Final Reflection

Part 3: Final reflection

Reading what my other fellow class mates commented on my reflections has made me realised that although we all have different opinions and beliefs about technology, everyone do agree on some degree that it is indeed fundamental in children’s emergent learning and development.

From Tui’s feedback, he has commented that my view on children and technology is similar to the Montessori approach where it values real experiences and hands on activities to be the best way children learn. I was not aware of the Montessori approach until Tui mentions this. It is good to know that some Centre views are similar to what I initially wrote about in my reflections, about children and their use of digital tools which can sometimes over take play, and interactions with the environment. Although my reflections do not support children using digital devices, Tui affirmed that it does make communication between teachers and parents a lot easier which I also value and agree with (Ministry of Education, 1996). Centres are now using variety of mediums to keep in touch with parents and keep them posted about their child/children’s progress which is beneficial in making communication quicker and easier but also strengthen partnership between these parties. “The development of effective partnerships between homes and educational settings enable parents and educators to exchange information and to develop shared understanding” (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2012, p.40).

My reflections were that of complete opposite from everyone else’s with how my Centre promotes the use of ICT in our Centre. I talked about the process of passing down our cultural knowledge and traditions to children by using resources and materials we have at the Centre to create some of our cultural traditional wear with the children. Maninder agree with this saying that ‘technology is not only about using digital devices but it is influenced by the culture and society’ (Smorti, 1999). It is good to have read that I am not the only one that shares this view on using ICT to promote children’s learning of their background and identity as Ivet also mentions this in her feedback. Ivett gave me some really great ideas about using ICT tools to research and encourage children to learn about their identities by using the internet and laptop to look up their cultural background, videos of cultural dances and etc with teacher supervision.

Overall I have received good feedback from my fellow class mates which was great to see that some of them supports and have the same view with me on some points of my reflections. They also gave me some good ideas and advice about some of the things I have mentions. For example, Maninder advising me about my view of not supporting children using ICT tools that it is also good for children to play and have access to digital tools. From this assessment and experience it has taught me to not only know and understand how to use blogging but expand on my knowledge about technology and its many useful. This blogging assessment enables me to learn something new about technology and another useful medium to introduce to our staff which could be useful to use between us teachers and the parents to stay connected and updated about Centre life and experiences.

In conclusion, I actually enjoyed doing this assessment as not only have I had the chance to read about my other fellow class mates reflections about how their centres promotes children’s learning through the use of ICT and digital devices, but also getting their feedback about what they think of my reflections as these really helped me develop my practice as well as uplifting the standard use of ICT in my practice. Through reading other students reflections and learning from this course, I have now changed my view on children using technology devices. I see how technology is so fundamental to develop children’s learning through different learning areas such as numeracy, literacy and etc, (Condie, Munro, Seagraves & Kenesson, 2007). Technology also helps make communication easy and faster between Centre life and whanau as well as promoting Community and Centre partnership.

References:

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2012). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (5^th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria; Cengage Learning.

Condie, R., Munro, B., Seagraves, L., & Kenesson, S. (2007). The impact of ICT in schools; a landscape review. Coventry, United Kingdom: Becta.

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.