Technology for culture and non-modern technology

The children at my centre have been really interested in harvesting the kindergarten garden.  They have been taking home some of our produce and we have also been looking at ways that we can cook the vegetables.

A noodle making machine.  Not a pasta machine.

 

Today one of our teachers brought in a noodle machine.  When I first saw it I exclaimed “Oh we’re making pasta today!”  but no Y corrected me “we are making noodles”  Y is Chinese and this is the machine that she makes noodles on at home.  We have a number of  children from Chinese backgrounds at my centre and I think it is very important to emphasis and explore the different cultures that make up our community.  Food is a beautiful way of sharing our lives with each other and for the teachers and the children to get to know each other better.  Here the planning was to look at the curriculum communication goal of “an increasing familiarity with a selection of the art, craft, songs, music and stories which are valued by the cultures in the community” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.80).  In addition Smorti (1999) would suggest that technology is influenced by the culture of society that it occurs in.    

 

China on the map.  Helping children to think about different countries

The very first thing that we let the children do was explore the machine.  We could have just put it together but instead the children enjoyed the process of working out how to place the rods in the holes to make the machine move.  Just like in creativity I believe that it is the doing that is important rather than the product produced (Smorti, 1999).     

 

The children all made their attempts and there were some great conversations on what they could do to make it move.  The children were co-constructing and problem-solving their ideas together (MacNaugton & Williams, 2009).  Mindes (2006) would continue by highlighting that as children discuss their viewpoints and solve problems together they learn how to critically analyse information, consider different points of view and learn how to work together.

When we were all ready we mixed the flour and water, let it rest and then had great fun pushing it through the machine making worm like noodles!  There was pure joy around the table and much excited talk by children to parents as they were collected.  

 

I chose this experience to reflect on because for me it represents technology as an influence for culture and non- modern ideas of technology.  This was a new understanding of technology after reading Smorti’s (1999) definition of technology “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (p.5). 

 

This course has really made me think about technology.  Today in the 21^st century we have had rapid technological changes resulting in changing experiences for children (Arthur, Beecher, Death, Docket & Farmer, 2007).  When I was growing up in the 1970s we didn’t have computers, video recorders and things that I consider technology now.  But in my day there were new advancements and things that my parents had never seen that I just accepted.  I believe there is a place to show children both the current and the past to show the journey of where we have come from and help them to think deeper about the world.  The New Zealand curriculum also suggests this when it highlights the aim for children to have a broad technological literacy (Ministry of Education, 2007).

 

Leading on from my last blog item my thinking keeps coming back to: wouldn’t this be wonderful for parents to experience their children’s wonder of the world.  My centre doesn’t have a blog but I really think that there might be a place for it.  I would have loved to capture the children being so capable and competent as they worked out together how to use the machine.  Hertzog and Klein (2005) and Yang (2009) suggest to us that technology can influence and build on how we communicate with parents and enrich our learning environment.

 

This was such a simple experience but so much learning happening for myself and the children.

 and just for fun.... this is how we would have to make it without the machine!  maybe next time!

 

 

References

Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2007). Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4^th ed.). South Melbourne, Australia: CENGAGE Learning.

Hertzog, N., & Klein, M. (2005). Beyond Gaming a technology explosion in early childhood classrooms. Gifted Child Today, 28(3), 24-65.MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G. (2009). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and practice (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forrest, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Mindes, G. (2006). Social studies in kindergarten. In D. F. Gullo (Ed.), K today teaching and learning in the kindergarten year (pp.107-115). Washington, DC: National

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in early childhood. Early Education, 1, 5-10.

Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children, 58(1), 1-9.

Yang, s. H. (2009) Using blogs to enhance critical reflections and community of practice.  Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 11.21.

 

All movie and images from YouTube and Google image