Final Reflection 

Reflective practice can be defined as “think about how you teach and refining you teaching practice according to those thoughts” (O’Connor and Diggins, 2002) p.11). Reflective practice is so important for early childhood an educator, because a professional early childhood educator needs to be confident of their own skills and be able to make positive choices for professional development. They will benefit from being open to change. They understand themselves and be aware of learning is a continuous process for every day. From their own learning and knowledge; they help children to build their skills with steps. Also a reflective practitioner will need to love their job, do what they believe and spend more time on what happen around them, and always to have some new ideas for children in daily practice (Manukau institute of technology, 2010).

From reading my group member’s reflections and the comments they have given me I develop some new ideas regarding the use of technology in ECE center. One of the reflections is about vacuum cleaner. We al have vacuum cleaner in our center, but we never thought to let children have an opportunity to experience on it. “Children do have strongly held views about their environment and the place of technology in their world” (Fleer & Jane 1968, p.39). To be honest, what I was thinking before is just to get work done and children would not know how to use the vacuum cleaner, they will mark around and make the place mass again. After reading the reflection on vacuum cleaner I develop a thinking of let children help me to vacuum the floor, I am going to ask one child each day to help me and guide them give them instruction of how to use it and where about the floor need clean. Another reflection is about show children a DVD on TV at mat time, I really like this idea, because I found it is really hard to transition children from activities to mat time. I found TV is a really good tool to attract children’s concentrations. While they focus on the educational program they can also learn from it. According to Te Whariki strand 4 Communication, “Children develop experience with some of the technology and resources for mathematics, reading, and writing” (Ministry of Education, 1996).

Technology is every where surround us in our life. It is some thing as an early childhood educator start to consider. Not only technology is essential to children, also non-digital activities. Our job is to be able to extend the technology to other activities, or make link to non-digital activities. Therefore, children have a sense of what the technology use for and how they help our daily life.  

Reference

Fleer,M.,& Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mätauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

O’Connor, A., & Diggins, K. (2002): On reflection: Reflective practice for early childhood educators.  Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Open Mind Publishing.

Hyperlinks for comments

Comments of Hannah’s Reflections

http://hproud26.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-three-learning-stories-in-my.html?showComment=1333183513152#c5665745555267422856

http://hproud26.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-two-cameras-in-my-centre.html?showComment=1333181473553#c7529908508621287350

Comments of Larissa’s Reflections

http://siberianrussiangal-larav.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/group-project.html?showComment=1332926671484#c2031447782812107157

http://siberianrussiangal-larav.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/group-blog-project-for-technology-with.html?showComment=1332925416901#c1323434068797296122

Comments of Hyun’s Reflections

http://hyunseo-technoworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-3.html?showComment=1332927875647#c1943204844863073243

http://hyunseo-technoworld.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-1.html?showComment=1333249048543#c9175692534071752705

Comments of Youri’s Reflections

http://youriseo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-1.html?showComment=1333180237626#c3939821201039279447

http://youriseo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-3_23.html?showComment=1333185746334#c2035010085480018578

http://youriseo.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-2_22.html?showComment=1333186331148#c7286404403143845725

Comments of Kathryn’s Reflections

http://mossigal-kathryn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-3.html?showComment=1333245997252#c664399182430131698

http://mossigal-kathryn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/reflection-2.html?showComment=1333246634960#c7660390907495038712

http://mossigal-kathryn.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/blog-reflection-1.html?showComment=1333247715032#c2971418640065935608

Reflection 3

Non-digital

Musical Instruments

Image 1, children playing with musical instruments

One day in my centre, I saw a group of children were playing the musical instruments. I also saw them dancing and singing as well as they play the music instruments. I notice one of the staff joined them and sing songs together with children. Children were able to play the musical instrument in rhythmically in rhyme. I saw children were very confident and have awareness of how to use each one of the musical instrument. The staff was praise each child with musical instrument in their hand and encourage them to dance and sing. I have also notice the staff was clapping her hands to provide some rhythm to children.

Image 2, colorful wooden maracas

According to Te Whariki Contribution Gaol 2, “Children develop abilities and interests in a range of domains-spatial, visual, linguistic, physical, musical, logical or mathematical, personal, and social – which build on the children’s strengths” (Ministry of Education, 1996). Young children’s musical play usually centers on motor, imaginative, and perceptual experiences-seeing, hearing, and doing. Through these experiences, they begin to develop concepts about music (Talay- Ongan, 2005). Rhythm bands allow children to get actively involved in music. They also tend to get a greater response at the group time than singing and dancing. It is important to facilitate musical instrument where children can get free access to it. Children feel free to explore the sound- making material and to discover the imaginative ideas that go with music. According to Te Whariki Communication Goal 4, “Children develop ability to creative and expressive through a variety of activities, such as pretend play carpentry, story-telling, drama, and making music.”(Ministry of Education, 1996). According to Te Whariki Communication Goal 4, “Children develop an expectation that music, art, drama, and dance can amuse, delight, comfort, illuminate, inform, and excite.”(Ministry of Education, 1996).

Image 3, a child is making music out of  cans

 I believe Music it a very power tool in early childhood education. Children develop in physical, psychological well-being, and culture. Children loves music, they can express their feelings when play with musical instruments. Teachers need to make connections to learning from musical instruments. Provide opportunity for children to make musical instrument out of recycle materials. Musical instrument creation and playing can give children a chance to learn about music from different cultures as they research what instruments are used and how to make them and listen to music made by others. It is also a way of connecting music to art, social studies, science, language, and emergent literacy. we have know many object around us that can make sounds. let children to explore with their hand and experience the different sound different object make. We can also play music on stereo and let children feel free to play, and enjoy the music. 

