In my centre the children have designed and are currently
building a sign post to direct the new children and parents to the various
locations around the centre. I joined the project at the stage where they had
to brainstorm how the top ( e.g. the top of a tree) was to be joined to its
trunk.
It was lovely listening to the children brainstorming. One
child who is just three years of age thought that cellotape would be a good way
to attach the two large pieces of wood together. He was given the opportunity to see if his
idea would work. He soon discovered that they needed something stronger.
Another child who is four years old decided that PVA glue would do the job. But
once again it did not hold even when applying cellotape on top of the glue. A
third child who is nearly off to school, said, “I know, we need screws.” The
builder then provided them with three sizes of screws and the children finally
decided that the biggest one would be best. The child then used the electric
drill to put the screw in. Even though it held the two pieces of wood together,
it still moved. The children then decided they needed to add two more screws to
stabilise it. The job was now complete.
I consider this to be a technological learning experience as
according to Smorti (1999),“technology
is about helping people and solving problems” (p. 5).
The act of building a signpost in the first place will solve
the problem of where to find various places and things around the centre e.g.
office, toilets, swings, and fale. This post will be an asset to new children/families/whanau,
by helping them find their way around the kindergarten.
For the children themselves they had the opportunity of
problem-solving how to attach the two very large and heavy pieces of wood
together. To find a solution to their problem the children combined their
knowledge (e.g. how cellotape, glue and screws can be used to attach two
objects together) with their skills of using the cellotape and glue, along with
the builders resources of the screws and electric tools to get the job done
(Smorti, 1999).
Another reason why I consider this learning experience to be
technology is because the children designed
this post themselves, it can be considered a practical invention, they engaged their thinking processes when deciding what medium to use, and they searched for solutions as to how to
connect a tree top to the top of their post (Smorti, 1999).
Te Whāriki
acknowledges that New Zealand is part of a worldwide ever changing
technological revolution. I consider it is my role as an early childhood
teacher to provide learning experiences that provide children the opportunity
to develop their own ideas which will give them the ability to continue
acquiring new knowledge and skills. If I do this I believe I will be supporting
the children in becoming life-long learners (Ministry of Education, 1996).
From observing the children with this task I have learnt
that technology involves design, along with practical and intellectual
resources to develop a produce (Ministry of Education, 2007). In this case it
is a signpost; however the same could be said for a child’s piece of art, as
they use their knowledge and skills of a medium to create a picture.
This is one of the children's designs
References:
Ministry of
Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early
childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Leaning Media.
Ministry
of Education. (2007).The New Zealand
curriculum. For English-medium teaching and
learning in years 1-13.
learning in years 1-13.
Retrieved from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.
Hi Ngaire,
ReplyDeleteThis must have been such an amazing experience for the involved children. I really like that all the children that put forth their ideas were listened to and given opportunities to put their plans to action. The ability of the children to scaffold each other’s learning is highly visible; what a great example of tuakana/teina learning. I believe that thanks to this experience the children must have realised that when they solve problems together, they are more likely to achieve a successful result that will be beneficial to all (Ministry of Education, 1996).
You mentioned that you had a builder overseeing the building. That would have given the children yet another perspective on the project. The ability to use his tools and observe the builder at work would have provided the children with a context in which their “knowledge and skills are learned” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 32). I bet the children enjoyed the builder’s presence very much. Did you think about inviting other members of the community to your centre to encourage children’s participation in technological enterprises? What about a gardener, a painter or a potter – would your children enjoy that?
What an amazing project the children are involved in. The problem-solving skills and collaboration the children display in your reflection is what we all aim for as teachers; at the same time this project brings to life the exploration strand in Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996). This learning experience enabled the children to further develop their enquiry skills. I can also see research skills being developed as the children used different materials and tools help create a product, in this case, a signpost. At the same time the children were exploring how technology can be used (Ministry of Education, 1996).
ReplyDeleteThis project highlights how as a teacher sometimes all we need to do is point the children in the direction they wish to go, standing back and assisting only when required. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development theory is evident in this project as the children are scaffolding each other’s learning helping to develop individual skills and knowledge (Santrock, 2009). Are the children involved in other building projects around the centre? Are other building projects able to be encouraged such as the children building a lemonade stand, shop counter or a bookcase?
The signpost is a great map of direction within your centre – and the children have definitely displayed their knowledge and value in the centre and with each other as positive contributors to their present and new community. Through brainstorming, they are identifying with the adult’s world of maybe say, construction work or even an executive board meeting (Somerset, 1999). There use of resources and open mindedness is aiding them through identifying and understanding their present position and revisiting their ideas to develop new and constructive ideas (Smorti, 1999). I can just vision the children becoming the directors on an open day for your centre using their creation as the starting point of their group tour. That would indeed be awesome, as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I agree that ‘technology’ is an asset to children discovering their potential in making choices individually or collectively as a community (Somerset, 2000). From the beginning, I can clearly see that they have ownership of their learning and “understanding of how technologies can help them and others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 96). “Working together helps” them “develop confidence in their ability to develop relationships with others” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 94). They have certainly shown that they are advocates of “ensuring that all are welcomed and supported” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 95) within their centre and community. Homai te pakipaki!
Hi Ngaire what a great project in which you and children participated and generated positive outcomes. The Tuakana/Teina learning is highly visible in this context, also the concept of Vygotsky’s ZPD (Zone of Proximal development) can be seen where children are able to scaffold each other’s learning and competent peer is helping out other members of the group (Santrock, 2009). I believe that due to this particular experience the children must have understood that when they solve problems together, they are more likely to attain positive outcomes that will be constructive (Ministry of Education, 1996).
ReplyDeleteThis experience and overseeing the workers must have given an idea to children that skills like working with tools and knowledge are learned (Ministry of Education, 2007). Through this experience of technology, not only the children were able to work cooperatively and collaboratively with their peers but they also learn how to problem solve and explore the world around them (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Ngaire
ReplyDeleteWorking with construction materials such as wood help enhance co-ordination and creative thinking which was observable through the children confidently trying out their ideas, such as using selotape and glue to try to join the two pieces of wood (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2010). This confidence and ability to express their ideas, and working with and alongside others is a desired objective of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996). Having read how the different aged children suggeated different methods of fixing the two pieces together reminded me of Jean Piaget’s constructivist theory which states that ‘creativity is a type of problem solving that depends on the child’s thinking processes’ (Isenberg & Jalongo, 2010, p. 7), and that this process changes as the child’s cognitive processes develop. Vygotsky reasoned that children need numerous learning opportunities with more knowledgable peers or adults (Santrock, 2009). Both theories have validity in this centre as some of the older children have had previous experience of working on projects with the same builder, which are open to all the children.
Having experience of this centre and what they have already produced, I wonder what they will create next.