Digital Cameras
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| Young girl experimenting with a digital camera. Look at her face! |
The two children that were involved had noticed this teacher photographing children and they asked if they could take some pictures. The teacher came back with a camera for each of the children, and explained to them how it works. She demonstrated how to hold it, which button to press to take a picture, and that you can look at the screen to see what you want to take a picture of. She explained to the children that the camera lens is like the camera’s eye; it’s what helps the camera see and that you wouldn’t put your finger into your own eye so do not put fingers in the camera’s eye. The teacher suggested they take pictures of the things that they like at Kindergarten and things that they like to do. The teacher walked around with the two children while they snapped photos – the two children were comparing images, ‘Look what I took a picture of!’ They were very excited and it was quite interesting for me to be able to observe this in practice as it was something that I had not seen before in a centre, most of the time the children aren’t even allowed to touch the real cameras in case they became damaged in some way. I think that this is a view that, from my experiences, most teachers in early childhood have and without realising it we are creating a barrier based on our own personal opinions. I read by Tsantis, Bewick, and Thouvenelle (2003) who suggest that in fact teachers are the key to effectively providing educational use of technology (p. 4). Te Whārikidiscusses that children should be able to use a variety of technologies for a variety of purposes to help them explore the world around them (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 98).
My understanding is that as early childhood educators, it is our role to recognise the importance that using technology holds for children’s learning and development and not to let our own personal opinions or feelings about technology become a barrier preventing us from doing so. Tsantis et. al (2003) also suggests that as teachers find out more about technology and become comfortable using it themselves they will find it easier to include in their practice.
This was somewhat of an eye-opening experience for me as I had not previously considered what impact the use of a digital camera has on a child’s learning and development. Under the Exploration strand, Te Whārikistates that children develop “the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technologies associated with them”(Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88). I understood this more after watching a video in class where a centre had been through a similar discovery process with their children, and I realised that there was a lot more behind the children’s use of photography than simply just taking pictures. The video discussed how using digital cameras allowed the children to explore with zoom functions, frame settings, experiment with light and shadows, brightness and contrast, and capture design aspects (The University of Auckland, 2011). The video also said that it enables children to actively seek out what is interesting to them and what could be interesting to others (The University of Auckland, 2011). Smorti (1999) suggests that technology is purposeful and creative, emphasises creative and productive aspects of solving problems, and states that “it is the ‘doing’that is important, rather than the ‘product’”. Andrews (2008) talks about some of the benefits that using digital photography can have, stating that “digital photography can also boots a child’s self-esteem, celebrate children’s interests, cultures, beliefs, challenge their thinking and help provide personalised resources”.
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| An example of photographs used as a personalised resource in a centre. |
All of this has led me to wonder about how I could begin to introduce children’s use of digital cameras in my own centre. I found a video on YouTube that a teacher had posted about introducing the children at his centre to Flip Video Cameras – although they focus more on making videos with these, I feel that the way he initiated the use of them can also be applied to regular digital cameras.
References
Andrews, C. (2008). The benefits of introducing young children to ict. Retrieved from http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/the-benefits-of-introducing-young-children-to-ict-3072
Ministry of Education. (1996).
Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand:
Learning Media.
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.
The University of Auckland. (2011). Visual arts inspirations: People, places, things.Auckland: New Zealand.
Tsantis, L.A., Bewick, C.J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early ears. Young Children, 58(1), 1-9.
Images sourced using Google Image Search.
Video
Jansen, T. (2010). Introducing the flip video cameras to our preschool. Retrieved from
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ReplyDeleteKia Ora Sam
ReplyDeleteWhat a meaningful experience it was that helped you to see something that you had not seen or noticed before!! As well as what fun a camera can bring to children’s exploration! I think this practice was very awesome experience for the children and you, Sam!
The main thing that I agree to the opinion is “adult creates a barrier based on our own personal opinion.” There are many assumption around children, one of them is children are too young to use a real camera. This idea is too traditional; nowadays children are clever enough to use ICT in many ways. However, many people still do not understand how beneficial cameras could be for children’s learning and play until they see a good example.
In your reflection, you demonstrated how the teacher supported children’s learning. I like how she helped children’s exploration. I could imagine how proud the children were as they took some photos with a real camera. This might be a major shift experience for the children to become confident and competent learners. Who knows? The thing is teacher’s role is incredibly important (Tsantis,Bewick & Thouvenelle, 2003).
Overall, I really enjoyed reading your reflection and you’ve done a great job. As you understand the importance of teacher’s role, I hope that you put that into practice. Tino Pai!!!
Reference
Tsantis, L., Bewick, C., & Thornton, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computers in the early years. Young Children on the Web, November 2003, 1-9.
This is once again proves that play as a major component for children’s learning when they are actively engaged, asking questions, discussions, curious in their explorations. However, they do need the support from the adult to provide a learning environment to explore and to take risks. The children will experience open-ended exploration and play in an environment where there are consistent and warm relationships help to connect the child’s experiences“, to make sense of ideas and create meanings more effective (Ministry of Education, 1996, 82). Since, there has been an increased focus on specifying learning outcomes for young children as they enter schools, which has increased pressure on teacher for academic-type work activities in my centre. Therefore, it tells me that as an educator that our beliefs and philosophy of children learning and the system in which we are working has great impact on children development.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he Whāriki Mātauranga mo ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Kia Ora Sam
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed looking at the little girl's picture with digital camera because of her facial expression. The way she hold the camera that she did not cover the camera lens. You shared how you observed the children in your teaching practice centre. The way that teacher explain to the children how to use the camera for example, do not cover the camera lens meaning the eyes of the camera. Make sure when hold the camera always remember your hands away from the lens otherwise the camera can't see and there will be no picture.
I also agree when you said that most teacher even myself creating a barrier based on our own opinion. I like how you link to theory that Bewick and Thouvenelle (2003) suggested that teacher are the key of effectively providing educational use of technology. It is not the technology itself it is the teacher. When the teacher explain clearly and slowly to pre-school children especially to infant and toddler.
Nowadays in twenty first century technology is not hard or new to children because they live and breath and surrounded by technology. The experience I had with children used ICT like camera and computer at my teaching practice centre.
I agreed that early childhood educators role is to recognize the importance that using technology holds for children's learning and development. Te whariki discuss children should use a variety of technologies for a variety of purposes to help them explore the world around them (MOE 1996).
Now I can understand how interesting for children to be able to use camera in taking pictures within their interest. They can experiment the light, shadow, the color, and a lot more for them to discover and explore. Smorti(1999) stated that technology is purposeful, creative and problem solving but I like the part is 'the doing is important, rather than the product.'
Tumeke Sam!
References
Ministry of Education (1996).Te whariki: He whariki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood, Early Education,1, 5-10.