Blog Five. Reflection on feedback.

Blog number: Five

Reflection on feedback.

I have enjoyed this assignment, although I have had massive technical dilemmas over the last two to three weeks with no computer and limited access to the Internet. In saying that I have managed to complete the tasks by dead line, but as they were posted closer to hand in date I feel it has come as a disadvantage to me as I was not able to get maximum comments/ feedback on my blogs which has made it more difficult for me to reflect on other students feed back. 

With the feedback that I have received I have noticed the different perspectives and ideas that other teachers hold. I believe that this is due to, as teachers we all have different strengths and interests that vary when it comes to our work and interacting with children in our practice. As yang (2009) discusses the use of blogs helps with receiving feedback from peers to help us to grow as teachers and find new and different ways of doing things and solving problems.

I found it interesting when reading others feedback their perspectives of what learning the children got from each experience, as sometimes I find that when I am doing activities with children I am so busy thinking of how I can extend their interest and learning that I find I miss the most obvious learning. Which could be the children just thinking about an event or experience, or how I have facilitated an activity that has promoted co construction/ scaffolding of knowledge. This has made me reflect on my practice with children and the use of technology, as it is a process of problem solving and find out new information (Smorti, 1999). It has also made me think more critically about how I am impacting the children’s learning through technology.

I liked how my blogs, opened other teachers minds to using aspects of ICT such as the Internet to research interests. It was also great to get other teachers suggestions these were readings and questions I could ask the children to further extend their learning. Through the readings and other member’s blogs I found my self-looking deeper at what constitutes as technology, and how we are helping to further children’s knowledge of it and how it will benefit them.

Through this assignment I have realised how important technology is for children. Because of it frequently changing I feel that it is important for children to learn current methods of technology so that they can be active, confident and competent users of it in there later learning and lives. This is supported by Rosen & Jaruszewicz as they state (2007) “children in the 21^st century are increasingly immersed in technology enabled activities, consideration of developmentally appropriate technology use is timely and important” (p. 170).

I have also become more aware of the learning children get from technology and the benefits that it has on their development as Mitchell (2007) points out that technology when used as a tool can serve many purposes such as furthering inquiry, constructing knew knowledge, for creativity purposes and also to bring inanimate things to life through the use of batteries.

Through out Te Whāriki (1996) it supports the use of technology in early childhood education, and discuses the benefits of using it. Some of these being that they are able to develop skills such as problem solving, learn that technologies can help them and others, and that technology can be used in different settings.

Te Whāriki discusses technology and what the curriculum provides for children to develop the skills they would need as life long learners. It acknowledges the changes of technology as part of everyday life and for children to cope with such changes acknowledges that they need both the confidence to develop their “own perspectives and the capacity to continue acquiring new knowledge and skills” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 18).

Reference list.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning media.

Michell, L, M. (2007). Using technology in Reggio Emilia inspired programmes. Theory into Practice. 46 (1). 32-39.

Rosen, D. B., & Jaruszewicz, C. (2007). Developmentally appropriate technology use and early child hood teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. 30, 162-171.

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education. 19 Autumn

Yang, S. H. (2009). Using blogs to enhance critical reflection and community of practice. EducationalTtechnology and Society. 12 (2), 11-21.