Reference 

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2011). Foundations of early childhood education: Teaching children in a diverse society (5^th ed.). Boston, Ma: McGraw Hill. (Note 4^th edition acceptable).

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Talay-Ongan, A., & Ap, E. A. (Eds.). (2005). Child development and teaching young children. Southbank, Australia:

Image1

http://elcmilford.com/page/2/

Image2

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-71248351/stock-photo-colorful-wooden-toy-maracas-music percussion-instrument-for-kid-and-children-play-on-white.html

Image 3

http://www.thecraftycrow.net/2011/07/homemade-musical-instruments-for-kids.html

Reflection 1 

Digital Camera

Image 1, children taking photos of friends 

Today I saw a small group of children using Digital Camera taking photos of each others. I have also noticed children taking photos of their interests. I have recognized children’s awareness of technology as they know how to use this form of digital technology. I observe some of the staffs in centre provide opportunities of indoor and outdoor environments. Afterword, children were given the opportunities to see the photos that they taken. All of the children very exited and interested to see what was in their friend’s photos and discuss over it. I have observed teachers were able to approach to children’s photos.  

Image 2, a child taking a close shot of a poster

I recognized children are following their interests by capturing different images. This helped them to develop their problem solving skills, thinking skills and social skills. “Children do have strongly held view about their environment and the place of technology in their world. Knowing about these understandings is important for us as educators” (Fleer & Jane, 2011, p 39). From Technology students can develop a broad technological literacy that will equip them to participate in society as informed citizen and give them access to technology related career. Through the technological knowledge students develop knowledge particular to technological enterprises and environments and understanding of how things work. By offering a variety of contexts, teachers help their students to recognize links and develop generic understandings (The New Zealand Curriculum, 1993, p32). According to Te Whariki, from technology children gain experience in solving problems together develops children’s understanding of how technologies can help them and others (Ministry of education, 1996). Children can tell a story in picture, and photos share the learning with other students, parents, and community members. To facilities children with digital camera in center provide children opportunities to communicate, explore, and contribute in their small society.

Image 3, printing children's photos

Reflective practice is so important for an early childhood educator, because a professional early childhood educator needs to be confident of their own skills and be able to make positive choices for professional development. In response of children using digital camera, as teacher we should be able to link and extend this form of technology with children together, such as download to a computer, get children to choose their favorite one and printed out, and ask children to laminate with supervision display it in the room. Children need to know what their capturing by the camera is so important and special, we need to value and contribute to them.  When photos of children involved in learning experiences are displayed around the room, on computers, in storybooks, posters and portfolios, and used in games, we establish within the room a sense of belonging and ownership for those children. Parents will see the individual respect given to their child and others, and it also enhance the communication between early childhood educator and parents about day-to-day happenings. 

Reference 

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia.

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

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Image 1 

http://mybabyphotos.net/kids-bring-real-digital-cameras-to-fridays-show-and-tell/

Image 2

http://monika-prasad.blogspot.co.nz/

Image 3

http://www.itechnews.net/2008/03/21/sony-photo-printers-with-hdmi/

Reflection 2

Computer

Image 1, teacher interact with a child on computer

In My center I have noticed children were using computer technology. I saw a group of children were playing some educational programs on computer, such as mathematics, colors, drawing, and music. I have noticed children were able to use the mouse and keyboard to operate this form of technology. Some time I saw the teacher were involved in the activities, give directions, ask questions, and help them in terms of turns taking. When one of the children was playing on the computer another child was set beside her and observed. At some stage I heard they were having conversation about the games.

Image 2, a girl playing on computer 

Technology offers additional ways to learn, and to demonstrate learning. At the computer children can approach learning from a variety of perspectives and follow various path to a goal (Clements, 1999). Computers are a learning resource and should meet the same high standards of all the equipment, materials, and resources we provide young children. To use computers in developmentally appropriate ways is very important: computer placement, software selection, teacher interaction, and supporting activities. The sociological studies have illustrated that how high technology is currently being used by children and how the technology is being shaped by the business sector to form a new market (Fleer & Jane 1968). I recognized children are intellectually developed in technology skills. They found the connection of technology, play and learning from computer. Also teachers in center were able to approach on it, and support children by providing opportunities. Facilitate computer technology in center is also very import in order to support children’s development. Technology offers unique intellectual experiences and opportunities for young children. Fro some children computers can reveal hidden strengths.

Image 3, two children are playing on computer together 

Teachers play an essential role when computers are used successfully with young children. As an Early childhood educator we need to provide relevant digital technology activities in children’s learning, and able to extend between technology and non-digital technology. In practice, children develop social skills and problem solving skills during play on computer. They are able to use other digital product to make connection to computer, such as link the digital camera to computer and download pictures and music with teacher’s support. To extend the computer technology to non-digital technology is also a strategy for teacher, such as, print out the educational picture from computer and let children cut and make art creativity.   

Reference 

Clements, D.H. (1991). Enhancement of creativity in computer environments. American Educational Research Journal. 28(1), 173-187.

Fleer, M., & Jane, B. (2011). Design and technology for children. Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia.

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

Image 1

http://www.alyn.org/services-directory/projects-and-additional-activities/computer-accessibility-center-for-children-with-special-needs

Image 2

http://thenextweb.com/insider/2011/09/10/what-todays-digital-native-children-can-teach-the-rest-of-us-about-technology/

Image 3

http://ictearlyyears.e2bn.org/planning3_37.html