Tuluiga’s individual reflections on group blog 20 August 2012 Reflection on Priya’s blog Hi Priya! I believe that digital cameras are one of the most valuable technologies that most centres use to develop children’s learning in every aspect of every day practice. Children gain knowledge on how digital camera works, why we need them, when do they use them, and what kind of pictures they want to take from digital camera. Children also develop imagination skills of what has happened in the past by looking at their own pictures. Taking pictures and looking at them later on enables them to reflect on their own learning, telling stories through these photos. “Technology in education contributes students’ understandings of their own and those of others in the past, present, and possible future” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 20). However children in your centre are fortunate enough to have digital video cameras available for their use. We do not have that kind of technology in my centre so children have yet to learn how to use digital video camera whenever that is make available to them. Ministry of Education, (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum framework. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. 20th August 2012 2. Reflecton on Yuki’s blog Hi Yuki! I was not aware that potato peeler is part of technology; maybe I still need to learn more about different kind of technologies we can use with children in the centre. I think we learn something new every day ha, ha, ha. I think it is great to see children engaging in peeling fruits and vegetables because they learn so many skills but also need to learn to take good care of themselves when they are dealing with sharp objects. I think it is a challenge for some of the children who are younger. Peeling fruits and vegetables helps children develops sense of well-being, “self-help, self-care skills” for preparation of foods and knowledge of eating healthy food. (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 48). I liked the way you conversed with children in which I think asking questions provides opportunities for children to think about whatever learning they engaged with as well as language development which I think is also very important (MacNughton & Williams, 2009). Reference McNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Melbourne,Vic.: Addison Wesley Longman Ministry of Education, (1996), Te whariki: He whariki matauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early Childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. 21st August 2012 3. Reflection on Bhavna’s blog Hallo Bhavna! I liked the way that you brought your own laptop to the centre to promote children’s learning about technology. As children learn by touching, feeling, tasting and especially by seeing objects and practical items. “Children promotes intellectual development by engaging their minds in observation and investigation of selected aspects of their experience and environment” (Katz, & Chard, 2000, p. 2). I also think that it is necessary to guide children when using laptops and computers especially using children’s programmes if/when available. As playing with laptop is always fun especially when children’s programme is on however I also agree with others saying that we must be sensitive about these things. I also agree that educators should limit the time used in these technologies and let the children engage with other learning activities as sometimes children sits in front of a computer or laptops for way too long. However we know that modern technology helps us in more better ways but we still feel uneasy about them but in saying that no matter how we feel about technology at the end of the day, they are here to stay. Reference Katz, L. & Chard, S. (2000). Engaging Children’s Minds: The project Approach, 2nd edn, Connecticut: Ablex Publishing Company, Stamford. 24th August 2012 4. Reflection on Deepika’s blog Hi Deepika, I liked your center’s new television especially when you used to extend infant and toddlers learning. I believe that television is a very effective way of children’s learning provided they have children’s programs which help with language development, talking about creatures they see on television, be able to discuss different kinds of animals, and be able to identify and call these animals by their names. Television can really help infants and toddlers solve problems within your center by offering opportunities to watch television especially on the rainy days (Smorti, 1999). However I agree with others comments to minimize time spent on television but to engage with other leanings that are available for them. The implementing of technology in the curriculum “needs a monitored program to ensure that achievement objectives are reliably assessed and that they are not obscured with objectives from other learning areas” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 30). We know for sure that technology isn’t going away as long as we control its usage in our center. Reference Ministry of Education, (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum framework. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Eduction, 1, 5-10 24th August 2012 5. Reflection on Deepika’s blog Hello Deepika, I think CD players play a big part in children’s learning as well as assisting teachers between activities and guiding children for the next programme. I totally agree on the importance of this kind of technology in our centres every day because it leads to different skills and learning development. Technological activities provide opportunities for the development of the essential skills, and the reinforcement and application of skills used in other essential learning areas”. (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 18). Educators in my centre play the CD player when it’s tidy up time at 11.30am and keep playing it until everything is put back into place. We also use it for our exercise in the morning where teachers expect everyone to engage in this learning. It is important to consider children’s safety when operating technology that uses electricity. I also like the way you let children select their own music to play. Reference Ministry of Education, (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum framework. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media. 27th August 2012 6. Hi Priya, After reading your blog I thought that educators should think twice about the use of the television, as I do not agree that TVs should be used to babysit children as they get enough of it at home which is why it must not be used at the centre. I think children should really be playing outdoor activities or even engage with indoors activity. The environment offers opportunities for children to develop so many essential skills. For example, playing music “outdoors encourages shared joy and discovery of relationships, how body can mirror each other and how we can physically support each other’s movement and grow together”. (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, & Farmer, 2007, p. 405). I agree with Deepika’s comment that educators should think twice about having children occupied with the TV instead of getting physically active with proactive learning both inside and outside to support self-motivation in other learning areas. Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S., Farmer, S., & Death, E. (2008). