Over time the children have shown their curiosity in the crickets and other bugs found around the centre. What has this got to do with technology you ask? Well, the interest in crickets has led to the children experiencing use of technology in the centre.
It all started in the garage. While getting the equipment out of the garage a child spotted a cricket in the corner when the climbing box was moved. As the child investigated the cricket other children showed interest too. After poking and prodding at the cricket, it moved about and kept hiding. I captured the poor cricket in a container. This allowed the children to get a better look at the creature. The children saw the different body parts of the cricket and this sparked conversation and questions. Where do crickets come from? Where do they live? What do they eat? Over the next few days the children began noticing more crickets around the centre. Some of the crickets weren’t moving much, which added more curiosity. Were they dead or alive? We got the laptop out and did a search on the internet to find the answers. Using Google we looked at images and read information on sites about crickets. We found out that an adult cricket has the life span of 3 months. We also discovered that crickets liked to eat fruit. One child wanted to feed the crickets some fruit, so we found some fruit in the kitchen, chopped it up and placed it out in the garden for the crickets to come and eat. Again we revisited the images using Google again. This time we printed and laminated the pictures and the children put them on the wall to look at. The pictures were rather popular and the children began finding more bugs around the centre. From this interest leading into bugs, together we looked at Google images again, finding a range of bug pictures. We printed the pictures and displayed them. The pictures were very popular so using the power point programme on the computer we made a book. The children helped to laminate the pages and then binded the pages together to make a book for the library. This was allowing the children to begin developing research skills and the ability to take responsibility in their own learning. “Children experience an environment where they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p88).
Through the children’s interest of crickets and bugs the children became exposed to learning through technology available. As the children used the laptop they learnt how to use the computer carefully and safely. As a teacher I was very wary of the children using the laptop. I felt myself doing most of the work and limiting the children’s use. This barrier made me aware of my insecurities of children using technology in the centre. Am I afraid that they will damage it? Am I questioning their capabilities? And underestimating their ability? Tsantis, Bewick and Thouvenelle (2003) discussed the myths of using computers impacting on how teachers implement these as learning tools in the curriculum. I feel that perhaps with my lack of knowledge in computers, I am projecting my insecurity of using computers onto the children. I now aim to steer away from this and allow my knowledge to expand through the children’s use of computers.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington: Learning Media.
Tsantiis, L.A., Benwick, C.J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examing some common Myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children. Vol 58 (1), pp.1-9
I read with interest how you extended children’s interest in crickets and bugs by helping them to surf the internet to obtain more information. You have shown the children how to use the computer effectively to support their learning. Good job, Tina. I fully understand how you feel about children using your laptop as I have the same feeling. Because all my assignments are stored in my laptop, I am hesitant about allowing children to use it, fearing that should they hit the wrong button, my assignments may be affected. Like you, I am also learning to deal with this apprehension. As a precaution, I shall seriously look into backing up essential information into a thumb drive. With that reassurance, we can allow the children to use the computer more freely. As we all know, when the computer is used well, it can make a huge contribution to the education of young children.
ReplyDeleteKia Ora Tina, Fantastic Blog, I read with great interest how your children initially spotted the cricket in the garage,which lead to their questioning about its lifespan and diet. You embraced the teachable moment to extend their knowledge of crickets and use of technology within your centre.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your trepidation regarding the children accessing your personal laptop. Do you not have a centre computer you can access?
Perhaps, you could extend the children's use of technology and have a 'computer session' much like our blogging session in class. Discuss with the children the 'correct way' of utilizing the laptop, explain to them the buttons need only be pressed lightly, and the laptop must sit on a firm surface. Then invite them to have a turn using microsoft word.Children need to familiarise themselves with the computer if they are to learn to use it appropriately.
As Emily suggested, if you are going to use the laptop with children, you should back up your hardrive, actually, regardless of working with children you should still back up your hardrive!!
It was a novel idea to create a book using the google images as opposed to displaying them on the wall, perhaps you could implement an activity where they could draw their own bugs for laminating and binding.....Good Luck and Tumeke!
Im not sure where the confusion has come in about it being my laptop. It was a centre laptop, and I still feel the same responsibility for the centre laptop as I do my own, actually if not more. But I understand what you are suggesting and appreciate the feedback. You stated, "Children need to familiarise themselves with the computer if they are to learn how to use them." This is a very strong point that somehow needed to be spelt out to me. I think of my frustrations with using new equipment and I now realise the children would be feeling the same frustration along with the CURIOSITY!
ReplyDeleteYou know the challenging thing for me now is, learning how to back up my hardrive! Since I have been told by very noble sources that I should back up my hardrive now matter what. The question is, how? Perhaps a book on 'backing up hardrives for dummies' is in order?
Isn't it funny that sometimes it takes feedback to see the good you are doing. Your comment about me embracing the teachable moment, that made me feel good. Technology is good for the soul hahaha
Well Mum of four, you will be proud. Today I got the computer out (the centre computer) for the children to start exploring with.
ReplyDeleteTo start with I was going to use the paint programme for the children to make mother's day cards with. However as it required alot of co-ordination with the mouse and stuff I cancelled that idea and set them up on word. I sat with the children as they pushed buttons and played around. As they participated I guided and demonstrated how to use the computer appropriately. I was surprisingly very relaxed and we had some fun. I found it very rewarding to see how they learnt so quickly.
One little girl sat pushing some of the buttons. She was rather apprehensive to begin with but with my reassurance and encouragement she got more confident to push away. She ended up sitting and continually pressing ENTER. By the time she was finished the document was 27 pages long! lol
I was very proud of the children with their active listening, turn taking and respect/responsibility. Thank you for your feed back it has really helped my outlook and practice :)
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