Before having this course, when talking about technology, what come into my mind automatically are the digital technology products such as computer and cameras. However, after I had this course and read a few articles, I have learnt that technology is much a broader term than I used to understand. Technology is about “helping people and solving problems”, technology is also a purposeful activity which is intended to solve problem and achieve goals by using strategies (Smorti, 1999, p.5). After that, I started to recognize more and more technological items or activities which are usually ignored by us, for example, paper, scissor, cooking and painting.
Children explore through various types of non-digital technologies every day. One of the technologies that children loved to use is magnifying glass. We have several magnifying glasses in the science corner, children loved exploring the world closely with the magnifying glass.
This morning, a little boy M came into the centre with a small container in his hand. He told us proudly that he had found a praying mantis at home and daddy helped him put the praying mantis in a container so he could bring it in and show it to other children. We transferred the praying mantis to the insect observing container which we use to store insects that children found from centre or home. Several children were attracted by the praying mantis, they came over and wanted a look. A child said the mantis was too small and he could not see it properly, another child suggested him to use the magnifying glass. I was very impressed to notice the process of problem solving has occurred. Linking to what I learnt from Smorti (1999), I realized a technological activity has begun. Ministry of Education (1996) suggests that children should develop the problem solving skills. Now this technological activity provides children an opportunity to find out solution for the problem.
I was pleased to hear the conversation arouse from this activity, because it indicates that the technological activity has enhanced children’s communication and language skills. As we only have three magnifying glass in the science corner, children need to take turns while using them, children’s social skills has also been nurtured through this learning experience While children are exploring with the magnifying glass, I often use open-ended questions to foster their learning (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009). For example, when M is observing the spider with the magnifying glass, I asked him, “How does the magnifying glass make the spider look like?” M answered me, “It’s big! I can see all the legs of the praying mantis now.” I believe that asking open-ended question is a good strategy to expand children’s thinking and foster children’s learning. Furthermore, I have noticed that children learnt opposite concepts through exploring the magnifying glass, for example, far and close; big and small. Overall, this technological activity has enhanced children’s learning and development from all aspects.
I believed this technological learning experience is beneficial to children’s learning and development. In my future practice, I will keep on looking at children’s learning from a technological lens and reflecting on them, so that I could be better supporting children with their technological learning experience. Thanks to this course which has helped to understand a lot more advantages of technology.
Reference:
Google. (n.d.). Image1. Retrieved from http://willowchildrensnursery.edublogs.org/files/2010/09/boy-with-magnifying-glass-29eyjol.jpg
Google. (n.d.). Image 3. Retrieved from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2UC8cBDzy3-1qQuOq7WMbQSzndf-Ox2FXMZaUG1dG6mRg8WWmJFagWHpDItCfoJcD-gj9ax5xogbMwTsAjO9TBON91CpGdcAN6f8-bWglZFp8JfG4bPZsfg1Kazq24GRoFiDI3ZVYdQ/s400/magnifyingGlass2.jpg
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, NSW, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Smori, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.
Hi Camellia,
ReplyDeleteFinally you posted this long-expected reflection about non-digital technology in children’s learning and development. That is awesome!
I can’t agree with you more on that the benefits of this assignment have brought to us. It provided great opportunities for us to learn about other people’s perspectives, to exchange information and to share knowledge. It also opened our eyes, just like most of us have found that we experience technology every day in the centre and our personal life, but hardly anyone realize that or view the world from a technology lens.
I also agree with you that technological learning experience is beneficial to children’s learning and development. I have also learnt from literatures that magnifying objects stimulate children to observe and think deeper. The skills gained for observation and inquire help children to develop in all domains. The loupes and microscopes’ usage fosters children’s metaphorical and scientific analogical thinking.
The following article discusses about magnifying objects’ benefits in children’s learning, and you may find it useful. I think it is worth a read.
Cowan, K. W. And Cipriani, S. (2009). Of water troughs and the sun: Developing inquiry through analogy. Young Children 64(6), 62-65.
HI Camellia.
ReplyDeleteEven I thought the same, that technology means buttons to be pressed.Digital technology has taken over the world so much that we actually forget about the very simple technologies that helps make our daily life much easier.
Magnifying glass is an amazing technology. In fact the magnifying glass lead to the invention of microscope and telescope.There is a lot of information on magnifying glass, if you want to find more about it on this web link.
http://www.innovateus.net/innopedia/how-do-magnifying-glass-works
It is a great tool to use with the children, especially when children are doing science projects or are trying to observe something more closely. And I do agree that magnifying objects brings about a lot of curiosity and discussion.
My 2 and a half year old son has a magnifying glass and he loves watching our faces with it. I think that he is amazed by it, because he will continue to move the glass closer and furtherer from our faces.
A great insight of how children use a non digital technology. Tumeke!
Tumeke Camellia,
ReplyDeleteA magnifying glass is a great choice of non-digital technology to reflect upon. It is such a great piece of technology that enables us to look more closely at objects. That was an awesome moment that you captured, with one child suggesting to the other to use a magnifying glass to see it better. It did indeed show problem solving skills. The child was using the knowledge that he had gained from previous experiences with the magnifying glasses in your centre and used it to solve the problem. This example clearly showed how children can help each other solve problems through suggestions and their points of view.
I wonder if the children have found other ways of using the magnifying glass for purposes other than it was originally intended for. It reminds me of others in my childhood burning ants with the sun shining through the magnifing glass, but maybe that is not a good thing to suggest to the children!! Anyway I encourage you to look at the way children use technology that is different to how you expect them to use it.
You and the other group members have highlighted to me the benefits of a magnifying glass, and I have been encouraged to make it always available to the children who I teach.
This is a great reflection Camellia. I enjoyed reading this post, and I found it very insightful and interesting. I agree that this course has got use thinking more about all the non-digital technologies that are around us and in our centres. It is so true that through interacting with non-digital technologies children are learning many different skills and concepts.
ReplyDeleteFrom what you have reflected on it looks to me like the technique of asking open ended questions worked well for this experience. I wonder if perhaps it would be beneficial to think about other techniques you could use when engaging with children in other non-digital experiences. As you already know Macnaughton & Williams (2009) is a great place to look for ideas.
From this reflection I can see that you are clearly beginning to use a technological lens when working with young children. Ka Pai, Camellia, I hope that although we no longer need to write any blogs on this you continue to think and reflect on this.
Awesome page...thankyou so much...I am quite fond of all types of lens....A Jewelers loupe is very handy..and they are so cheap...a very worthwhile investment..Its amazing what you can find on ebay these days...The owled lashes @ no spaces
ReplyDeletegreat blog you have posted. i like this blog and about non digital technology. Magnifier is a very impressive technology which we can use for many other purposes. Thanks for sharing this information. for more type of magnifier visit today Magnifier
ReplyDeleteGreat piece of information. making children to focus on details and increasing their knowledge and intelligence is good idea. check kids IQ here
ReplyDelete