Reference List

References

Craft, A. (2002) Creativity and Early Years Education. London: Continuum.

Barblett, L., & Maloney, C. (2010). Complexities of assessing social and emotional                        competence and wellbeing in young children. Australasian Journal of Early   Childhood, 35(2), 13-18.

Beghetto, R. J. (2007). Creativity in Teaching. Ideational Code-Switching: Walking the talk about supporting Student Creativity in the Classroom: Roeper Review; Summer 2007; 29, 4; Academic Research    Library pg.265

 Gonzalez-Mena, J., & Eyer, D.W. (2009). Infant, toddlers, and caregivers: A curriculum or respectful responsive care and education (8^{th ed.}). boston, MA: McGrawHill Higher Education.

Greenfield, C. (2007). Review of New Zealand Research on Outdoor Play in Early Childhood Education. Early Education, (Autumn/Winter 2007), 24-29.

Greenfield, C. (2007). What is it about the monkey bars? Early Childhood Folio, 11:2007, 31-35.

Ministry of Education. (2004). Kei tua o te pae assessment for learning: Early childhood exemplars. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Orange, C.  (2004). An illustrated History of the Treaty of Waitangi. Wellington: Bridget Williams.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Personal Reflection

Reflecting back on my personal blogs I believe that it has broaden my view about technology and it has allowed me to think more in-depth of the learning that takes place within the centre and also the technology equipment that revolves around us. I believe that teachers need to have a firm sound knowledge in regards of the technology equipment’s that is being used in centre. This will make it easier for teachers to assist children and guide them in using it on their own. It also sets children for the future in preparing them for the world that revolves around technology. Learning about the world of technology has extended my perspective of the different types of technology that is been used in the centre which are known as the

Digital camera, ipad, apple computers, e-book, and tablet. These are the main technology equipment that is being used in the centre. I was also surprised about few of the children that are already aware of using these technology tools on their own and knowing how they function. This shows that children are very capable of adapting themselves into the new technology that we have in today’s society. As stated in Smorti “Educators in early childhood are to scaffold children’s learning in this area we need to broaden our understanding of technology and continue to extend our knowledge and skill base (1999, pg. 5).

The feedback that I have received from my peers has assisted me to better my practice and has also made me realize things that I needed to improve on and change. The majority of the feedback that I have received from my peers were very positive and encouraging. This made me feel relieved knowing that I have done a great job on my blogs. However, it has also given me opportunities to learn more about trying different approaches of teaching children and learning together. One of the feedbacks that I have received from one of our peers as she stated in my blog about obstacle equipment was to try more outdoor activities and also scaffolding children’s learning to challenge them. I believe this was a great way of allowing me to learn and develop more ways of teaching children different techniques and knowing that there are more ways of teaching children in risk taking challenges that will allow them to develop independency and confidence. This is a great help as it teaches us student teachers to be more reflective and to critique our actions to be more define in our practice as educators and facilitators (Ministry of Education, 1996). Moreover, the feedback that I have received from each of our group members has enhanced my view on my own learning and personally it has challenged me to be more critical and in-depth with the way that I adapt to thinking and writing most of all sharing experience with children.

Overall, I believe this was a fun experience that I have enjoyed doing, at first it is challenging but more rewarding when it is done and over. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to share knowledge in working with children as well as my experience and also providing feedback to my peers which I have enjoyed the most. It made me feel like I was a lecture providing feedback to each of my group member’s blogs. Moreover, it has allowed me to learn a new skill of creating blogs on the website which is another technology skill I have gained. This learning experience has helped me to learn and adapt more technology tools in my experience in learning with children.  

References

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

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Hyperlinks

Komal:

Comment 1:
http://komalranii.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/non-digital-technology.html

Comment 2:
http://komalranii.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/fun-with-computers.html

Comment 3:
http://komalranii.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/learning-with-ipad_22.html

Megan:

Comment 1:
http://meganlaupa7.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/the-real-life-touch-of-play-dough.html

Comment 2:
http://meganlaupa7.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/going-shopping.html

Comment 3:
http://meganlaupa7.blogspot.co.nz/2013/03/electronic-stories.html

Jiawen:

Comment 1:
http://jiawenou.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/computer.html

Comment 2:
http://jiawenou.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/cd-player.html

Comment 3:
http://jiawenou.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/computer.html

Iveti:

Comment 1,2 & 3

http://ivetinamomo.blogspot.co.nz/

Obstacle Equipment

Obstacle courses are one of the most common and new technology equipment that we have in today’s society. It can also be referred to as the jungle gym, I believe all schools have this technology equipment in their setting that display as a huge play system that consist of different types of obstacle features for children to play on. However, obstacle equipment’s are made up of steel or wood most commonly steel which is much more stable, fun and challenging for young children to play on. I believe that back in the day children did not have any playground or obstacle equipment’s to play on. Therefore, the outdoors and other natural resources was their material idea of playing on a playground. This assisted children in the outdoors to develop their social skills, intellectual and physical development of learning (Greenfield, 2007).  Today, most children are lucky enough to have their own sets of playground at their own homes. There are also playgrounds in local parks where children can go and play on which is convenient and close distance to their homes. 

