Final Reflection!!

This blog project has brought lots of surprises and benefits to me. It opened my eyes and inspired me to think deeply, critically and technologically through reading my group members’ insightful reflections and their comments on my posts. My group members pointed out some areas I can change and need to work on more. For example, they suggested me reflecting more on my teaching strategies.

I believe that teachers play an important role in children’s learning. I will use effective teaching strategies to promote children’s learning and development related to technology, including encouragement, open-ended questions, prompts, demonstration and many more suggested by Macnaughton & Williams (2009). For example, I will be modeling and scaffolding children to use non digital equipment to solve problems. I will ask children open-ended questions to promote their critical thinking skills.

Besides, I will set up a technology enriched and stimulating environment. For example, I will think of the position of computers. In front of the computer, I will leave enough space for at least two children, so that they could share and interact. Also, other children could easily participate in the computer activity.

Moreover, my team members also reminded me to nurture children to use technological devices in a safe, ethical and appropriate way. I will implement that into my practice through using role model, demonstrating and other strategies. I think if a child used the computer in an inappropriate way, the computer would affect him/her negatively, e.g. violence. I would correct children if they used sticks to hit each other.

Furthermore, teachers should consider avoiding sexism, racism, violence, stereotyping and using for drill and skill activities (Chatel, 2005). I agree with that and I will provide equal opportunities for all children to experience technology related activities, including carpentering, cooking and etc. In addition, I will be concerned with the benefits as well as possible harm of technology to young children. For example, I will help children balance time spent on digital devices and other play. Computer games cannot replace other non digital technical activities, such as painting, drawing, play dough, reading, drama or outdoor play.

Apart from learning from feedbacks, I have also gained a lot of knowledge about both digital and non-digital technologies and their significant roles in children’s learning and development. Ministry of Education (1996) explains, “To cope with such changes, children need both the confidence to develop their own perspectives and the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” (p.18). I think both digital and non-digital technologies are equally important and they enhance children’s development in all domains. Technology improves children’s social development. For example, children share technical tools with others and they talk, take turns and help each other. During this time, children build peer relationships and develop their communication skills. Additionally, they also learn collaboration and pro-social behaviours (Brooker & Siraj-Blatchford, 2002). Technology can also promote children’s emotional development. The technical experiences can build up their self-confidence. For example, children feel confident and joyful after completing a painting or computer games. Technological activities contribute to the development of fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination as well, e.g. practicing using scissors and mouse. Moreover, technology provides children with various ways to explore the world. The value and benefits of using technology in children’s learning and development are a lot more, e.g. promoting children’s letter recognition, mathematics, listening following instructions and problem solving skills. In a word, technology is very important in children’s learning. Through technology, children will learn to control, explore and understand their environment and the vast fields of knowledge they will be encountering throughout their schooling (Brooker, 2003).

References

Brooker, L., & Siraj-Blatchford, J. (2002). “Click on Miaow!”: How children of three and four years experience the nursery computer. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 3(2), 251-273.

Brooker, L. (2003). Integrating new technologies in UK classrooms: Lessons for teachers from early years practitioners. Childhood education, 79(5), 261-267.

Chatel, R. G. (2005). Computers use in preschool: Trixie gets a screen name. New England Reading Association Journal, 41(2), 49-52.

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2004). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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