CHILDREN CAN USE CAMERAS TOO!!

Technology is all around us, many of us have become reliant on it. I look at my life and I am surrounded by technology and I often wonder how difficult my life would be, if I did not have it. It seems we are running a race to ‘keep up’ with technological advancements and it  has become an ‘obsession’ to have the best.

Our children are at the forefront of this technological driven world, they will be the people of the future, using these devices. In this technical world I feel it is important to give children a head start in experimenting with devices such as cameras and computers. I personally feel that technology has changed the way we document in centres. Through photos; learning stories are made more meaningful and relevant to children as they can reflect back on their activities and make connections to other experiences.  I believe photos also provide more insight for the parents as they can see what is happening and feel ‘in the moment’ with their children.

Recently I was sitting with a group of children and we were writing stories. I had been taking photos of the children in order to produce a learning story about the rich learning that was happening with their stories. K asked me “why do teachers always take photos?” I explained to K that teachers take photos so we can write stories about them. K then asked “can children take photos to?” My personal philosophy is encouraging children in engaging in new experiences and supporting their learning, whilst also giving them the freedom to explore. Reflecting back on this expereince i was so angry at myself for not previously giving children opportunities to discover cameras. However, I gave K my camera and he started to take photos. This action of K’s sparked the interest of other children; we had many budding photographers patiently waiting for their turn with the camera.(Children's photos are inserted throughout this blog)

 Through the use of technology I feel the children were able to gather new knowledge around the camera, such as what it is used for and how it is used. Children are also becoming competent in using a common piece of technology that is present in our society today. Smorti (1999) states “technology is about helping people and solving problems” (p.6). In relation to the children developing skills in photography, the camera was also helping children to be creative and express their own creativity using a different medium. Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa (1996) states children should have opportunities to develop “the ability to represent their discoveries using creative and expressive media and the technology associated with them” (p.88). Not only was the photo taking experience new for the children, it was also an opportunity for them to develop competence with new technology and become confident in their photo taking abilities. Children and myself who were more competent in using the camera helped others develop knowledge of the camera. This strongly links to Vygotsky's Sociocultural cognitive theory. Santrock (2008) mention Vygotsky's theory explains children's social interactions with more skilled adults and peers is indispensable to their cognitive development. Santrock then goes on to state "through this interaction they learn to use the tools that will help them adapt and become successful in their culture" (p.44). In relating this to cameras; children were developing knowledge around how a camera works. Through these interaction children were becoming competent in a tool that is strongly evident in the culture of today.

I personally feel that through this photo taking experience children were able to see the world through a different lens. I was amazed at the competence children had in using cameras. Majority of the photos were focused and framed and many looked like phtots taken by adults. This was a mind blowing moment for me. Previously i would never have throught that children would be so compentent and expereinced in using cameras, however i was proven very wrong. Children were able to express their interests through their photos and their creative abilities were enhanced through having the opportunity to have time, space and support in taking photos. As the children were taking photos they developed skills in manipulating the camera and getting it to do what their intention was. Children were asking about the buttons on the side of the camera. I let the children experiment and through this they learnt that one button displayed the photos they took, another button deleted the photos and when they turned the wheel it changed the display and functions of the camera. This provided a rich understanding of the camera to be developed and children were becoming increasingly aware of all of the different functions associated with a camera. Siraj-Blatchford (2006) mention that through the use of digital technology, children are "supporting their knowledge and understanding of the world" (p.95). I believe this development of knowledge of understanding was evident in the camera taking experience, as children were becoming increasingly aware of functions of their world and technology that is associated with it.

When children were manipulating the camera and investigating what buttons did what, they were creating theories about what would happen when they pushed a button. For example one child said "if i press this button maybe it will make the camera take a black and white photo (this was her theory), however when she pushed the button it displayed the photo. This for me, displayed the exploration of this child as she was "learning through setting up theories or ideas about how things work and trying them out" (Te Whāriki He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa, 1996, p.82).

I believe in giving children freedom to express themselves through their photos and they learnt that photography can be an endless source of fun and another way to represent themselves.I feel this experience enhanced children’s learning and development as they acquired a new skill that will serve and benefit them in later life. This photographing gave children a new in centre experience and through this children have become familiar with cameras and therefore with forms of technology. I feel the continuation of using digital technology will allow for further learning and development to be enhanced. Children will be developing their technological skills and will understand their abilities as being a competent learner.  Ministry of Education (2004) state through the use of ICT children are " trying it out to find out what it can do while also learning how to use a new tool for inquiry that will be practical for other explorations" (p.5). Using the camera provide a opportunity for children to develop an understanding of the camera and what it could do. Through using a camera, i believe children developed an understanding of their own mastery and limitations in using the camera.

Overall I believe technology is all around us, the children now will grow up in a vastly technology inspired world. Therefore I feel it is important to lay the foundations in early childhood of children becoming technology literate. I feel technology has great significance to children and as a teacher I need to provide regular opportunities for children to be exposed to technology. From this I strongly feel I need to transfer my knowledge of technology to children, making them aware of processes and uses of technology. However i have had my eyes to to the expertise that children have with technology-sometimes they can use it better than adults! I believe there are many opportunities for learning and development around technology. These need to be recognised and planned for so that children can become competent and comfortable using technology, which will benefit them in this technologically driven world.

References:

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo nga mokopuna o

Aotearoa .Wellington: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2004). Kei tua o te pae assessment for learning: Early childhood

exemplars.

Santrock, J. W. (2008). Lifespan and development (11th Ed.). Boston, MA, United States

of America: McGraw Hill.

Siraj-Blatchford, I., & J. (2006). A guide to developing the ICT curriculum for early childhood

education. Staffordshire, England: Trentham Books Limited.  

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No.19 Autumn 1999.

Pictures sourced from www.google.com, along with fantastic photos taken by the children in my centre.