Friday 10th
August 2012
Reflection 2Technology in the sandpit
The boys were in the sandpit
attaching plumbing pipes to the water tap.
I watched as they worked together to make the pipes run into one
another. E decided to grab a big spade
and dig it into the sand and balance the pipe on top of the handle. I approached E and asked him what he was
doing. He replied “I’m making it stay up”
I asked the boys what they were doing with the pipe, L replied “we are making a
dinosaur world” I continued to observe them for a short while as they dug in
the ground and moved the pipes around. I
saw a couple of the boys with the dinosaurs in their hands moving to a big
puddle of water under the pipes. I asked
them what was happening. L replied “This
is the dinosaur river” I replied “oh, what are you using the pipes for?” “It’s
the waterfall into the river for the dinosaurs” L responded.
A short time later J came over
and he began to put a plastic bottle under the water coming out from the
pipes. He then tipped the water into the
nearby trough. He continued to do this
for a while as he sung “I’m getting more water, more water”. M came along with
a bucket and he too collected water from the pipes and tipped it into the trough. I asked the boys what was happening. J informed me they were making a Dinosaur
pool. He then began digging sand and
putting it into the water. After a short
while the boys put the dinosaurs into the water and moved them around. They began to make the dinosaurs fight. M explained to me that his dinosaur had the
big spikes on his head which would be able to stab into another dinosaur when
they were fighting and that he would win.
When I first saw the boys
using the pipes I was very intrigued with what they were doing. As I investigated more it soon dawned on me
that this was technology at its best.
The pipes were the technology that was helping them experiment and solve
their problem. They were using the technology through fitting the pipes into one another
to extend the flow of water. During this
experience the boys developed the ability to represent their discoveries by
being creative with the technology associated with them (Ministry of Education,
1996).
I thought the way they used
the pipes was an excellent use of their imagination and experimentation. I
enjoyed listening and being part of their discussion about how they were going
to achieve their end result. Fostering possibility and problem solving helps
children refine problems as well as solving them. Children become confident in themselves as
explorers and meaning-makers (Craft, 2007).
When more children arrived and used the pipes
in a different way I saw the plastic bottle being the source of technology
behind transporting the water into the trough. The bottle became a way of solving their problem of how they were going to get the water from the pipe into the trough. The children used thought and experimenting to achieve an end result. Technology knowledge allows children to develop and understanding of how and why things work (Ministry of Education, 2007).
Before taking this class I
would not have thought of this learning experience to have included technology
I would have thought it was more about maths and science. However my views have now changed and a whole
new world of technology has opened up before me. I understand now that
technology is more than just electronic devices. As stated by Smorti (1999) technology
combines knowledge, skills and resources to find solutions.
Becoming aware of what
technology is has made me see things differently around my centre. I now see
technology everywhere and I will continue to encourage children to embrace the
different ways technology can be used in their experiences in the centre.
It is a great example of the use of technology Kay, as by using those pipes the boys were able to express themselves. I think this experience was more than just simply using those pipes and bottles. I can see that children’s imagination provoked them to develop a mental plan and then adapt it to what was available in the environment. Ministry of Education (2007) points out that, “adaptation and innovation are at the heart of technological practice (p. 32). Their creativity helped them to construct what they were imagining and technology was there to support their learning. Smorti (1999) explains that, “technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities…” (p. 5).
ReplyDeleteYour reflection made me think that a teacher’s awareness of technology is fundamental to support children’s learning. If we are aware of it only then are we able to provide resources and opportunities in our centres.
I was pleased to see your role as a co-learner and a co-explorer (Dunkin & Hanna, 2001) while you were enriching children’s learning experiences by asking open-ended questions. Early childhood curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1996) states that when children are given responsibility to investigate and test their ideas and make their own discoveries they become confident.
It was refreshing to read something different about the use of technology.
I enjoyed reading your reflection as it showed how
ReplyDeletethe pipes were used in such a way that brought about thought deliberation and construction but not only that the chidlren showed versatility in their ideas. "The way children think shows their distinctive ways of understanding and interpreting the world and they are actively involved in the construction of their own knowledge and understanding, through experience" (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, and Farmer, 2007, p.92).
We are learners together and sometimes if we are not shown how we can look through different lenses at experiences that happen at the centre and in our lives then we limit our outcomes, so seeing this experiences as technology has opened up not just yours but the readers mind to what can be achieved, what can be seen and how it is interpruted.
Kay,
ReplyDeleteIt was easy to see the image you created your passion and insight into the learning; just by writing about it. thank you I enjoyed reading this experience. I could see what you were seeing as the boys thought, acted, solved problems , created new ideas, constructed meaningful experiences(Ministry of Education,1996) and had fun !!.
The heart of good teaching rather than outcomes, is the process of’ what knowledge is investigated, discovered and valued’ (Craft &Jeffery, 2004, p.108). Learning is not always about the outcomes, and as I read more of others reflections, I’m seeing evidence in the story. Evidence of process, perhaps this is the children’s own action research experience as they discover the dinosaur world. Craft and Jeffery also refer to the learner in the inclusive environment, uncovering their own knowledge, taking ownership, and when that is handed to children they have the opportunity, and authority to be innovative.
Craft, A. & Jeffery, B. (2004). Creative practice and practice which fosters creativity. In L. Miller & J. Devereaux (Eds.).Supporting children’s learning in the early years (pp. 105-112). London, great Britain: David Fulton.
Ministry of Education. (1996).Te Whāriki; He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa; Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
What a great use of technology Kay. I liked how those pipes were used to bring their imagination alive, fix their problem and satisfy their curiosity. It is amazing how something like pipes allows children to understand how things work, extending their problem solving skills, giving them the confidence on themselves to try things out, be creative, imaginative, investigating the unknown etc.
ReplyDelete“The environment should provide means whereby children can develop grated curiosity and more complex thinking” ( Somerset, 2007, p.6). Children were using technology explore the environment around them, which in turn will help them make sense of their world. According to Reggio Emilia’s approach, the environment ‘speaks’ to children - about what they can do, how and where they can do it, helping children generate ideas and in what ways they can work together (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008).
I liked how you asked them questions to extend their thinking. We don’t need to teach children subjects, instead we need to observe, note their interest, set up the environment accordingly, ask them questions at the right time and allow children to explore, experience and think for themselves (Gonzales-Mena, 2008).
According to Te Whāriki children develop different tactics for actively exploring and making sense of the world by using their bodies, including active exploration with all the senses, and the use of tools, materials, and gear to extend their ability and development (Ministry of Education, 1996). It is amazing to think that a lot of those materials and equipment we use every day are technology, and I did not know that until we started our Technology class with Sharon.