Digital video Camera
Child ‘A’ went to Australia with his family to attend a wedding during the recent two weeks school holiday. While in Australia, he performed an Indian dance on the mehendi night (night before wedding). His brother recorded his performance in a digital video camera and also took some of child A’s photos while touring Australia. When Child ‘A’ returned to the centre, he asked the centre manager if he could bring his digital video camera to the centre to share his visit. He was given the opportunity to share his experience by showing his photos and performance through his video camera to the teachers and children at mat time. Through his experience, the teachers and children were able to see a different side of child ‘A’ as he is a very quite boy and they had not seen him dancing and expressing himself in this way before and also taking a leading role during mat time. Through video camera, the teachers and children were able to experience Australia by watching some beautiful scenes and pictures that they had not seen before. This technology made it easier for the teachers and other children to see child ‘A’ engaged in real life experiences. They have also seen some enjoyment of child ‘A’. After watching child A’s experience on the video camera, the other children also wanted to use video camera to record their experience within the centre. Since the centre had four video cameras for the children, the teachers gave each set of camera in a group of five children to share. The benefit of using the digital video camera gives the children the opportunity to take their own and friend’s pictures. The use of video camera strengthens and supports family involvement in children’s learning such as
in my centre the teachers are taking videos of the children while learning, and then provide online access for parents to view their children’s progress. Later parents can use these videos of their children at home to model what they see.
in my centre the teachers are taking videos of the children while learning, and then provide online access for parents to view their children’s progress. Later parents can use these videos of their children at home to model what they see.
From my point of view, I think that technology is important for children in early years. According to Druin (2009) “most young children aged from birth to five years are growing up in media-rich digital environments in which they engage actively from a very early age”. Digital video cameras provide children firsthand visual clues for developing self-concept and understanding their role in social interactions with peers. This technology also provides children with the ability to enquire, explore, and generate their working theories for making sense of the world around them (Ministry of Education, 1996). Children had opportunities to explore, question, take part and make sense of that which is known. According to The New Zealand Curriculum (2007), “through the technological Knowledge strand, children develop knowledge particular to technological enterprises and environments and understandings of how and why things work”. For example how does digital camera function such as capturers photos and records the voice and movement. Children also increased their fine motor skills and turn taking skills while using this technology. Digital video cameras further enrich the children’s connection to the world outside of school. According to Te Whāriki, He Whaariki Mātauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa “children use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world” (Ministry of Education, 1996). Smorti (1999) states that the use of video camera is providing children with variety of ways to communicate their ideas, thoughts, and feelings. It also allows children to engage in self-directed exploration either indoor or outdoor. The use of the video camera has provided children with opportunities and methods that have helped them to become more engaged and enabled them to consider their existing interests in new ways. For example science, in particular, was an area that saw significant development in the way that children were able to engage with and develop their science knowledge and exploration through technology (Shah, nd).
References
Druin. (2009). Mobile technology for children: designing for interaction and learning. Unites States of America: Morgan Kaufman.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Shah, G. (nd). ICT in the early year: Balancing the risk. Retrieved from Online: http://www.ejournal.aiaer.net/vol21209/17.%20Shah%20&%20Godiyal.pdf
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999.
Hi Priya. I think it is a very important observation that children have different ways to engage with their community and to contribute and communicate with their peers. It is fascinating that a seemingly quiet and more introverted child can find other exciting ways to express himself, to take the initiative (to show the video to others), to grow and show confidence and pride in what he is doing and his cultural background, and to let others be part of his life outside of the centre – even to the point that other children get motivated to do the same! It clearly shows an engagement and connection beyond the walls of the centre that is only possible through the use of technology. I particularly like that here technology is used in a communal way, connecting children, teachers and families. Too often technology is portrayed as something that people engage in on an individual and private level only, but here it connects people and creates a common experience. It links strongly to contribution through technology and the arts as described in Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 96). It would be great to look further into this and other ways that children can express themselves. In today’s world with quickly evolving easy-to-use technology and video capabilities in almost every new phone this is an exciting and very accessible area. It would be a shame not to integrate technology in a meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteReferences
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Limited.
Hi priya, this reflection is really a testimony of how technology is useful in capturing ones actions and sharing it with others who are not with them at that time. Like visiting Australia with his parents and when the child came back to the centre he wanted to share what he has done in his holiday. This links to Smorti (1999) that “technology is about helping people solve problems” (p. 5). This reminds me of visiting my country when there was wedding that I couldn’t attend but I was able to see the whole wedding ceremony with the help of the video and with the help of the video camera. Indeed video camera is handy digital device to learn and know about and this child was very lucky to get familiar with this device from this age. I think having a video camera in the centre is very useful, getting the children’s wonderful moments captured and shared with their families. Like I have done in my centre when I recorded some children dancing and having this happy moment together with friends and when I showed it to the parents when they arrived they were so delighted to actually being able to see what their children were doing during the day.
ReplyDeleteSmorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.
Hi Priya! I believe that digital cameras are one of the most valuable technologies that most centres use to develop children's learning in every aspect of every day practice. Children gain knowledge on how digital camera works, why we need them, when do they use them, and what kind of pictures they want to take from digital camera. Children also develop imagination skills of what has happended in the past by looking at their own pictures. Taking pictures and looking at them later on enables them to reflect on their own learning, telling stories through these photos. "Technology in education contributes students' understanding of their own and those of others in the past, present, and possible future" Ministry of Education, 2007, p. 20).However children in your centre are fortunate enough to have digital video cameras available for their use. We do not have that kind of technology in my centre so children have yet to learn how to use digital video camera whenever that is make available to them.
ReplyDeleteReference
Ministry of Education, (2007).The New Zealand Curriculum Framework. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Hi Priya,
ReplyDeleteTechnology has so many advantages associated with its usage. It is wonderful that children now days have the opportunities and access to so many things especially technology. I think it was a good idea to encourage the child in your Centre to share his holiday experience with the teachers and other children with the video camera. I believe photos and videos create memory and allow people to revisit experiences through them. By giving children access to a digital device such as a video camera initiates their inner drive to explore and discover the environment around them. Piaget has emphasized in his theory of cognitive development that discovery learning is the best way to foster development. (Berk, 2003) At my Centre, we do not have access to video cameras that we can give to our children to use as an exploration tool whereas children at your Centre seem to be fortunate to have such opportunities. The use of different tools, devices and gadgets creates interests and curiosity amongst the young ones and they find ways to use them themselves. I believe that this is a good way to get children used to different technologies and its usage as it will help them and foster their learning and knowledge. Even Te Whariki supports children’s development with “the knowledge that trying things out, exploration and curiosity are important and valued ways of learning” (Ministry if Education, 1996).
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.