‘P’ (4 years
old), ‘C’ (3 years old) and ‘T’ (4 years old) were not keen to sleep after
their lunch, so I set up my small computer and I opened the ‘Paint’ program up
for them. ‘T’ asked if she could paint
first because she learned to use this program on her mothers’ computer. She took the lead as she guided her peers through
her actions. She changed colours
(purple, red, black and grey) and the tools (paintbrush and crayon). She prompted her peers to watch her so they know
how to paint their picture when she finished.
She explained which parts of her car she was painting and the colours
she chose to use. ‘P’ and ‘C’ shared
their ideas of what colours they would use; how big the wheels would be and where
they would drive. When ‘T’ completed her
picture, I guided her through the process of saving it onto my usb (explaining
what the usb is, and what it was for). I
asked her to label her picture – so that we could later find it when we print
it. Writing the words ‘MY CAR’ on paper,
she was able to find and key in the letters – and completing the download by
pressing the ‘ENTER’ key.
 |
| MY CAR |
With guidance
from ‘T’, ‘P’ picked her colours and her tools to draw a picture of her
mum. She spoke of her mum painting her
hair yellow (dying her hair blonde) at the hair shop (hair salon) and putting
paint (make-up) on her face. When she
finished her picture, she thanked ‘T’ for helping her and said “Ataahua, taku mama! (My mum is beautiful!)” We all said “Ae! (Yes)”. ‘T’ guided ‘P’
to save her picture on my usb, after I wrote her label ‘MY MUM’ on paper.
‘C’ was so excited about having her opportunity
to paint. ‘T’ was ready to help ‘C’ but
‘C’ insisted she could do it. She voiced
each step out aloud and looked to ‘T’ and ‘P’ for approval. Smiling at the screen, she drew a picture of
her brown dog named “Beauty”. ‘C’
recalled ‘Beautys’ big ears, little legs, big eyes and big smile. She was happy with her picture and she asked
‘T’ for her help. I wrote her label ‘MY
DOG’ on paper and ‘T’ pinpointed the letters and encouraged ‘C’ to key them in
completing it with the ‘ENTER’ key.
I accept
through my observation that the children displayed development in communication
skills and operational skills (Ministry of Education, 1996). It was great to hear their enthusiasm through
conversation before, during and after they had completed their art. I saw that together as teina/tuakana, we have learned and taught each other the functions
of the keyboard, the mouse and the ability to operate the programs of saving
their work onto my usb. This links with the “Technological Practice strand”
where the “students examine the practice of others and undertake their own”
(Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 32). Providing
the use of ICT encouraged the children’s concepts of technological
interactivity, by showing that prompting an action can produce a response
(Ministry of Education, 2004). I believe
their experience enhanced learning dispositions of engagement, motivation and
the desire to learn (Ministry of Education, 2004). Individually they showed the competence of motivation
to act (give it a go) and of being capable to act, therefore directing their
ability to engage (Ministry of Education, 2007). I stamp their ability to the “five key
competencies: thinking, using language, symbols and texts, managing self,
relating to others and participating and contributing” (Ministry of Education,
2007). We have learned “when to lead,
when to follow” and when to give each other the space and time to “act
independently” (Ministry of Education, 2007).
Hi Nan,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful learning experience you offered to the children at your kōhanga. Yet again you supplied your own resource (computer) to bring the world of technology to them. Thanks to this the girls would have gained confidence at using technology to express their creativity (Ministry of Education, 1996).
I agree with you that this experience was a great example of tuakana/teina learning – it was this concept at its best. I really enjoyed reading about the way the more skilled child took control of the whole situation and helped the other girls to succeed too. She knew she had the abilities to do it by herself but acknowledged that you can be of assistance when saving the files and writing the names. In this case the computer gave the girls the possibility to write, compose, communicate and cooperate (Shah & Godiyal, 2009). They must have enjoyed it immensely.
What happened to the printed pictures? Did the girls take them home? Do you think that they would be interested in drawing and writing a book on the computer, printing it out and sharing it with their peers? That could be a nice and empowering experience.