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning. 27th August 2012 Hi Yuki! It is interesting to learn that your centre have advanced technology and children are also more advanced in using them than children in other centres like mine who do not have access to that kind of technology. After reading your blog I realised that children have the ability to develop so many learning skills but most importantly the development of intellectual skills as they are exposed to these technology. The use of technology in children’s learning is highly recommended as long as it does not take up all their valuable time of exploring outdoors environments than spend all day using i-Pads. Outdoors environment is also very important for the body, mind, spirit, physical and social interactions with the outside world. Natural world is perhaps the most powerful way to support the investigation process: observation, experimentation, data collection, analysis, and reporting discoveries” Torquati, Gabriel, Jones-Branch, Leeper-Miller, 2010, p. 98). It is up to the teachers to decide on how often technology needs to be used by the children in the centre. Environmental education: A natural way to nurture children’s development and learning Torquati, J., with Gabriel, M., Jones-Branch, J., & Leeper-Miller, J (2010) Young Children, 65(6), 98-104. 27th August 2012 Hi Bhvana! It is very interesting how you interpreted digital camera and the skills around technology for child’s development and their learning. I like the use of digital camera in children’s learning because it gives them satisfaction to what they see, what they captured and sometimes develop children’s interest in taking photos of their own work and others. They often ask if they could take pictures of what interest them and afterwards they would look at the photos they took and they would put on this satisfied smile which I really like to see. Children have significant development in intellectual growth, imagination and discoveries within the environment and able to gain sense of accomplishment when they have ample opportunity of self-exploration and working in self-set activities (Greenfield, 2007). I agree with others that this is one of the technologies I would like to continuously use in the centre and children should be able to access them any time. Children can reflect on their work, tell stories about each picture which is a way of developing cognitive skills as well as language development and others. Childhood Education. Early Education, (Autumn/Winter 2007), 24-29. Greenfield, C. (2007). Review of New Zealand Research on Outdoor Play in Early 27th August 2012 Hi Priya! It is interesting how the glue gun became a part of technology but the learning and take risks is part of their learning at all times. I honestly believe that children can only learn from their mistakes by actually getting involved with problem solving and risky learning activity. I value the importance of taking risks and challenges in education where teachers support children’s learning. Risk taking and challenges that children are facing every day is part of their learning and development. Greenfield (2003) states, that “risks and challenges are part of everyday life, part of children’s play and necessary to their development and learning” (Greenfield, 2003, p. 5). Children are able to reflect on their work and to see what should be done to achieve better result next time he/she uses glue gun. Maybe next time he/she will be more cautious when using glue gun because she knows it is hot when in use, and sticky as well. This also states in Isenberg & Jalongo,(2006) “when we meet life challenges and resolve problems, we are being creative” with what we achieve as a result (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2006, p.17). Greenfield, C. (2003). Outdoor play - the case for risks and challenges in children's learning and development. Safekids News, 5 Isenberg, J. P., & Jalongo, M. R. (2006). Understanding children’s creative thought and expression. In Creative thinking and arts- based learning: Preschool through fourth grade (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall (pp. 3-37). 10. 27th August 2012 Hi Deepika, I was not aware that scissors is part of technology; there’s a lot I still need to know more about technology nowadays. I liked it when you demonstrated the use of scissors to some of the children as I think infant and toddler’s still struggle to hold the scissors as their fine motor skills are yet to develop. Therefore the use of scissors in the activity is very crucial to support the development of fine motor skills. Children should have opportunities to work on activities like cutting and pasting in order for them to develop and improve hand-eye-coordination (Bruce & Meggitt, 2002). Like the old saying, “practice makes perfect”, I think children should use scissors every day to cut up shapes and patterns and can be used in screen printing to make it more creative. Children surely love to paint and especially when they see different designs on their painting, they just absolutely love it. Good work Deepika, and remember technologies aren’t going away, they are here to stay but the good thing is that it helps solve problems and makes life easier for us all. Bruce,T., & Meggitt, C. (2002). Working in partnership with parents. Child Care and Education (pp145-166). United Kingdom: Hodder & Stroughton. 27th August 2012 Hi Shaniza! I think that a non-digital technology like the poi is one of the best and meaningful learning activities that children can actually experience as there is no substitute for hands on natural resources. This is stated that “to inspire curiosity and enthusiasm for learning there is no substitute for hands-on child initiated inquiry about the natural world”. (Torquati, Babriel, Jones-Branch & Leeper-Millar, 2010, p. 99). I really like the way you interacted with children by demonstrating how to make poi, and develop a sense of belonging when they feel, touch, and use it for dancing activity like what you did with children. I like it when you use the materials to make poi which is of great importance and valuable to the Maori culture and you certainly respect the importance of these cultural resources by careful planning. Using non digital technology as poi is another approach to include cultural awareness as well as language development in our daily programme. Ritchie, (1999) states that early childhood staff should “support” the use of the Maori language, reflect the unique place of tangata whenua and the principle of partnership inherent in Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Ritchie, 1999, p.13). Ritchie, J. (1999). The use of Te Reo Maori in early childhood centres. Early Education, 20 (winter). 13-20 Torquati, J., with Gabriel, M., Jones-Branch, J., & Leeper-Miller, J (2010). Environmental education: A natural way to nurture children’s development and learning. Young Children, 65(6), 98-104. 12. 27th August 2012 Hi Yuki! I also used lego blocks for one of my non digital technology because it is the most valuable play material that every child uses their hands on at all the times. I agree with you that children can build just about anything using lego blocks even though sometimes it does not make sense to us until you interact with them and then they tell you the stories behind every block. I think this is a fantastic way of developing fine motor skills for infants and toddlers. Interesting enough now that I have done some research about the name of these colourful blocks, you are correct the right spelling of these blocks is the one you used. I did not realise this mistake until I looked at yours and realised yours is spelled different to mines, it is a good way of learning and revealed my own mistakes. I hope Sharon does not mind that much, as long as we learn from our own mistakes, do you agree? I think in order to truly understand something you need to have the first-hand experience” like using lego to build a house or whatever child has in mind to create (Chettleburg, 2009, p. 26). Children often start his work from building a house but in the end he may call his creativity a truck or something else. I agree that lego blocks are a great way of developing manipulative skills as well as emotional, intellectual, social skills and many more. Chettleburgh, I. (2009). Nature live: Experience nature naturally. The First Years: Nga Tau Tahi.New Zealand Journal of Infant and Toddler Education, 11 (1), 26-29.