Blog 4 Personal reflection

Blog 4 – Personal Blog

As I read my group’s comments regarding the important of using digital and non-digital technology in children’s leaning, I have identified some relevant ideas and techniques for furthering my teaching around the children. But first I foremost acknowledge the important of using blogs to communicate and share opinions with each other about their findings and add comments to enhance each others learning. Wang (2008) defined that “blogs engage people in knowledge sharing and reflection and they often attract a large readership” (p. 34). Therefore, blogs are very helpful to communicate and engage readers in a sustained conversation.

In some techniques that I found and learned from sharing knowledge and understanding with my group blogs, was motivated and encouraged me to the directions that I am heading for. As Carr & Kemmis, (1983), Manouchehri (2002), Burnett & Lingam (2007) cited in Yang (2009) encouraged that “teachers to take a stand through questioning and challenging others underlying assumptions, which is a way for teaching practices to be improved and for the conditions in which schooling takes place to be made more just” (p. 1). Occasionally, some comments enhanced me to look beyond of what I already known and extended more on some advice and suggestions that they have given me. Additionally, some of them defined questions to establish and motivate my learning of how to work with children in using different technologies. Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer (2008) described that “ responsive educators plan environments that respect children’s competencies and emerging social skills and nurture a community of care” (p. 354). Relevantly, learning to use technology in children’s learning, is enjoyable and rationally for enhancement of their leaning.

Moreover, I discovered some meaningful and meditative comments about technologies that helped me to improve children’s learning in different areas of their learning. Te Whāriki acknowledged that “children experience an environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 80).  It also shows out some similarities between the common technologies that my group was using in their centre. They also expressed their feelings and knowledge difference experiences that they have, to gain my perspective in working with children.  They also gave me courage to increase and stimulate my understanding in using of the computer skills, suggesting different variety of books and digital cameras to catch their monumental moments of children’s learning.

The New Zealand Curriculum (2007) comprised that “learn about technology as a field of human activity, experiencing and/ or exploring historical and contemporary examples of technology from a variety of contexts” (p. 32). In overall, children experienced different variety of technologies in their learning with the helped of a knowledgeable teacher, which have skills in technology to satisfy the children’s longing in technology’s skills. With the approaches of showing and explanations give children a boldly feelings and also feel competent to face reality in their finding and using digital and non-digital technologies in their learning environment. The use of technology techniques nowadays emphasized the speed up of the educational system for the current generation for congruous their learning.

In fact, children gaggle their knowledge if they used digital technology unwisely. Technology helped children to germinate their learning but it can also be dangerous to some important research if abusing is occurred. Young children feel secure if they have good guidelines to use and access computer, digital cameras and other sort of digital technologies in helping to solve problems and the processing of their certain learning. Teachers also use technology to support children’s learning as Smorti (1999) suggested “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (p. 5). At last, accepting good advice and encouragements from my group motivate my perspective of working with children in using different technology techniques in children’s learning.

References:

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S., & Death, E. (2008). Programming and planning in early

 childhood settings (4^th ed.).  Melbourne, Australia: Thompson Learning.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Early Childhood Curriculum TeWhāriki: He Whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Early Childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999, Autumn) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 19.

Wang, H. (2008). Exploring the educational use of blogs in U.S. education. US –China

            Education Review, 5 (10), 34-37.

Yang, S.-H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice.

Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 11-21. Available online from http://www.ifets.info/journals/12_2/2.pdf