Final Reflection

          What is not technology? 

          After this assignment, I have come to realise that almost everything in a classroom can be labelled as technology from the book to the pencils to the computers. This is especially true if you go by Smorti’s (1999) idea of technology which basically says that technology is anything that can help us and any problems why might face at home, work and school.
I was amazed on the amount of literature I found on this subject. The common theme I found was that technology is everywhere and it is here to stay. Te Whāriki (1996) written almost 18 years ago mentions the growing importance of technology and the need to have the children taught in this growing area. I also learned that technology is more than learning just about computers. It is true that computers are important, but they are far from the only technology we should teach our children how to use.

          There are more important reasons to teach technology in our early childhood centres. According to the Ministry of Education (2012) which states, “many jobs of the future have not been created yet. We are working with and learning alongside children who will be active in these yet-to-be created jobs” (¶4). We as teachers have to remember that technology is not the cure to all of educations problems. The authors Tsantis, Bewick and Thouvenelle (2003) warn us that, “complex school-based problems will not be solved simply by installing additional or faster computers” (p.5). We as teachers should use technology as a tool to extend children’s learning. Fravel (2012) states,

     That technology be used to enhance the learning that children do in other areas, not replace it.   

     Technology should not be isolated from creative play, outdoor exploration, hands on learning, and real life   

     experiences, but instead used to support developmentally appropriate practices. (¶5)

This point is further reinforced by Parikh’s (2012) statement, “technology is best able to support learning when children use it to expand their knowledge in hands-on, engaging and empowering ways” (p.10).

               

          I considered myself to be pretty technologically savvy, but I am far from a technology guru. I have used programs that allow communicating through the computer like Messenger, Facebook and ICQ but I have never started or participated in a blog. I was not fully convinced on the merit of such a project until I read some research on how effective blogs can be on reflection and collaborative skills. The Ministry of Education (2007) states, “reflective learners assimilate new learning, relate it to what they already know, adapt it for their own purposes, and translate thought into action” (p.34). Blogs are an excellent way to foster this reflective practice that is so critical to teacher development. I have learned how to effectively learn and share information through collaborative group work from this blogging experience. Yang (2009) comments that “a blog is constructed by people who share mutual interests to collaboratively set objectives, regulations, and formats…” (p.13).

          The comments from our posts are excellent examples of collaborative nature of blogging. Overall, the comments are constructive and highly valuable. Here are a few points that make me think about my practice in using technology with children. In reflection one, Annalicia poses the question if my centre has ever thought about allowing the children to write their own stories and turns them into books. The concept Annalicia presents is great and I will approach the head teacher about the idea.  I truly believe it could help the children develop their literacy, imagination, and technology skills. Another comment that I really valued was Sarajane’s idea about using microphones with the CD player from reflection three, I have not thought about it before and I think it is a great idea to extend children’s learning in this technology area.

I believe that teaching is an on-going collaborative process that benefits from reflection, and the tools of technology will help us, the teachers to enhance children’s learning.

               

Reference

Fravel, N. (2012). New statement on technology and media in early childhood. Suite101.com. Retrieved  

     from  http://suite101.com/article/new-statement-on-technology-and-media-in-early-childhood-a406742

Google Image. Computer. Retrieved from

     http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?start=337&hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ497NZ497&

     biw=1280&bih=642&addh=36&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsulb&tbnid=M_g9A85asCJxgM:&imgrefurl

     =http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9282582/How-technology-is-taking-hold-of-our-

     childrenslives.html&imgurl=http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02226/computer_2226954b.

     jpg&w=620&h=388&ei=bkJDUMfMIqiiiAe134CgAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=347&vpy=131

     &dur=57&hovh=177&hovw=284&tx=141&ty=67&sig=110660818834632523345&page=16&

     tbnh=133&tbnw=168&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:337,i:198

Google Image. Science technology. Retrieved from

     http://www.google.co.nz/imgres?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ497NZ497&biw=1280

     &bih=642&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsulb&tbnid=UyVt9ZNpW773BM:&imgrefurl=http://leaksource.

     wordpress.com/science-technology/&imgurl=http://leaksource.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/science-  

     technology.png&w=700&h=255&ei=IkBDUMi2AqiiiAe134CgAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=867

     &vpy=210&dur=2377&hovh=135&hovw=372&tx=286&ty=98&sig=110660818834632523345

     &page=1&tbnh=66&tbnw=180&start=0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:166

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa.

     Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2012). A pedagogical approach to using ICT. Retrieved from    

     http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/learning/exploringPractice/ICT/PedagogyAndICT.aspx

Parikh, M. (2012). Technology and young children: New tools and strategies for teachers and learners. In   

     Shillady, A. (Ed.), Young Children, 67(3), 10-13

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

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.

Young, S.-H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. Educational  

     Technology & Society, 12(2), 11-21.

Here is the reference for the picture on the Feedback post:

Google Image. Feedback. Retrieved from http://www.google.co.nz/imgres? hl=en&safe=off&sa
          =X&rlz=1C1LDJZ_enNZ497NZ497&biw=1280&bih=685&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsb
          &tbnid=uJuUhX4ch26M:&imgrefurl=http://www.textysourcing.com/feedback.php&imgurl
          =http://www.textysourcing.com/images/Feedback.jpg&w=361&h=270&ei=6wk_UIPYJ-
          2ziQfNrIGoBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=807&vpy=337&dur=50&hovh=194&hovw=260&tx
          =124&ty=141&sig=110660818834632523345&page=1&tbnh=139&tbnw=186&start=
          0&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:17,s:0,i:191