I noticed that one of the boys in
my class was interested in sorting and using the iPads so I decided to get some
apps on the iPad for him to use that involve sorting. I download a few
different aps that ranged in different degrees of difficulty but would still be
at a level that he would be able to complete. I asked him he wanted to sit down
with me and play on the iPad. I opened
the first app for him and showed all the different choices he had. He choose to
sort between stars and circles. He started to sort through the different stars
and circles. Making sure to put them in the right hole. Once he had finished with
that he chose another sorting game to do which involved sorting cars onto the
road and things that fly into the sky. He was very careful with this one again
making sure he did it right and looking very intensely at the different vehicles
and whether they went in the sky or on the road. After a while he decided he
was finished and that he was ready to go and play with his friends.
When children have access to a
range of technologies and popular culture and an active role in their own
learning suggest the line between childhood and adulthood is a random one.
Technology such as iPads give children the independence to access information
and entertainment, as well as accessing adult knowledge, challenges the way we
look at children as incompetent and dependent on us (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, & Farmer, 1993) . The thing with our
iPads in the centre is we have put certain restrictions on them but that doesn’t
stop the children from using the different applications and the independence to
learn on their own. This is why I choose to use the iPad with the boy rather
then that laptop we have access too as well. He was able to actively learn by
himself. Picking his own sorting game and being able to learn from any mistake
he made when the game would correct him gave him his own independence to learn (Arthur, Beecher, Death,
Dockett, & Farmer, 1993) . The results of this
planned provocation is that the boy has confidence to use the iPad and was able
to develop his skills in using the iPad further e.g. swiping, keeping finger on
the iPad long enough and holding down long enough. This development will be
useful when he is able to use the iPad again and revisit these skills he has developed
in games that may be more difficult and require more finger skills. Another
result is that he was able to do different type of sorting game than the normal
colour sorting we have. One of the games was able to match with one of his
other interests which is cars and aeroplanes. From this interest he was able to
establish when he started the car and plane sorting game that cars drive on the
road and planes are in the sky.
References
Arthur, L., Beecher,
B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (1993). Programing and Planning
in Early Childhood Education (5th ed). South Melbourne, Australia: Harcourt
Australia.
You have explained how the experience occurred very concisely and used a range of literature for evidence. You clearly demonstrated that you are following children’s interests and recognising and responding appropriately to the child’s cues. It is obvious that this child has a high level of competency involving iPads, does he use them at home or has he learnt these skills at the centre?
ReplyDeleteBecause it was clear that he knows his way around an iPad I feel you could’ve involved him in the process of downloading the sorting apps and letting him choose the ones he liked the look of. This would’ve made him feel as if he involved in the process a little more and may give him the need and want to play the games more because he was given the responsibility to choose them.
It’s great to see that he is using the iPad as a learning tool and is proving to be beneficial. It is evident that you are using technology in the early childhood context as a valuable learning experiences for the children. Throughout your journal entry you have identified and acknowledged the developmental learning that has taken place during this experience such as boosting confidence and developing his fine motor skills.
Now that you are aware that the child is capable of using the iPad successfully, next time you could allow the child to have a little more independence with the help of your guidance and assistance. Perhaps you could think about using his interest and turning it into a project where the children can all begin to learn about sorting, or like you mentioned at the end of your entry about how the child learnt through the sorting app could establish the idea that cars drive on the road and planes fly in the sky. You could use this idea to start a project including more children about how and why cars drive and planes fly.
Jessica, it is great to see that you are noticing and responding to the child's interests in the centre. Why did you use the iPad to extend on his interest? Why not use another took in which he could physically feel like shapes or blocks that he could sort out? It was great that you downloaded a range of apps to help extend his interest and to challenge him. If the child knew how to use the iPad then why did you need to open the app for him, instead of letting him explore the apps himself?
ReplyDeleteDid you ask the child any questions in order to extend his learning and critical thinking? It would have been great to know what he thought of the apps and of the experience that you provided for him. You said he enjoys using the iPads and that he is interested in sorting, therefore has he experienced these games before on the iPad? Possibly at home? And how could you extend on his interest of sorting without using the iPads?
It is clear that your tool is the iPad in this experience and that the child is very competent in using the iPad. Using the iPad as a tool is great to prove that you can use the iPad with a child in a positive and educational way. I think that it is lucky that your centre has access to iPads and laptops, as my centre does not have access to them for the children. For yourself do you think that the children should have free access to the iPads and laptops in your centre and why do you think this?
One way that you could extend on the interest of sorting is to get boxes and get the children to sort out the different colours of cars into the different boxes so he can physically see and hold the shapes.