Entry 3

Our computer

14^th September 2010

Recently our centre invested in a computer along which some educational computer games which focus on numbers, colours, and letter recognition. The first time we turned on the computer the children swarmed to it all wanting a turn. We create some rules around using the computer such as waiting for your turn and not touching the screen. We also create a who’s next chart which the children use to know who’s turn it is next. In addition we also invested in egg timer to indicate that the child’s turn was over, this strategy we have found works really well and also decreases the amount of arguments children have about who’s turn it is.  Through observing the children on the computer I have noticed a number of things, the first being the different levels of competence children have when using the computer. Some of the children know how to use the keyboard letters and keys (for example the spacebar) as well as how to move the mouse around the page and how to click on the icons. This shows some of the children have some sort of prior knowledge of how to use the computer and/or have computers at home. Other children need a little more support when using the computer interestingly most of the support comes from their more knowledgeable peers instruction and telling. Another important aspect i have noticed is the children’s engagement in the computer games. The children focus on playing such games for a sustained period of time in which they are completely engrossed in. 

Recognised learning: Tsantis, Bewick, and, Thouvenelle (2003) talks about how children benefit from having early computer awareness and understanding of how computers can be used before they enter school. Tsantis, Bewick, and, Thouvenelle (2003) also suggests computer software based on their educational content can create learning opportunities that do not exist within the centre.  Vygotsky stresses the importance of children learning and developing within their cultural context. Vygotsky suggested children learnt to use the tools of their culture such as computers in order to achieve a higher level cognitive growth and development. Vygotsky also emphasised the social environment in which children are able to learn from for example through interaction with more knowledgeable peers and adults (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Dockett, and Framer, 2008; Talay-Ongan and Ap, 2005). For those more experienced children with computers at home they are able to build on what they already know by using the centres computer. Piaget argued that children recreate ideas based on new information therefore forming these new ideas leads to more knowledge being gained (Talay-Ongan and Ap, 2005). Te Whariki also that talks about different situations children are able to learn in by stating “technology: using many materials for different purposes enables children to recognise that different technologies may be used in various places and settings” (p.95).