Every Thursday I take my ipad into my centre to share with the children. Now you have got to see the looks on the children's faces when I pull the infamous ipad out of my bag at morning whariki.
It has gotten to the point where children come up to me on Thursday mornings and ask "Whaea do you have your ipad".
The point is I do, and I share it with the children at my centre so that they are able to experience a piece of technology that they might not have access to. Although we have a computer for the children to use it doesn’t get used much because it is not working properly which is why the children do get excited when a laptop or ipod or my ipad gets bought in to the centre. When using technology like this device children are able to explore a whole different world of wonder thus promoting the use of their imagination (Ministry of education, 1996).
What amazes me is how competent the children are at using it. The only time they have access to an ipad is when I bring it in, and every time they use it they know how to turn it on, where to go and how to open the right programmes.
What really blew me away was when 2 year old J had a turn and he knew what to do as well and this was his first time actually touching it. Every other time he just sat and watched but I think by all the observing that he was doing he was able to learn how to use it just by watching his friends. This clearly shows the scaffolding between children and how they can model to each other how to use technology (MacNaughton and Williams, 2009)
People ask me how I can trust young children with something so expensive and I always tell them that you have to let children know how precious your belongings are and that we need to look after them and I also believe that when children realise you are trusting them with something so valuable they really do try their best to look after it (Shaffer, 2005).
On one particular Thursday a group of 5 children sat on the whāriki with my ipad while I cleaned up morning tea. They were in my view and I could hear them discussing the game they would like to play and who was going to go first. For a second I thought it might get out of hand and some conflict may arise but I decided to wait a few more moments to see what would develop and I was surprised to hear one of the girls say “let E have a go first because she hasn’t had a turn yet then we will go in a circle”. Away they went, they let E have her go first and then each had a turn. After 20 mins of turn taking I said to them that in 5 minutes the ipad was going to be put away. When I got to 3 mins I told them there was only 3 minutes left, then it got down to 1 minute and then when I said “Times up” they all got up and and A bought the ipad to me, holding it tight and secure in her arms.
This showed me that they respected my property each other and the time that I had given them.
Ipads are a great tool for learning and discovery. They can access the internet, provide different educational games and books, store music and videos are portable and a great size. The only downfall is that they are expensive. I think it would be fantastic if every centre were able to have at least one of these wonderful devices but I know that reality is especially in my centre that it is unlikely to happen unless a teacher brings in their own just like I do.
I believe that using an ipad helps to develop a childs hand and eye coordination because they have to actually physically touch the screen. I believe it creates fantasy and wonder and actively promotes the development of a childs imagination through exploration and communication (Ministry of education, 1996). I believe that it promotes sharing and turn taking and teachers children how to appreciate technology and to look after one anothers belonging. Teachers have to remember though that children still need to be under close supervision when using an ipad, just like any computer or device with internet capability we cannot afford to have children access something on the net that can be harmful but luckily ipads have applications in place that can stop children from doing so like passwords.
THE IPAD IS TRUELY FANTASTIC…
REFERENCES
McNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Melbourne,Vic.: Addison Wesley Longman.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mätauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Shaffer, D.R, (2005) Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence(5th Ed.). Pacific Grove, United states of America: Brooks/Cole publishing.
JADE! :)
ReplyDeleteI do think the i Pad is fantastic and I applauded you for providing the children of your centre the opportunity to experience it. You are correct in saying that many techers would not provide this opportunity.
It is obvious the socialisation, language and technology learning that is being developed through using the i Pad. I also feel through you explaining the importance of and how special the i Pad is- the children value and care for it. Possibly because they know if they mistreat it they will lose the opportunity of using it.
I feel the way the children solved who was going to use the i Pad first was a great reflection of their sharing and teamwork abilities. The children also were respectful of the time you gave them and were willing to give it back to you.
Lastly it is just amazing how competent children really are in using technology! Remember how I had to ask you how to turn on the i Pad- the children knew and this is amazing. To further my knowledge in what other ways could we as techers use the i Pad to support children's learning around technology?
You are so passionate about technology and i believe you provide many technological learning experiences for the children in your centre.
Jade I really enjoyed your blog and I admire you for bringing your own i-pad and handing it over to the children. I doubt I would have been so trusting, with children of this age. I also liked how you let the children, play games on your i-pad and how they shared it between themselves. This demonstrates that the children respect you and understand the value of the i-pad.
ReplyDeleteI will ask you one question. How do you think you would react if the children broke the ipad?
Thanks Andrew
Thanks Andrew for your comment and for being brave enough to me ask me a question. What would i do if they broke it, I would be the way i am with my children...calm...most people would probably flip out and lose it but I wouldn't. My children have broken some very expensive things not on purpose but by accident and thats what it would be an accident. When my children have broken things i didnt yell at them i didnt blame them i didnt make them fell small but i did let them know that it was an accident i do feel upset but everything will be okay its only material they can be replaced and what I cant replace is you. Thats how I am with the children in my care this is how i was raised it takes alot to make me angry and thse types of things dont and I believe that if it were to get broken it is my fault my responsibility because I entrusted it with them and I know that they wouldn't purposely break it. I do worry that it will get broken but I trust them enough to be careful..Great question Andrew!!!
ReplyDeleteGood on you Jade, for having that trust in the children to be able to use your iPad. Whith supervision and guidance where necessary, I am sure that the children are gaining confidence and competence at using the latest technology.
ReplyDeleteWhen you talked about the 2 year old that was able to use your iPad I could relate. I know a 2 year old who can competently use an iPhone and it totally amazes me. I agree that children learn to respect and value property such as the iPad, if they are given the chance. Children are very aware of the world around them. Many of them would already be aware of how fragile the iPad is and that we need to be careful. I do not feel children are ignorant to this.
Ipads are expensive at the moment, but who knows, maybe in the future the iPads will be sitting in the place of our computers or laptops.
Dear Jade
ReplyDeleteWow, honestly how many of us are willing to take expensive items to the centre to be used by the children. I would say very few and I admire you for providing this opportunity to the children at your centre to actually see and use it. I am sure it must have been very rewarding.
Through this experience, children were able to use one of the new technological gadget and negotiate and work as a team (re: how the children agreed to give turn to E first). Additionally by empowering the children to use and take care of it has shown how responsible children can be. These are essential skills that the children need to learn and where better to start than in early childhood centres.
Lastly, it continues to amaze me how competent children are in using technology.
Regards
Shabnam.
Dear Jade
ReplyDeleteWow, honestly how many of us are willing to take expensive items to the centre to be used by the children. I would say very few and I admire you for providing this opportunity to the children at your centre to actually see and use it. I am sure it must have been very rewarding.
Through this experience, children were able to use one of the new technological gadget and negotiate and work as a team (re: how the children agreed to give turn to E first). Additionally by empowering the children to use and take care of it has shown how responsible children can be. These are essential skills that the children need to learn and where better to start than in early childhood centres.
Lastly, it continues to amaze me how competent children are in using technology.
Regards
Shabnam.