As a result of the other student’s feedback on the children using computers, I have learned that we all think that computers are an essential resource that can be used to help children extend further upon their interests and learning. I agree that both educators and parents need to be available as well as able to help support and facilitate the children’s use of the computer when and where necessary in order to encourage them to actively explore and discover their world. I will also ensure that our computer will not be used as a babysitter but as a means for children and teachers to actively converse with each other and find new and interesting ways to extend or practice their computer, literacy, numeracy, social and motor skills such as, using hand over hand strategies.
I learned new ways of extending the children’s learning from reading about the other student’s computer experiences with their children, and I plan on implementing these cool ideas with the children at my centre. For example, I will encourage the parent’s involvement with their child’s computer use and learning at the centre and home in order to foster a love of learning and develop their computer skills. I will also share these experiences and ideas with my colleagues in order to prompt other ideas to foster the children’s learning and interests. I absolutely loved the use of the laptop as a visual tool to show children information on a topic of interest and supporting children’s ability to represent their interest in other curriculum areas of the centre – that was great!
In regards to the camera, I got some good feedback of ideas to implement with the children after taking their photographs. For example, I will see if the children are interested in writing a short sentence or story, or doing artwork as a way of representing their experiences through their eyes. As a result, I intend to see if we can get another operational camera for one child everyday in each morning and afternoon session to take photographs whenever they want then download and print their pictures for them to take home and share with their whanau. I also prompted me to think about getting the children to laminate their photographs and make puzzles out of them by cutting them into various shapes and placing them in named zip lock bags to use when ever they want.
With the light panel, I liked Hayley’s ideas of using resources that cast shadows, insects, cicada and snail shells as other cool as resources that I know that the children and even the teachers and I will enjoy using – awesome! It has prompted me to think of other things such as scarves, coloured cellophane or sand for the children to use and do sand art. I really believe that it is important for teachers to scaffold and facilitate children’s learning by sparking an interest or fostering and extending their ideas in new and interesting ways. I love seeing children experimenting to see what else can be done with resources that are available because they teach me how to see things in a new light and through their eyes which allows me to be open to new experiences too – Tumeke!
As a result of all of our documented experiences of using technology with the children, I think that the use of technology on children’s learning and development is greatly significant. They are in a technological world that keeps evolving and therefore I believe that it is good for children to be exposed and introduced to these devices. Children are such fast learners that it does not seem to take them long to figure out how to use anything when they have been given the appropriate time and space to do so. When engaging with technology it empowers children to investigate, explore, experiment with things and ideas through their play – all of which are valued and meaningful “ways of learning” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 84).
