Reflection of blogging, other bloggs visited

Blog, Blog Blogging

Blogging! It is just a mystery why it was ever called this. It was a mystery how to start. It seemed rather confusing, and it is as though some how I stumbled through it all. It took perseverance and courage to get familiar with it. However, as with most things the more you use it the easier it gets. It was great to have the support of the younger students, who seem to whiz around the computer world with very little hesitation. Truly I am a digital immigrant. So when I get stuck I look for a digital native. (Prensky 2001a)

I heard this a couple of years ago when I was involved in a research project over three years called the ECE ICT PL programme run by CORE. This was a project to encourage the use of ICT within ECE sector. The concept of being an immigrant helped me immensely to understand a few principles. Like applying a scaffolding type of learning by finding the natives to give me support and tips. In other words, find the natives who speak the computer language, who have the confidence and competence gained by being born in this ICT world. It was a young class colleague who just gave me some quiet tips. This helped me to be patient with myself and keep trying.

ICT one expects it be quicker. Then when hours are spent hours just working out how to upload a photo, it feels frustrating. The trick is to remember when you need to do it again, how you did the last time. I used the Help option at times. Well, that really felt like a foreign language. But if I patiently looked at the information I could interpret it.

In 2007 my centre was accepted to be part of the ECE ICT PL project. CORE Education and the Ministry of Education in response to the Foundations of Discoveries 2005 a framework for ICT use in ECE facilitated this. It involved 60 services producing 56 action research reports.

Throughout this course and this assignment, it has been refreshing to recall some of these things that I discovered while doing this project.

I have enjoyed getting to know my class colleagues more. It is so good to see other teachers in practice and how the have approached children’s learning with technology activities.

I have a very big feeling that there is a whole worldwide cyber space universe out there. Just so much more I could be doing to enhance children’s learning. I do believe that as I become more confident and capable my practice will improve, and children's learning enhanced. (Ministry, 2005 p. 9) I am inspired by the comment from Jill Hammond,

The Sky ‘s the limit. Make sure you the teacher are not.

References:

Prensky,M., (2001) Digital Natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon (NCB University Press, Vol. 9 No. 5. Retrieved from http://www.twitchspeed.com/site/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.

Ministry of Education. (2005). Foundations for discovery. Wellington: Ministry of Education

Hatherly, A., Ham, V., & Evans. L. (2009) Effective learning in Early childhood Education? The impact of the ECE ICT PL Programme: A synthesis report.

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/ece/79138

Blogs I have commented on

1. http://miriammit.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post-invention-of-bird-feeder.html?showComment=1302773938577#c722754149097714771

2. http://nicolerussek.blogspot.com/2011/04/super-hero-fridge-magnets.html?showComment=1302918415572#c2817868728511182020

3. http://ladybug-veronica.blogspot.com/2011/04/e-is-mowing-lawn.html?showComment=1303447883925#c5671397894773478505

4. http://amosgallagher.blogspot.com/2011/04/technology-we-have-around-centre.html?showComment=1303452738430#c2807684672812622250

5. http://miriammit.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post-4-treasured-gifts-for-easter.html#comments I raised an interesting point here.

6. http://rainmit.blogspot.com/2011/04/discovery-about-light.html#comments

7. http://libyjose.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog2-memories-are-forever.html?showComment=1304417359822#c5358732485761249742

cutting and gluing

cutting and pasting.

D (almost 5. girl) was at the collage table. She had made a crown for “princess day”. I sat down to see what she had done. Her crown was finished and she was moving onto another task. She found a piece of paper on the table that had been folded in half and glued. She picked up the scissors and stated cutting. She managed the scissors confidently, and started cutting straight. She stopped, then about 2cm away from the first cut, she started cutting straight again. She then turned the corner and said, “I cut a square”. D then started spreading some glue all over the paper she had just cut from. Then placed the square she had cut out onto the paper. She continued spreading the glue around. I asked her “what else are you going to stick on the glue?” She looked around and saw the black triangles left over from someone else’s crown. She put two triangles in place. I showed her how she and made a loop at the top of the paper. She could thread something through there and then she would be able to hang it up. D looked around a all the collage things on the shelves. She found a ribbon. With some guidance, and using the scissors to poke the ribbon through we were able to then tie the ribbon. She was so excited. “Look Mum”. Her mother was grateful for the little gift. She praised and thanked D.

