In my home centre, children are able to use a variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore the environment. Children have opportunities to explore and discuss how things change and how they can be changed. For example, children have access to equipment, such as egg beaters, an oven or glue gun to help them understand these concepts. Te Whariki (1996) states that the early childhood programme and environment are organized to enable children to initiate purposeful problem solving activities, to devise problems of their own and to solve them to their own satisfaction using a variety of materials and equipment.
Technology that the children are interested in using hot glue gun, they like to stick the different types of materials to create authentic creations and this type of technology is viewed as materials technology (Smorti, 1999). This is where the children investigate, use and develop using different materials to achieve a desired result. Furthermore this materials technology contributes too many other technological areas such as Structures and communication (Ministry of Education, 1995). I believe that with using hot glue gun, children could gain more benefits. As Helm & Katz (2001, p. 4) “It is only when children are curious, absorbed, and interested in a topic that the benefits of projects are realized.”
Thus making objects with hot glue gun is not just materials technology but structures as well because the children would make a simple structure like open and closed card. Hence this leads to communications technology because during using this technology, the children would talk to each other about what they have made and what they have made for. Smorti (1999) states “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (p.5).
Children also develop their social skill, as I could see that children help each other with using the hot glue gun. They can help each other to acknowledge that when and how to know that the glue gun is hot and where to put the glue stick. They could share their ideas as well. Te Whāriki (1996, p. 94) says “working together helps children develop confidence in their ability to develop relationships with others.”
With using the technology of hot glue gun, I believe children can develop their co-constructing learning approach as the children will take turn to control the glue gun or hold on the materials; and co-construct the knowledge of using the glue gun. Somerset (1975) says that children are prepared for learning, they are interested in constructing their own learning and they are negotiators; and it allows children to build their ideas and develop theories of their own. I believe that children’s social competence would be developed as they interact each other, share the tools and wait for turns (Ministry of Education, 2007).
For my understanding, I think that children are able to apply their knowledge about hot glue gun and their skills to use glue gun in practical ways. They could link their creations to the world and community as the children are able to provide explanations of their working theories and talk about why they thought they want something in a particular way. As Te Whaariki (1996, p.44) says “children are developing more elaborate and useful working theories about themselves and about the people, places, and things in their lives.”
Reference list:
Google Image. (2012). Image of children using hot glue gun. Retrieved from:
http://www.google.com.hk/search?q=children%20using%20glue%20gun&opt-webpage=on&client=aff- 360daohang&hl=zh-CN&newwindow=1&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=vfdqT4WiEdGZiAfPo7zfBQ&biw=1026&bih=555&sei=wPdqT4GRPNOjiQfNpqDzBQ
Helm, J., & Katz, L. (2001). Young investigator: The project approach in the early years. New York: Teaches College Press.
Ministry of Education. (1995). Technology in the New Zealand curriculum.
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2007). New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in early childhood. Early Education, no. 19 Autumn 1999.
Somersest, G. L. (1975). Work and Play: In a Pre-school Play Group. Auckland: New Zealand Playcentre Federation
I always see the children play glue gun in the carpentry during my several practicum. Children really love it. I agree with Rui’s view of using glue gun. From my learning in the class, I learned non digital technological tools such as hot glue gun and other carpentry stuffs can help us to solve problems more efficiently.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think children could also increase fine motor control and co-ordination by using hot glue gun technology, such as pressing the trigger of glue gun and learn how to control it properly by their finger. So the size of glue gun is very important. I believe that hot glue gun gives children a creative environment that can provide fun, laugh and playfulness as well as their learning hours
Kia ora Rui, I love the hot glue gun, which is very useful tool in our life, as it is surprisingly strong and fixes the objects quickly. So I think that glue gun is very interesting tool for children to use, as they could use it to stick different types of materials to create and make what they want. At the same time, through using glue gun children could develop their creative thinking, social skills. During using this technology, children can express and share their different ideas, and also taking turns to use the glue gun to make their projects.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in our centre, we do not give children to use the hot glue gun, because many of parents disagree about their children to use hot glue gun, as it is easy to hurt children. But I still think glue gun is very useful tool to develop children’s learning and enhance their creative skills. Now, I know that there are two types of glue gun, which are high temperature and low temperature. For children, we could choose the low temperature one, which melts the glue sticks at low degrees. Maybe we can explain to parents and try to use the low temperature’s glue gun with children.
It is good to see that you frequently link to Te whāriki to support your ideas in your reflection. Te whāriki as an early childhood curriculum can link to all the learning areas that the children should learn. You also used other literatures to support your points, good spotting.
ReplyDeleteIt is absolutely true that technology is a purposeful activity which was used in early childhood for children to seek for change and solutions, for exploration and investigation. Hot glue gun as a material technology provided opportunity for children to work out how stick things together and how things to be constructed. This activity also involves some other skill that children can be fostered and developed with, such as encouraging problem-solving, and develop their social skill during they communicate and share ideas with others, it brought up lots of social interaction, therefore formed good relationship with others. Well done.
Kia Ora, Rui!
ReplyDeleteNice spotting the literature of Helm and Katz (2001, p.4) not only for children, but also for teachers that “it is only when children are curious, absorbed, and interested in a topic that the benefits of projects are realized”. Curiosity is the lead, absorption is the spirit, and interest is what keeps it going. This applies to all learning including learning about technology.
You enriched the process of making objects with hot glue gun from just materials technology to structure technology and communications technology. That was a well extended in-depth reflection.
As you pointed out, sometimes it is surprising how often children help each other in problem-solving and learning process. Daily activities can simply involve children's learning approach of co-constructing. This is the time children are able to develop social competence on their own. As mentioned above, as long as the activity captures the children's interests, curiosity and absorption will come along to keep them exploring the world of technology.
Reference:
Helm, J., & Katz, L. (2001). Young investigator: The project approach in the early years. New York: Teaches College Press.