Reflection 2: 13/08/13

“I know how to do it”!

 

Today I was relieving in the Future Fern room (3-4 year olds) and was put in charge of monitoring the computers. T (aged 4) asked me if he could use the computer to show P (aged 3) the difference between a beetle and a cicada. I said “yes” and began to turn the computer on for him, when he told me “Racheal, I know how to do it, I was just asking if I could use it”. He then went on to turn on the computer and show P the insect program.

This was a significant moment for me because I had not seen the children interacting with this type of technology (computer) before, since it is not available in the 0-3 year olds room where I usually work. From this I realised how beneficial computers can be for children, in the early childhood environment. I was able to see how T’s understanding of a programme on the computer, allowed him to extend his knowledge and then share it with P. This moment also showed me how capable the children are at using technology like the computer, and I am glad that T was able to put me in my place, when I automatically went to start the computer for him.

I believe that it is important that children get to experience and learn the skills, that are required for the technology that they are going to be facing in their everyday lives. Parette, Quesenberry & Blum say that “The explosion of powerful technology…demands a drastically different set of skills” (2009, p.337) and I believe that the early childhood environment is the ideal place to begin to prepare and teach children these new skills. I was amazed at the skills that T has already developed for the computer. He showed concentration and control as he moved the mouse and clicked on the appropriate icons to get to his desired programme. While he was doing this, he was sharing the process with P, using appropriate technological language, which included “mouse” “click” and “icon”. The insect project has been an on-going project for the older children, so it was great to see that T has developed “the ability to identify and use information from a range of sources” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.88) to extend, not only his learning but his peers learning to.

What influenced my involvement in this moment? When T came to me to ask if he could use the computer to look at the insects, I automatically said yes. I was actually amazed that the computers were used for things other than games. I think that because I am not usually in this room and have not seen the children interacting with ICT, I wondered how beneficial the computers really were to children’s learning. But as Keengwe & Onchwari say “Technology is beneficial to children[s] learning if used appropriately” (2009, p.210) and from experiencing this technology with the children, I agree with them.

When I was put in charge of monitoring the computers, I was also told that the computers had just been fixed due to misuse. So when T asked to use the computers my reaction to turn it on was because I was unsure of the children’s abilities, in regards to using the computer. This made me reflect on my actions in the moment and realise that T is more than capable of turning on the computer by himself; I just needed to provide support, scaffolding and encouragement if he needed it.  

References

Keengwe, J., & Onchwari, G. (2009). Technology and early childhood education: a technology integration professional development model for practicing teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 209-218.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki he whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: early childhood curriculum. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media Limited.

Parette, H. P., Quesenberry, A. C., & Blum, C. (2010). Missing the boat with technology usage in early childhood settings: a 21^st century view of developmentally appropriate practice. Early Childhood Education Journal, 37, 335-343.