Smorti (1999) writes a definition of technology as a “creative purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments. Knowledge skills and resources are combined to find solutions.” This was one of those activities that evolved as D went along. She was fully involved was thinking through the activity. I made a conscious effort not to talk too much, or suggest too many ideas. I just let her move at her own speed, and hurray up

Children will design, make and appraise their work. D was so proud to give her creation to mum.

Reference:

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 199

Turn taking

W, X and Y are became friends really quickly during the morning session. For some reason all at once they wanted a turn at the computer game Pacman. X knew how to play it as he had played the game at home with his cousin. They started a discussion, with raised voices, of who was going to go first. X was keen to show them all how to play. Y had his fingers on the keyboard first. W sat on the chair first. I noticed what was happening. I interrupted their discussion. “Wait a minute let’s stop and think. How can we make this fair?

“Take turns,” said Y.

“You are right. How about you all get a chair each. Now X , do you know how to play this game? “ I asked

“Yes my cousin has it at his house,“ replied X

“ X can you show W how to play. Y you watch and listen. When pacman dies it’s Y turn. Then when Y turn, then the same for you. Your turn is finished when Pacman dies, and then it’s X turn.

I it’s W turn. When it’s not your turn you have to keep your hands off the keys. You can point to the screen, but don’t touch the keys or the mouse.” watched for a time from a distance to make sure they understood the “rules”. I suggested if it wasn’t their turn they were to fold their arms or sit on their hands. This quickly seemed to work quite well. They did very well and sustained fair turn taking for approximately 45 minutes when it was time to finish for lunch.

Collaborative learning and scaffolding that took place between the boys was a pleasure to watch. They did work together respecting and listening to each other. A good example of equal opportunities and a sense of belonging. Here the children are experiencing an environment where there are equitable opportunities for varying abilities and encouragement to learn with and alongside others. (Ministry 1996 p.64)

The computer often attracts groups of children, which gives opportunity for children to learn alongside others. While they are playing these games on the computer they are learning how to use the “tool for inquiry that will be practical for other explorations.” (Ministry, 2009 p.5)

The turn taking “rules” came from a seminar I attended at a Ulearn Conference in 2008. Jill Hammond used powerpoint presentation of how to manage computers junior classes. It was a model of the teacher the doer and the observer. It seems to work quite well. One of the issues is when it’ not your turn don’t touch the mouse or the keys. You give verbal instructions and point on the screen. I fund it so hard not to take over the mouse. It is the same when helping children with puzzles. I just want to put the puzzle piece in place for them. If they are to learn they must do it themselves.

http://juniorclasses.wikispaces.com/Workshop+Presentations

References:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whaariki, he whaariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington,New Zealand: Learning Media

Ministry of Education. (2009). Kei tua o te pae assessment for learning: Early childhood exemplars: Information and communication technology.

Making music

V, (Girl 2 yr) climbed onto the chair so she could reach the Piano Keyboard. Her mother went to tell her to hop down. I reassured V’s mother that it was OK that she has a turn playing on the keyboard.

She started playing random notes. I said, “listen to this.” I pushed the button that turned on the drums. V smiled and continued playing and swayed to the beat. She started singing ‘Old MacDonald had a farm.” I sang with her. We came to the end of the first verse I turned off the drums. V stopped playing and looked at the button, she attempted to reach it but couldn’t. I asked her if she wanted the drums back on. She nodded. I turned the drums back on, and instantly she started moving her body to the beat and started playing and singing again. When we got to the end of the song I suggested, “let’s sing the wheels on the bus go round and round”. Her fingers played randomly on the keys, one at time, then sometimes several fingers at once, but not clumsily crashing the keys . She kept in time to my singing and the drums. I moved away to assist another child and V continued for a short time, then climbed off the chair and went to paint a picture.

V’s mother’s initial instinct was to tell V not to touch. She was anxious that V was too little to play, that the keyborad was for the teachers, or that she might break it. Afterwards she was delighted with the fun we had all had singing. Although V couldn’t play the “right notes” she had fun with the rhythm and the sounds. She was a delight to watch and listen to. Her mum was so proud. How many times do we as adults limit what the children do because of our fear. They might climb too high, swig too fast, drop or break something. The challenge is to teach them how to keep themselves safe yet still be courageous. Te Whaariki (1996) promotes a learning outcome "where children experience an environment where thay gain confidence in and control of their bodies, confidence with moving in space, moving to rhythm….”

