Sunday, 10 April 2011
Creating own learning
Today I brought my camera from home to take photos to use for documenting children’s learning. While I was taking photos of children engaged in the family play area, child “R” walked up to me and asked, “Raja, is that a new camera?”. I replied “yes, this is mine, I brought it from home”. He stood around looking and observing me taking pictures. Then he approached me asking if he could use the camera. I gave it him. He put the camera strap around his fingers and started pressing the button and looking through the lens. While he was doing this child “T” joined in as seen in picture below
After talking and discussing with each other child “R” decided to take photos. Child “T” is happily posing for the picture as seen in picture below
After taking child “T’s” picture, child “R” went outside with the camera. He came back and told me that he took some pictures while he was outside.
These are some of the pictures that he took while outside.
From this experience I can see that child “R” was displaying an interest and was curious about my camera. By providing him with the camera he was able to share his skills and knowledge with child “T” on how to use the camera. He also involved child “T” by taking his photo. This shows that they were interacting and learning along each other while discovering more about the camera. By providing the camera I created an ICT environment that allowed child “R” and child “T” to experience and explore ICT resource and take advantage of it. Te Whāriki states that children develop a perception of themselves as explores, competent, confident learners who ask questions and make discoveries: actively with all the senses (Ministry of Education, 1996).
Child “K” also decided to go outside and take photos of his own choice that was of his interest. Going through the pictures with child “K” provided me with the opportunity to see the world from his perspective. Blagojevic and Thomes (2008) indicate that the use of digital camera in the classroom reflects programs, educational philosophy and belief about developmentally appropriate practices.
This story reflects that both teachers and children can benefit from the presence of digital camera in a centre. In a classroom digital cameras are useful for administration work, enhancing existing learning and creating opportunities for new ones. It is also used as a useful means to communicate with families about their children’s activities and some ways of doing this is displaying pictures of the activities on the notice board or in children’s portfolios. I believe that digital cameras should be used to enhance curriculum and learning experiences because it is the perfect tool to foster the interaction between children and adults. Allowing children to use a camera is not only teaching them how to use technology but teachers them about the art of photography and this enhances the learning environment. Digital camera is a hands on technology and this helps children to have an integrated and well-balanced set of experiences. These experiences help them to grow into capable adults that can handle social-emotional interactions as well as develop their intellectual abilities. Digital cameras and images can also become the bases for project base learning.
In this experience child “K” participated in a child-friendly method to learning by using a mode of communication other than written or oral language. He will be the expert when it comes to reading about the photographs. To build on child “K’s” learning I could help him to download these pictures onto a computer. He can select the desired pictures and print them out and display or talk about them with others. Child’s voice is a critical component of the documentation and assessment process in early learning (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett & Farmer, 2008).
I can see the down side of using digital cameras if not managed properly in a centre. The pictures taken could be used or viewed by people that do not have permission. Most of the time there are policies and procedures in place but how seriously is it monitored or followed.
Reference
Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2008). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4th ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Thomson Learning.
Blagojevic, B., & Thomes, K. (2008). Young Photographers: Can 4-Year-Olds Use a Digital Camera as a Tool for Learning? An Investigation in Progress. Young Children, 63(5), 66-70,. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te whāriki, he whaariki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Hi Raja, I notice how as adults, we are quick to recognise the curious excitement of a child when they see a digital camera. I see that a natural bond was formed between yourself and the children during your exercise which would have proved to be a teachable moment - that was certainly the case with me personally. I agree that as teachers we need to be able to recognise these moments as an excellent time for learning and usually it just flows. By allowing the children to have an experience with the camera means we can see their hidden talents. Going by your activity, I can see that the use of the camera has also provided you the opportunity for building good and trusting relationships with the children in your centre. That's great Raja, and I look forward to seeing more stuff to come.
ReplyDeleteI agree more that the digital camera has become an essential and important teaching tool as stated in your blog. A picture is worth more than a thousand words.
ReplyDeleteWe, as educators, are role models for children under our care. Our actions are captured in their minds. When we use the digital camera to capture what they do and later we post the photos in their portfolios, the children will be curious to want to do likewise.
When Child K was entrusted to handle the expensive camera, you have given him a sense of self-worth which is in line with Well Being Strand. Child K’s confidence is enhanced when he moved around with your camera. When you went through the pictures with him, he was able to re-live those moments and both of you could see things from his perspective. “Piaget calls the period from 2 to 5 years the ‘dark ages’ in our knowledge of child development” (Bruce, 2005, p.113). You were able to penetrate through Child K’s ‘dark age’ to encourage him to express what was in his mind as he shared with you what he had captured in the photographs.
I am encouraged to do what you did.
Reference List
Bruce, T. (2005). Early childhood education. (3rd ed.). London, United Kingdom: Hodder Arnold.