Poi - Non Digital Technology

Poi is originally made from Harakeke (flax).  It was used by Maori (Tangata Whenua) for women to perform in the last century, but now we used plastic bags, newspapers and wool to make them.  The children use it not just for entertainment but also to help with their hand & eye coordination as they swing it around.  The children are also learning about them by creating their own poi’s using materials available at our Centre.  For example, children sometimes used their collage papers and placed them in plastic then used string to tie to form their own poi.

“Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environments” (Smorti, S, 1999, p 5).  The Poi is a non digital technology and is also important to Maori waiata for women when they perform for their people and others.  The children are also learning which culture it belongs to as we, in our Centre perform with it when it comes to Maori week or the Matariki day. 

“Technology is never static. It is influenced by and in turn impacts on the cultural, ethical, environmental, political, and economic conditions of the day.” (Ministry of Education, 2011, p. 32)

The advantages of the Poi are to help the children to identify where they belonged and also learning to dance in another culture by using them.  Poi is about creativity where children learn to choose their own materials to make and also having the understanding of Maori protocols, meaning of how to use the flax appropriately.  This is one of our cultural technologies that are used all the time so tat our children can explore and learn. Other beneficial advantages of children using Poi are that; it improves coordination and promotes flexibility. It also increases confidence and self esteem in them. Coordination of Poi works both sides of the brain improving bi-lateral motor skills.

The use of non – digital technology helps children use more of their body parts and muscles where is digital technology often requires the least of efforts. Digital technology makes have become an essential part of our lives today but I also feel that it is good to know the analog ways. It is important to include in our children’s education, stories, tools and symbols of the past and how things came to be. According to Te Whariki, “children develop familiarity with an appropriate selection of the stories and literature valued by the cultures in their community”. (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 78)

I think these are good ways of getting children aware of cultural diversity. By sharing the stories and symbols of different cultures, we (teachers) are creating a pathway for them to learn and experience non-digital technology.

References:

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

Ministry of Education (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. Retrieved from http://www.minedu.govt.nz/.../MinEdu/Files/TheMinistry/EducationInitiatives/Tataiako/TataiakoWEB.pdf

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

Phones are fun… ☺

Blog 2

Phones are fun… J

Telephones and mobile phones have become an essential part of the world today. In today’s world, its getting more advanced and modernized by the day. Phones have become an important means of communication. Phones are vital tools in today’s world, which encourages communication, and this can often come in handy in emergencies.

Relating it to early childhood settings, phones are the most common and efficient way for teachers to communicate with parents about their children. When children get sick or are not feeling well at the Centre, the teachers use the phones to contact parents about it. Parents are also welcome to call the Centre to check on their children

At my Centre, teachers have brought in dummy phones for our technology area. I personally feel its good for children to get exposed to these things, as it has become a vital part of our everyday lives. Children are learning about things, which they will eventually have to use or deal with in their future.  Children see phones everyday; they see the adults around them using it, especially their parents and siblings. So at the Centre, they pretend they are having a conversation using the dummy phones, they imitate how they have seen their parents or other people using it. I once came across a child pretending to be on the phone and saying, “ Hello Mummy, I just finished having my lunch. Did you have yours too mummy”. Children are usually influenced by what they see in their everyday lives and in this case, it is beneficial for them as it is improving their communication skills and helping them interact. Te Whariki tells us that” during these early years, children are learning to communicate their experience in many ways, and they are also learning to interpret the ways in which others communicate and represent experience” (Ministry of Education, 1996).

Technology provides children with advanced ways to learn about the things they will be exposed to in their near future. These include the use of phone and the educational apps, which are available to download straight to your phone.” Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products, systems or environment” (Smorti, 1999).

Technology has advanced so much today that we can now use the smart phones for a number things like recording sounds, videos, camera for photos which they can view instantly. It also does the work of radios and cd players as it can play music, which our children really love. I have noticed that the children really enjoy using the touch screen on the phones, as it’s easier than pressing the buttons. One day at my Centre, I joined a group of children at the technology table. They were using the dummy phones to talk to each other and one of the child called out, “my brother has a phone in which I can use my finger to touch the games I wanna play” he added that he really enjoys using it. I thought this was really amazing and discussed it with my associate teacher asking her if it was appropriate to allow our children to some experience using touch screens on a smartphone. When she agreed, I got an opportunity to show all the other children how it works and gave them a chance to try it as well during the mat time. Many children yelled out that they had seen phone like that from their parents or siblings.

Overall I believe that technology plays an imperative role in the early childhood sector as we and the people around are using it very commonly. Our children are learning the same and are profiting from it.

References

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

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

Computers for Kiddies

Technology has become an important part in early childhood Centre’s today. Especially computers have become a very common technology that is used by children all over the world. It has also proven to be an asset to children’s wholesome learning and development. The use of computers enhances children’s knowledge of the world they will step into as adults. It provides them with an outlook of the outer world. Computers ease and accelerate the process of learning. For example, children in our Centre use computers and Internet to learn more about the world and happenings. “Children gain experience in using communication technologies such as crayons, paint brushes, pencils, calculators, books and computers” (Ministry of Education,1996,p.97).

When the earthquake hit Christchurch, the teachers used the computer as an important tool to educate our children at the Centre about the quake and how to react in similar situations and ways of prevention.

“Te Whariki states that in order to participate in this world, our children will need the confidence to develop their own perspectives as well as the capacity to continue acquire new knowledge and skills” (smorti, 1999). Therefore teachers will need to implement technology within the Centre as it is a vital part of the early childhood curriculum and children will eventually benefit from it in their future.

One day at the Centre, the children wanted to do some baking. We (teachers) asked the children what they wanted to bake and one of the children shouted out ‘rainbow cake’. We asked the children if they knew how a rainbow cake was made and instantly one of the girls shouted out “lets look for it on the computer”. The teachers understood that the child was referring to the Internet. Children know that the computer and the Internet can be used for problem solving and searching for the things we do not know about.

All day at the Centre, the children use the keyboards/ computers in their play. Some of the children mimic how their parents use the computers at work or home because they have seen it. Often children play shopkeepers with the ‘dummy’ computers to process sales like they do at the supermarkets or other shops. This shows that the children know about the various uses of computers in their surroundings. Te Whariki supports my finding as it states “The ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them” (Ministry of Education, 1996).

Computers these days, also provides us with educational apps that help children build their knowledge. There are games on the computers and over the Internet, which promote numeracy and literacy skills for children. Another important fact is that most children love using technology as they see it being used by the adults around them and they feel happy using it. Providing new and fun means of teaching and learning excites and provokes children’s inner drive to learn.

Whilst there are many advantages associated with the use of computers by our young children, they are also some disadvantages related to it.

Internet can teacher children many things.

References

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

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