With the aim of trying to help how many times have I taken over – I know how to play that song - with both hands. I would love to increase my Increase my knowledge of how I could record what was played by V, then play it back. The other thing I could have done to extend this play was to get the guitar and the other instuments out. This may have opened it up for other children to join us.

The keyboard offers a great resource to extend musical experience with little talent needed to actually play the correct notes. “Music contributes to the child’s total development: psychomotor, perceptual, affective, cognitive, social, cultural and aesthetic." (Isenberg & Jalongo 2006 p146)

How good it could have been to get the camera out and record all this on video with the sound of V singing. Then for the parent to have a copy would have been a teasured memory. All this to assist V to become confident when children are able to contribute in culturally valued enterprises. This is a perspective of Communication in the curriculum, Te Whaariki (1996).

References:

Isenberg, J.P., & Jalongo, M.J. (2006). Creative expression and play in early childhood. (3^rd ed.). New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whaariki, he whaariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media

P.S - this is not a new post it is connected to the previous post. We don't have ipads at our centre ...... yet. I was talking about this little learning pad. I was unable to upload a photo into the comment box so started it as a new post.

Anyway, the other thing I need to explain is that we cater for children up to 15 years old at Kidz First Children's hospital. We are a licenced ECE centre. We have recreation activities as well as programming for children's learning and developmental support. We have the Kidz First Foundation that do fundraising for us. Companies and community groups are often looking for projects to help the children in hospital. That is how and why we have playstations and Wii. But notice that K didn't play with the expensive stuff. It was the replicas, and toy things.

Buttons, buttons everywhere

Buttons, buttons everywhere! Which one shall I push?

K (2year old Girl) is new to the centre. The first thing she spotted was the doll and the pram. As she pushed the pram around the room she watched the other children playing on the play station and the computer. She stopped at the desk and sat on the chair. She picked up the phone and the typed on the laptop that has no batteries. She had a little talk on the phone and tapped away on the computer with her other hand, then hung up the phone. She continued typing with two hands. Then she continued with the pram. This time she stopped at the cash register. She pushed the buttons and opened the cash draw then shut it. K pushed the buttons again and was listening to the small beeps it was making. As she walked passed the older boys playing on the Wii, she stopped to watch the big screen. K noticed that no one was on the computer so she sat on the chair for a turn. This computer is set up for the children. Her mum helped her start the Dora game. K waited for mum to have a turn with the mouse. In her eagerness to have a turn K started playing randomly with the keyboard. Then mum guided her hand back to the mouse and told K to click. Mum said she does have turns on the computer at home, so does have some concept of how the mouse works. Mum helped and guided her to play the game for a short time. Then K continued with the pram walking around the room. She noticed a boy sit at the computer for his turn. She wanted to have a turn again. Mum intercepted her and explained it was the boy’ s turn she made a fuss. I pulled out from the cupboard the learning pad. She played with it briefly – and then found the cash register. She returned to the learning pad, and I changed the option to musical tunes. She focused for another short time then found the pram. Her mother confirmed that she enjoyed pushing buttons at home too.

K was very busy exploring the new environment. Her enjoyment of pushing the pram seem a great way to tour the room to observing where everything was, and ‘making sense of this new environment. (Ministry, 1996) Her intrigue with buttons is her response to having technology all around her in the home and in the community. It is important to integrate the everyday experiences into the centre to enhance their learning. (Ministry, 2005) This became part of her exploration of the new environment.

The cause and effect results gained her attention for longer periods. Sitting at the computer that was functioning, supported with her mother increased the length of her attention The beginning of learning how to use ICT tools for inquiry begins with the frequent use of this replica of common technological items. (Dockett, & Fleer , 2003 p. 167).

K demonstrates the influence of technology has inspired her curiosity for buttons, and even more rewarding when you push a button you get a response. Her role-playing is making sense of her ‘social world’ and her place in it. (Ministry, 1996; Dockett, & Fleer, 2003 p.133).

References:

Dockett, S., & Fleer, M. (2003). Play and pedagogy in early childhood: bending the rules (2nd ed.). Nelson, Australia: Thompson Learning.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whaariki, he whaariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington,New Zealand: Learning Media

Ministry of Education, (2005). Foundations for discovery. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education (2009). Kei tua o te pae assessment for learning: early childhod exemplers (Vol. 20). Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Wow got here

Never be scared of technology.
remember it just a click in the right spot. Give it ago! :-)