This morning I observed
some children really examining the lemon and orange tree outside at the centre.
They were talking about all the things they could see. Some of the children
were discussing the little buds and insects they could see if they looked really
closely on the tree. I went and got my camera to document it. As I got closer
to where the children were one of the girls came up to me and asked if she
could take photos of what she had seen. I agreed. She took the camera over to
the lemon tree first. There she spent an amount of time taking close up photos
and long range ones. She then moved onto the orange tree. When the children
went back inside I connected the camera to the television and I played the
photos that the little girl had taken. One of the teachers walked past and
assumed that I had taken the photos. When I told her that a child had taken
them she looked very surprised. She also made a comment along the lines on I
wouldn’t let a child touch my camera. I think this is where some teachers view
children as not being competent enough to use a piece of equipment. I often
give the children my camera as I want to see what they see. Their focus is
usually on something different, and they end to see ‘the smaller things’ in
life. Personally I find it refreshing when a child shows me a picture they have
taken of something that is important to them. While the photos were playing the
children were able to comment on them and extended on the picture from what
they could remember seeing. When children are able to view photos quickly
instead of having to have them developed first, means that the memory is still
fresh in the children’s minds when they view it. The New Zealand Curriculum says that
ICT and e-learning ‘will assist the making of connections by enabling students to enter and explore new
learning environments, overcoming barriers of distance and time’ (Ministry of
Education, 2007, p36). When children are
able to take their own photos and look at them they feel a sense of empowerment
and pride ‘the technologies
that benefit young children the greatest are those that are interactive and
allow the child to develop their curiosity, problem solving and independent
thinking skills’ (Kneas & Perry,
2011, p.1). I do not think there is necessarily I negative aspect
to children using digital cameras in the centre. If they are shown how to use
it correctly and they are able to respect it and use it for the right reasons
then I do not think that there is any reason why children should not use
digital cameras. Although I know that some teachers see a negative aspect of it
being that children do not know what they are doing or how to use a piece of
technology such as this. I know that some of the children at my centre use
cameras at home or when they go on holiday. Accepting that children are going
to be exposed to things like this is something that some of the teaching staff
at my centre may need to do. When children are disusing their photos, they use
new and nonsense words to describe what they see. Te Whāriki says
that ‘children develop an understanding that symbols can be “read” by other and
that thoughts, experiences, and ideas can be represented through worlds,
pictures, print numbers, sounds, shapes, models and photographs’ (Ministry of
Education, 1996, p.78). These interactions are important for children’s
language, social and emotional development the use of digital cameras support
these well within the early childhood setting.
Reference List
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum for
English-medium teaching and learning in years 1-13. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media
Limited.
Ministry
of Education. (1996). Te whāriki, he
whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum.
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Kneas,
K.M., & Perry, B.D. Using Technology
in the Early Childhood Classroom. Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/using_technology.htm
Awesome experience Tanja. I can fully relate with you on the comment that one of the teacher's made "i would'nt let a child touch my camera". Although the teachers at my centre let the children use the centre camera there are still parents and adults that I know of that would react similarly to the teacher. Some of them may think that it is not safe because the children could drop the camera or accidentaly break it. From my experiences though i have observed that children, when taught the appropriate way of handling a camera, are more than competent in using it. It can be surprising how much they learn and absorb if we took the time to teach them. From one of the readings I've read Smorti says that "our children will need the...capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills" (Smorti, 1999)so if we continue educating children about how to use technology, they too will continue learning how to use them.
ReplyDeleteHi Tanja great reflection!
ReplyDeleteI also love giving the children the camera and seeing what the children take photos of because just because what the teachers see is important may not be important to the child and it is there learning experiance. It is all about viewing them as competent learners just like you said. I like the point you said about through children taking their own photos it gives them a sense of empowerment and they develop alot of new skills when using the camera. “Technology is a tool that can provide an added option for young children to learn” (Young, 2001, p. 13)
Hey Tanja, love it!
ReplyDeleteI think it’s great that you let the children use the camera freely. It shows you have confidence in the children and understand that they need the means and ability to become confident and competent. I find it inexcusable that a college is so shocked and close minded about children using the camera and you fostering that learning. It saddens me to think of what else she is resistant to regarding children and seeing them as confident and capable learners. The Ministry of Education (1996) advocates for children to be empowered to learn and grow up as competent and confident learners. I think you should keep using digital technology for learning as much as possible and try change the view points of the other teachers, as these children are surrounded by technology and should learn the benefits.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Hi Tanja.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting blog. It is really amazing to see children taking the initiative to take photos. When children spend a lot of time in doing things, in this case using a camera to take photos, it goes to show that they are really interested in wanting to learn how to use digital technology. I do agree with you when you said that some teachers don’t see children as competent learners in using digital technology. Being involved in the children’s learning makes them feel that they are valued and that they have a place in the centre. The New Zealand Curriculum emphasises that “students learn best when they feel accepted, when they enjoy positive relationships with their fellow students and teachers, and when they are able to be active, visible members of the learning community” (Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 34). Providing the opportunity to children to take responsibility enables them to feel empowered and that they have the power to be in control of their learning. While the camera is a tool for being used by the children to develop their learning skills, it is also open to damage as it could be treated like a toy. Gonzalez-Mena (2005) explains that “you must learn to constantly scan the room or yard so you can detect “trouble spots” (p. 37).