References:
Shah, A., & Godiyal, S. (2009). ICT in the early years: Balancing the risks and benefits. E-journal of All India Association for Educational Research (EJAIAER), 21(2). Retrieved from http://www.ejournal.aiaer.net/ARCHIVES2009.htm
What a lovely learning opportunity for all concerned. I like the way that you used to concept of tuakana/teina relationships as they form an important basis with which valuable learning is observed and negotiated (Clark & Grey, 2010). I also liked the way that you respected the children’s art work. You demonstrated this to them when you taught them how to name their work so that it could be saved and then retrieved again at a later date (Brownlee, 2007).
ReplyDeleteFor the children to be able to use your computer to draw, is linked to the strand of contribution in Te Whāriki as this art experience gave the children the opportunity to generate and explore ideas in creative ways individually and within a group (Ministry of Education, 1996). The New Zealand Curriculum states that “graphics and other forms of visual representation offer important tools for exploration and communication” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p.32).
References:
Brownlee, P. (2007 revised). Magic places: The adult’s guide to young children’s creative art work. Auckland: New Zealand Playcentre Federation.
Clark, B., & Grey, A. (Eds.). (2010). Perspectives on early childhood education: Ata kite ate pae-scanning the horizon. Rosedale, Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2007).The New Zealand curriculum. For English-medium teaching and learning in years 1-13.
Retrieved from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents
Nan, when I started reading your blog my initial reaction was “this is art, not technology” as I have never used the paint function on a computer. Before reading further, I went back to Smorti’s (1999) reading where she says technology is an imaginative and persistent activity aimed at meeting people’s needs and opportunities through systems development. I could then see how using a paint tool on a computer can be linked to technology. These girls were making visual representations of objects they are familiar with in their home environment using technology to make connections between home and centre life (Ministry of Education, 1996). As painting is sometimes regarded as a precursor for writing and reading, with the girls using the paint function, it could be considered that they are using technology to develop their emergent literacy skills (Somerset, 2000). This activity showed what a powerful experience sharing knowledge can be; through your facilitation during this experience learning conversations occurred, with support and feedback being readily available (MacNaughton & Williams, 2009; Ministry of Education, 2007). As creativity is not one of my skills I am struggling to make suggestions as to how you can extend the girls learning.
ReplyDeleteHi Nan, It was a great learning experience with full of opportunities for the children involved. Tujakana/Teina relationships are highly visible in this experience; the children are learning and developing alongside each other (Clark & Grey, 2010). This experience is a good example of combining technology with art as this experience provided children with opportunities to generate and explore ideas in creative with their groups and individually as well (Ministry of Education, 1996). Through this technological experience children used graphics and visuals for exploration and communication (Ministry of Education, 2007). At my kindergarten I have provided children with a similar experience as well. The children used their own photos (which was already in the computer) and used the paint tool to paint on their photos and transformed themselves into pirates (by colouring there eye black and booting triangular hat), princess (by painting on lips and putting makeup) and joker(adding lots of colour to face). We then printed those photos and stick them on the walls of family play area and children feel so proud of themselves when they show their parents they did it.
ReplyDeleteNan,
ReplyDeleteWell done for sharing your own computer with the children in your centre. In doing this you showed them respect and acknowledged them as competent and capable individuals, while encouraging them to learn together with others (Ministry of Education, 1996). You also helped their self-esteem and confidence. In facilitating this experience for them you were showing them how ‘visual representation offers important tools for exploration and communication’ (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 32). For one child in particular you helped her to make build on her previous knowledge (Ministry of Education, 2007), and to share this knowledge with others as in a tuakana/teina relationship (Clark & Grey, 2010). She was also able to make connections between what she had done at home and and the centre, and you provided her with the time to relate how she had learnt to use the paint option on your computer, both of these are part of the belomging strand of te Whāriki (Clark & Grey, 2010).
Did the children print their pictures out and if not perhaps this could be another learning experience for them. If they did what did they do with them, did they display them at the centre or take them home?