Over the last two weeks I have been filming children in the outdoors playing rugby, I have noticed this to be an interest at the moment with the rugby world cup on here in Auckland. The children were aware that I was filming as I asked for their permission first; I then played back what I had filmed for them on the centre’s computer. The children are aware that computers are a source of information; if any child wants to know more about anything they are able to do this. The children were excited to see themselves in play with peers on the computer, this area then became a movie theatre with chairs set up in rows. A group had gathered and wanted to watch. “Forman (1999) describes using digital video cameras as a “tool of the mind” for young children” (Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 44).
I recognized that we are experiencing an international event in most homes in New Zealand at the moment. Children are watching televisions at home with parents or attending rugby cup games at the stadium. They are learning cultural identity and that being proud of who you are is very important. Cars and trucks are flying flags which demonstrate where in the world they relate to. It is important that children experience an environment where information communication technology has a connecting link with the wider world. Children learn, “awareness of connections between events and experiences within and beyond the early childhood setting” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 56).
In this instance I responded by planning to bring my sons kicking tee and a full size ball in for the children to explore outside. I continued to document with the camera as a group of children of mixed gender placed the ball on the tee practicing to balance it. They encountered problems when the ball would not stay where they wanted it to be.”Technology is also a creative and purposeful activity aimed at meeting needs and opportunities through the development of products systems or environments. Knowledge, skills and resources are combined to find solutions; and there maybe more than one solution to the problem. Technology is influenced by the culture or the society in which it occurs” (Smorti, S., 1999, p. 5-6). By communicating with each other they were able to work this out over time and had plenty of fun kicking the ball pretending to be their own rugby hero. With this all documented the children excite in exploring this footage and have a laugh with each other observing how they had so much fun.
GO THE ALL BLACKSMinistry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2004). The role and potential of ICT in early childhood education: A review of New Zealand and international literature New Zealand council for Educational Research. Wellington.
Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999
It was cool that you extended upon their interest in rugby by bringing in your sons rugby resources for the children to use and then documented the children's learning and by recording the footage using video and photographs for the children to revisit. The children were able to “develop an understanding that symbols can be “read” by others and that thoughts, experiences, and ideas can be represented through words… sounds... and photographs” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 78). It is also important to support the children’s interests to actively explore the use of “ICT as part of their learning journey” (Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 19). The use of technology could be extended upon by providing opportunities for the children to take video's or photographs of their interests and the learning taking place, followed by showing them how to download the footage onto the computer (Ministry of Education, 2004). By scaffolding the children's learning in this way they “develop the ability to represent their discoveries, using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88).
ReplyDeleteWhat a great experience for the children. It was great you were able notice the children’s interest in rugby and especially with the Rugby World Cup going on the interest is probably very strong at the moment. It was a great opportunity for the children having you bring in the rugby ball and kicking tee for them to play with and explore with. This is great especially for children that may not have a full sized rugby ball or kicking tee at home. It was a great opportunity you provided them with in recording them to watch and look back over. This enables children to see themselves in a different role rather than just the player they are able to see themselves playing. A suggestion you could consider is maybe giving the children the opportunity to record each other playing and giving them the opportunity in helping to download the video to the computer. You could also talk to the children about how at the moment the Rugby World Cup games are recorded and that they have cameraman that record the games and maybe they would like to be cameraman and record their friends playing rugby. Through recording the children playing the children have the opportunity to look back on them and their friends playing rugby and they are able to feel a sense of accomplishment and a sense of ownership about something that is meaningful to them. Great reflection Serena!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome experience Serena! I think this is a great experience for the children to see themselves being recorded it helps the children feel recognised and they are able to identify themselves as important individuals. The children are able to learn how recording works and that by recording we can capture these important and valuable moments. They also learn that they are able to watch themselves and teaches them about how programmes and movies are made. I believe it is important to teach children a wide range of technology and how it works. I also think it's great how you extended on this interest by bringing in your sons tee and rugby ball to let them use. This helps them have more of an insight of how the game works and gives them more of an opportunity at this game to learn to kick the ball and practice at this. The children must feel real proud of themselves at accomplishing this actvity. Awesome job Serena this was an awesome experience to read about.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I can feel the excitement of the children about the World Cup Rugby when reading through your blog. I liked how you facilitate their learning and added to their excitement by filming them while playing rugby. Connecting it to the computers and giving them opportunity to enjoy the filming you had done for them while they play rugby, that is awesome! It’s sounds like you and the children have brought the cinema to the centre too by putting the chairs all in a row in a cinema like manner, this I believe has triggered their imagination as well or recalling a time they went to the cinema with their whānau and might bring back good memories too. Another idea that pops into my head concerning the filming was perhaps if possible, next time it might be also good to involve the children in doing the filming themselves, just a short video perhaps, it might be so complicated but it is just a thought I had while reading this. It might be good fun for both children and teachers as well. Anyway I really liked the way you expanded on their interest by bringing your son’s kicking tee and a full size rugby ball to the centre is marvellous! It is a grand opportunity especially during this Rugby World Cup season here in Aotearoa. What a wonderful experience indeed! Thumbs up and well done! Serena!
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