Final Reflection

Like most of my group members, Blogging was something new but such a great experience. I remember the day we were to create our blog site, I felt a bit lost. When it comes to technology in any form, it takes a lot of motivation for me to try. In my point of view, technology directly linked to computers, phones, Ipads just to name a few before I stated this course. It was different perspective of technology that I discovered through this course that I realize the benefits and the learning development that occurs with young children while we utilize these resources in a meaningful way. I find blogging to be very interesting and it can also be used in multiple ways such sharing and finding information, or maintaining other people’s views, perspective, ideas that they can share with you. According to Hong, (2008), blogs engage people in knowledge sharing and reflection attracting a large readership. I really like the idea how blogs allow users and readers to respond, to create and to connect. As I was on the internet going through different sites, I stumbled across an interesting blog of someone who is an artist who wanted to share her paintings and requested people’s opinion on them. What a great way to share, communicate and learn by connecting to the world. While creating my own blog it gave me a great sense of achievement and I felt very excited about it. 

Ray (2006), highlights that blogs is education can be utilized to communicate, as an instructional resource, a collaborative tool and a showcase for student creativity. The critical reflections that I wrote and reading through our team members blogs were very informative such as the various types of technology both digital and non digital in early childhood settings. The feedback provided from my peers was very encouraging and advantageous. From various feed backs, I am now able to reflect and implement the ideas suggested by my peers as they gave very valuable information that I can add towards effective teaching practices. Through peer feedback, reflective reading and writing, teachers can find any hindrance and uncover how teaching beliefs need change so we can implement transformative teaching techniques (Sockman & Sharma, 2008). Critical reflection refers to how teachers learn to challenge their own teaching beliefs through analyzing themselves, and taking ownership for their actions. Through my peer feedback, I have a vast range of information on digital and non digital technology. Although I have a lot of useful information about technology, using and keeping up with the latest devices will take time and tolerance for me. Critical reflection and inquiry does not happen easily for me but I now understand that reflective teaching and reflective practices play important roles in teacher education, Yang, (2009).    

Technology and interactive media are very effective tools to support learning and development when used intentionally and appropriately of course. Setting limits on the use of technology is important and special considerations must be given to the use of technology especially with infants and toddlers, Hong, (2008). I have come across a lot of research articles, books, studies showing positive outcomes and development of using technology with young children; however I have also read studies that challenge the fact of children using technology with this generation.\

Children need real-life experiences with genuine adults to truly benefit from available technologies. Technologies need to be used to enhance curriculum and experiences for children. Children have to have an integrated and well-balanced set of experiences to help them grow into capable competent adults that can handle social-emotional interactions as well as develop their intellectual abilities (Ministry of Education, 1996). Thanks everyone for your positive or rather informative feedback and I will definitely reflect on them. And thanks Sharon for taking us into the world of Blogging. 

References:

Images: Retrieved 07/4/2013 from Google Images www.google.co.nz

Hong, W.(2008). Exploring educational use of blogs in U.S. education. US-China Education Review, 5(10), 34-38.

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

          o Aotearoa .Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Ray, J. (2006). Welcome to the Blogoshere: The educational use of blogs. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 42(4), 175-177.

Sockman, B., & Sharma, P. (2008). Struggling toward a transformative model of instruction: It’s not so easy! Teacher and Teacher Education, 24 (4), 1070-1082

Yang, S.-H. (2009). Using Blogs to Enhance Critical Reflection and Community of Practice. Educational Technology & Society, 12 (2), 11-21.