It’s hard to know where to begin with such an open-ended assignment. Much like how we teach our students through the process of inquiry, as grad students, we are starting an inquiry process but are taking on the role of the student, instead of the more familiar role, the teacher. Feeling anxious about where to begin today, I simply started by googling ‘Technology in the Kindergarten classroom’.
This was one of the first links I clicked on today: https://www.weareteachers.com/6-hands-on-center-ideas-for-using-technology-in-pre-k-and-kindergarten/. The article immediately grabbed my attention through the introduction as it comments on how technology is a ‘fine line to walk’. I can connect to this statement as I am unsure of where the balance is. How much tech do we need to have in the Kindergarten classroom? What is too much or too little? Is there a ‘right’ amount?
The article by Karen Nelson focuses on 6 hands-on center ideas for using tech in pre-K and in K. A new idea to me that was discussed in the article was about having technology in play centers to help teach children technology manners. For example, during play, putting the phone down to have a face-to-face conversation with someone, or during another play scenario, say that you need to get off your phone to go for some exercise. Modelling technology manners and tech etiquette through play is something I never thought about doing before and can start incorporating now. I notice so many adults talking to each other and/or to children while looking at their phones and believe it’s important for children to develop their social skills with technology early. Many adults could benefit from this as well!
I have never had access to an iPad or iPads to use in my classrooms. I am hoping this year that our school will come up with a rotation so that each primary class will have access to 4 iPads weekly. There has been some talk, but no action yet. Nelson touches open the importance of using apps that help children build and create and mentions these apps that hopefully I can try out in the future: MOMA Art Labs and Imagi Box (kids can draw and write stories), and Kodable (a problem-solving app that teachers students the basics of computer programming).
The last idea I will mention from this article is about bringing the iPad outside to document learning. This is something that my Learning Pod and I have discussed this week so they may also be interested in clicking on the article link. Nelson comments on how iPads can make it easy for pre-literate children to document their observations and to create a field journal full of images. I think that this is a great idea, however, I believe that children can also still use markers, clipboards and papers to document learning in the forest.
As another component of my inquiry, I need to research academically written articles as well. Next, I went to the UVIC library database to further my search of ‘Technology in the Kindergarten Classroom’. I scanned a few articles and read some of the abstracts, feeling the familiar feeling of getting lost down the rabbit hole of finding the ‘right’ article. I decided I wanted to read something relatively recent and since I am focusing much of my teaching practice on play this year, I thought this would be the article that I would fully read today:
Observing and assessing young children’s digital play in the early years: Using the Digital Play Framework:
https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/doi/pdf/10.1177/1476718X15579746
The article by Edwards and Bird (2017) focused on a Digital Play Framework that is based on Vygotsky’s ideas about tool mediation to position technologies as tools that children learn to master according to Hutt’s conceptualization of epistemic and ludic play. I enjoyed the brief review of different types of play and the importance of observing play to help guide children on their learning journeys. However, the article didn’t really come up with any answers to my big question. What I will take from this article is remembering to let children explore/play with different types of technology before perhaps showing them how to use it.
I am hoping that the work I did today has put me one step in the right direction for this inquiry project. As with any research, we don’t always find our answers right away, but I think it’s a good idea to try to take away something from what we do find (through the investment of our time on a topic).
Hi LauCoo!
Thanks for sharing the article about the 6 Hands-on Centre Ideas! Reading through the 6 ideas, it made me reflect upon a few of the centres that are available to my students. I have done a “take apart” centre before and it is a BIG hit! We’ve taken apart hair dryers, TV remotes, computer keyboards (they are a lot of fun… lots of buttons to “pop” out!). We also have an old rotary phone in our dramatic play centre – the kids love seeing what an “ancient” phone looked like and how different it is to dial a number. I’m also interested in exploring some of the Apps that were mentioned – especially Kodable!
Thanks for posting! I really enjoyed the article about the 6 Hands-on Centre Ideas! I, too, have a take apart centre. Right now the students (K-3) are really interested in the old film camera my husband donated!
My take away from your post is the technology manners! I LOVE this idea! I remember way back when (maybe 8 years ago or so) before my mom had a smart phone and she would get so mad that we would be texting etc. when we were in the living room or whatnot. Now she comes to my house and can literally sit on her phone for hours playing games, reading Twitter, commenting on Facebook. It’s such a switch. My husband is self employed and so his phone is lifeline. Over the years, as a couple, we had many discussion about “the phone” and when it should be on. We have a no tech at the table rule and we eat together as a family. Our children have limited screen time. Most importantly, when we go out to dinner, the phone is away.
Because smart phones just sort of slipped into our lives, we really had to learn to manage it and see it as a tool. It’s like checking my work email. I may check it after dinner or before bed, but I no longer feel obligated to respond when I’m not at work. However, it takes a lot of practice now to separate work and home because technology os so available, making us readily available.
It’s all about boundaries. Anyway, sorry for the tangent! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lauren,
I love the idea of combining technology and active outdoor time. I could see my students really enjoying something like this. We have access to 4 iPads per class, and we are outside often to help regulate our bodies. We often go for in motion walks or nature walks, and bringing an iPad could document what we find during our walks! I could use their photos as a way to introduce new French vocabulary! This is such a great idea of adding a verbal language component to the activity. Thanks!