Final  Reflection

"Technology is a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments"

(Smorti, 1999, p.5)

I really enjoyed doing this assignment. Through the journey of doing this assignment I learnt new things like blogging which was my first time and how important technology is to children’s learning and development. The interesting thing was that I never realized that technology was present in my centre everywhere and all the time. I have never understood technology like I do now in terms of technology being about helping people and solving problems by using and providing simple effects such as construction, cooking, swing, and mosaic as a technological device. My perception of technology only was more to do with complicated devices, computers, mobile phones or iPods’, and all the electronic stuff. “Technology is a tool that can provide, another way for children to learn and make sense of their world” (Smorti, 1999, p.5)  But after attending this course the People, Places, Things and Events class by Sharon, I realized that I was always surrounded by technology.

 Children now experience all sorts of technologies such as computers, T.V, phones and many more. According to Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett and Farmer (2008) states that “It is vital that the early childhood curriculum is responsive to these changes and helps to engage children in a rapidly changing world’ (p. 10). In my own practice to promote the use of technology, I have initiated in given children hands on experience in exploring the technologies we have such as cooking, computers, gardening or laptops and phones.

Viewing and commenting in other blogs was exciting for me as it opens up a wealth of knowledge and also gives me a glance of what is happening in my fellow students centre and also lack of knowledge about other forms of technology.  From the students’ feedback on my post, I have learnt that I have been very honest on about writing the digital and non-digital technology reflections. I have also learnt that by reflecting I can make active decisions about how can I improve on what I am doing?  I got the  positive feedback from other students that I was very observant of what the children had been doing and how can I extend their interest on these technology reflections. This comment made me more open to change and I have started to see things from different view. 

When looking of my experience in blogging, I had absolutely no idea what to write. Thanks to my class friends, finally I was able to start my blogging. After visiting most of the other student’s blog, I was able to confidently post my blogs. Nevertheless, by reading others blog has helped me a lot. Technology helps children in many ways. For example communication, problem solving, enables them to be creative and imaginative, Ministry of Education, (1996) supports this by stating that the children can use technology to represent creative and expensive arts. Through technology use young children develop hand/eye coordination, language and gross motor skills.  

Throughout this course I have learnt how important it is safety around technology is, and how important it is that children learn how to use technology properly to keep themselves safe. Te Whāriki states that “children develop increasing knowledge about how to keep themselves safe from harm” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.52).I have also learnt that people, places, things and events can have a great influence on a child, and I have learnt how important outside influences can be for the learning of a child. So as a teacher and a role model to our children, I believe that it is our responsibility to ensure these children have the opportunity to experience these meaningful learning moments and that we foster them the best we can.  I also learnt practices that I can promote the use of technology in my centre and also gained knowledge and ways in which I can incorporate technology in my practice

After doing this assignment (People, Places, Things and Events) I have learnt the value of technology in children’s lives and how significance is the use of technology on children’s learning and development. In my opinion I believe children should be provided with more opportunities of technology such as the digital and non-digital devices. This is how the children are learning to do problem solving and have better understanding.

References:

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S.,Farmer, S., & Death, E. (2008). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4^th ed.).  Melbourne: Thompson Learning.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: Hē Whāriki Mātauranga mō  nga

Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington: Learning

            Media.