Entry one two and three

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). Democracy in early childhood education: How information and communication technology contributes to democratic pedagogy and practices. Early Childhood Folio, 17(2), 27-32. 

Bolstad, R. (2004). The role and potential of ICT in early childhood education: A review of New Zealand and international literature. Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER.

Couse & Che. (2010). A tablet computer for young children? Exploring its viability for early childhood education. Journal of Research on Technology in Education.  43(1), 75–98

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia. 

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

Ministry of Education. (2004). The role and potential of ICT in early childhood education: A review of New Zealand and  international literature. Wellington, New Zealand: Rachel Bolstad New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

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. 

Ministry of Education. (2015). Using ICT to link with families. Retrieved from http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/exploringPractice/ICT/LinksToFamiliesAndICT.aspx

Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children, 58(1), 1-9.

Talay-Ongan, A., & Ap, E. A. (Eds.). (2005). Child development and teaching young children. Southbank, Australia: Thomson Social Science Press. 

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10. 2000). Work and play in the early years (5th ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Playcentre Publications.

Somerset, G. (2000). Work and play in the early years (5th ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Playcentre Publications.

Stephen, C. & Plowman, L. (2013). Digital technologies, play, and learning. Early Childhood Folio, 17(2), 3-8.