when young
children are provided with opportunities where they are able to be control of
their own learning they learn better.
Now what
I will discuss children’s
understanding of digital literacy with centre manager and continue the use of
internet connection in the classroom if she agrees. I will try to implement
this change in the centre and if not all day then at least once a day to watch
something of children’s interest with the help and guidance of teachers. When promoting digital literacy, teacher need
to use scaffolding for children’s learning, questioning children as to what
would they like to know about information communication technology but first
allowing children the opportunity of gaining knowledge as to what is ICT and
digital technology. We as early childhood educators have been given the
opportunity of teaching children such things that would impact their learning
and development in multiple ways.
To improve the
use of ICT and knowledge of digital literacy with children in the setting, I will
discuss with staff about ICT and the benefits of teaching that to the children.
It would also be useful for children to have discussions about using internet
on laptops, computers, iPads, and tablets appropriately.
Entry Three
Evaluate how non-ICT/digital tools or devices
are used at your centre to promote children’s learning and development.
(So-what model)
What
The non-ICT/digital tools or devices
that are used at my centre to promote children’s learning and development are
materials such as cello tape, glue, paper clips, scissors and also baking
trays, spoons, bowls and the oven which is used for baking (Smorti, 1999).
Children also communicate and express their imagination through drawing
pictures by using non-ICT tools such as pencils, pens, paintbrushes, crayons
and felt pens. Books are also used as non-ICT tools and help in children’s
learning and development during story telling times, book reading time and mat
times. Hammers, nails and pieces of woods are also used as non-ICT tools at the
carpentry table. All the toys that children play with on a regular basis such
as blocks, Legos, train tracks are also non-ICT devices that we use at our
centre to support children’s learning.
So what
At our centre, teachers let children
help at kitchen with baking, making morning tea and afternoon tea as by
engaging them we help them learn skills of using non-ICT tools such as how to
mix ingredients, how to hold the spoons and how to bake food. These experiences also helps them
enhance their problem solving skills, science such as setting up temperature
for baking and mathematic when setting up a timer on the oven. Their fine and
gross motor skills are developed when they use their hands to hold cutlery and
mix ingredients. Not only that but their social, emotional and language skills
are enhanced too when they work in a group, share experiences and knowledge
with others (Smorti, 1999).
When children draw pictures and
communicate in a non-verbal way, they express their imagination, feelings and
emotions using non-ICT devices such as pencils, paintbrushes, and crayons
(Ministry of Education, 1996). These experiences are useful in developing
literacy skills. Children develop manual dexterity and enhance their hand-eye
co-ordination and control over their body through such experiences (Somerset,
2000).
Toys have been used to develop
children’s learning and development from very long time as children’s learning
is not dependant on technology and ICT devices only (Talay-Ongan, 2005). For
example when children play with toys such as blocks, train tracks and Lego,
they use and develop their problem solving sills and creativity (Talay-Ongan,
2005).
Now what
Having
confidence is very important for children to continue acquiring new knowledge
and skills (Ministry of Education, 1996) and that is possible through active
participation in experiences whether the experiences are ICT or non-ICT. I will
continue to provide children with experiences where they can use non-ICT tools
in order to develop positive dispositions, confidence, persistence,
independence and cognitive skills (Stephen & Plowman, 2013).
Next month, I will introduce variety of tools and
hands-on experiences for children in kitchen while cooking, carpentry table and
classroom when working on art table and playing with the toys. “Using many materials
for different purposes enable children to recognise that different
technologies may be used in various places and setting” (Ministry of
Education, 1996, p. 95). I will continuously reflect on my practice and ask
other teachers to give me feedback so I can promote better learning experiences
for children using non-ICT devices (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009). I will
also ask my centre manager if we can buy new toys for our classroom such as
memory games, brain games and building/construction games.
Reference List
Archard, S. (2013).
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