There have been concerns for parents in regards of their children’s safety of playing on the obstacle equipment’s. Their concerns vary that their children’s safety are to broad so they limit and restrict areas that are not suitable for children to play in. for an example, some parents are concerned when their children are playing in the outdoors on the jungle gym weather or not they will get hurt or climb on high walls or take risky jumps off buildings. However, back in the days children will go outside and play in the neighbourhood unsupervised because they felt safe and trusted to leave their children to explore their environment. Although, it’s amazing how today society is that new generations are adapting more to technological obstacle equipment and are aware of how they work. Nevertheless, I believe that it is great that parents are to be concerned about their children safety but more importantly it is the experiences that they gain that aids with their learning and awareness of the environment so they cannot adapt or adjust to it unless they take risk because learning from mistakes makes them learn from them and practice to become better and confident learners (Barblett & Maloney, 2010). It also gives children the opportunity to learn and play alongside others while building relationships (Ministry of Education, 1996).

In my centre we have a big jungle gym and also play houses where children can take risk of trying the monkey bars and climbing on the boxes and jumping down from it. As stated in Greenfield, “The children’s favorite areas all had common features of risk, speed, excitement, thrills, uncertainty and challenge” (2007, pg. 26). I believe that this challenges children physically and more importantly it assists with their health by providing them with regular exercises that they do daily (Greenfield, 2007). This will help young children with the muscles in their body as it flexes into shape as they continue to develop the skills of playing on the jungle gym.  Children can also build relationships in the playground as they initiate turn taking with other children. Teachers could also assist in this learning by role modelling to children when needed assistance and guidance such as helping them get across the monkey bars. The monkey bars assisted children to engage their body’s in more complex configurations where it allows them to hang from there and do all sorts of tricks on the equipment (Greenfield, 2007).

As Educators I believe that it is crucial to facilitate children with a lot of experiences of their play in the outdoors on obstacle equipment’s. This will assist them in areas where they will become socially competent in socializing with other children. It will also enhance their physical development by exercising the muscles in their body and taking risk to try out new daily obstacle challenges that is fun and exciting (Barblett & Maloney, 2010).

References

Barblett, L., & Maloney, C. (2010). Complexities of assessing social and emotional competence and wellbeing in young children. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 35(2), 13-18.

Greenfield, C. (2007). Review of New Zealand Research on Outdoor Play in Early Childhood Education. Early Education, (Autumn/Winter 2007), 24-29.

Greenfield, C. (2007). What is it about the monkey bars? Early Childhood Folio, 11:2007, 31-35.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum.Wellington: Learning Media.

Music

One of the common technology tools that are used in my centre is the musical instruments. I believe that they play an important part of technology tool in young children’s lives. Back in the day I believe that children did not have the right equipment to play music because they did not have enough money or any funding to supply musical instruments. However, today’s society children are lucky enough to be funded with proper musical instruments that could assist them in furthering their knowledge and experiences in learning music. Music is an integral part that provides children opportunities of interest which allows them to learn how to play with music and not only that but listen to the music and understand the rhythm and sound towards the music. The most popular music activity that children love to do is to sing, dance and playing with the musical instruments (Yim & Ebbeck, 2009).

 “Teachers need to encourage and model creativity in the classroom” (Beghetto, 2007, p. 1). In my centre a lot of the children enjoy listening to the sound of music and it also sets children’s dispositions where they behave in certain ways as they listen to music, some are happy, excited and active. Music can bring different types of moods depending on the sound and the lyric and as children hear the music they automatically jump with excitement as they get ready to dance, sing or grab an instrument. I believe that it is evident that teachers role model positive behaviours as they encourage children to sing or dance along with the music (Ministry of Education, 1996). One of the examples in my centre is when children are playing in the outdoors, I thought of having some music in the background so I brought the radio outside so that children could play and at the same time listen to music. This was exciting as children loved the music and they would come towards the music and dance. It was truly good to see the smile on children’s faces and their excitement about dancing. Other children will go and grab instruments such as the microphones and drums and pretend to sing and drum along to the music. This is a great way of children exploring music in a fun environmental learning space (Ministry of Education, 1996). I believe that children were able to inhabit relationships with other children in singing and dancing together. Music can also be a way of motivating children physical fitness which can be social or physical. As children are singing along to the music they will be able to memorise the words and dancing children are moving their body to the beat. So without children noticing they are also exercising their muscles in their body.

Furthermore, children can be more advantage in music as they are able to learn at a very young age as they get older and move towards primary and so forth. Teachers play an instrumental role in assisting children to develop their abilities in music (Beghetto, 2007). Children will start to have grasp knowledge of music and will be able to identify all the musical instruments and also the songs. Children may also want to take a path in the musical industry and pursue it as a courier which is happening to a lot of children in today’s generation where they favour singing as their talent or dancing or playing a musical instrument. Children can also be inspired by music and the lyric where they are able to learn and maybe compose their own music. As stated in craft “Fostering children’s possibility thinking can be seen as building their resilience and confidence and reinforcing their capabilities as confident explorers, meaning-makers and decision-makers” (2002, p. 1).

References

Craft, A. (2002) Creativity and Early Years Education. London: Continuum.

Beghetto, R. J. (2007). Creativity in Teaching. Ideational Code-Switching: Walking the talk about supporting Student Creativity in the Classroom: Roeper Review; Summer 2007; 29, 4; Academic Research    Library pg.265

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