Final refelction

Final Reflection.

First off all I didn’t know how much non digital technology experiences are around us in the centre or at home in Smori (1999) they states the following examples. 1.  Which joining technology to use in the collage (stapes/glue/cello tape etc.). 2.  How to add wheels to a carpentry constriction. 3. Using ramps or levels to shift heavy sandpit toys. 4. Redesigning the family corner. 5. Making homes for insect. 6. Growing plants.

During the last few weeks I gained so much more knowledge about technology in children’s everyday life, I never really notice non digital technology until recently when I were focus just on technology, I saw so much more than before, and after reading all the others reflections I got so much more ideas to do with the children and how to incorporate digital and non digital technology into children’s experiences. Since I started writing these blogs, I find so much technology in children’s activities every day after reading readings about technology and learning about technology in children’s life I noticed more learning dispositions. In the last couple weeks I have been focus on technology and find it so easy to see the technology part in activities, non digital and digital technology.   Through the comments I got a lot of questions from other students that made me think deeper into certain things, or even just made me think what I found difficult and some questions I can ask the children. Some of the question they asked me I haven’t even think of and it really made me revisited the experience while reading this question as well as thinking off other similar opportunities I can provide for the children.

I have found a good you tube clip, for my last blog, about students being 21^st century learners and how much digital technology they use. This was a real eye opener for me, although I was use to digital technology form a young age, it was interesting to see how much technology are taking over the world, there is so much children in primary school that uses computers now a days.

I think having technology opportunities for preschoolers are important, it give them the change to explore and gets them ready for school and the real life. In Te Whariki it states children should use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore the world. Children should gain experience in using communication technologies such as crayons, book and computers. Technology also helps children solve problems, build self confidence and recognise that different technologies may be used in various places and settings. (Ministry of Education, 1996).

I think having the technology resources for children available in the centre is good, and they learn so much from exploring it, but only short periods of time, I still think children this young age should be running outside and be active, but I will defiantly encourage children to explore technology in short periods of time, as they will be using throughout their lives. Through technology children learn fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination and there are so many different software children can learn form, like sorting, matching and counting.

Technology is also a creative and 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; there may be more than one solution to the problem. Technology is influenced by the culture or the society in which it occurs. (Smori, 1999).

References

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smori, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.