Binding technology

Blog Three

Date: 11.04.11

Technology plays a significant role in all aspects of children’s life. Items like pen, brick, paper and glue are also associated with technology. When most people hear the word technology, they think of products like computers. The word technology had always had a variety of interpretations, ranging mere hardware to a systematic way of solving problem ( Smaldino, Lowther & Russell ( 2008). “Though some people may want to sidestep the issue, technology will continue to play an increasingly prominent role in education in the years to come” ( Kent & McNergney, 1999, p. 1).

Today I was sitting with a group of children who were using crayons and felts in drawing. As it was Monday so everyone was busy drawing what they did in the weekend. I asked an open ended question to start the conversation about their creations. I wonder what R is drawing? “ I am drawing my Dad’s fast racing car”. P was drawing a telephone and said “ On Saturday I talked to my nana in India”. This shows that technology also surrounds children in their homes.

As they finished their drawing P came to me and said ‘teacher can you help me to write my story’. I asked him if he would like to help me in typing his story in the computer. So everyone made their way to the computer. I opened the word document and children described their pictures and I wrote children’s exact words. They began to see a connection between the spoken word and the printed word. Te Whāriki, He Whaariki Mātauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa (Ministry of Education, 1996) states that “children gain experience in using communication technologies such as crayons, pencils, books and computers” (p. 97).I gave them a chance to type as I spelt few words. Some children were very familiar with the alphabet letters. This helped them to recognize the letters on the keyboard. We printed the story and children used scissors to cut their story and paste it below their drawing. According to Smorti (1999) “technology is a creative and purposeful activity” (p. 5).

As the children were doing this D suggested that we should make a book. That is a very good idea D so we might need to laminate our drawings now. I followed each child’s lead, and made appropriate decisions about use of technology to scaffold and support their individual creation. According to Good (2009) “ it is critical to protect the photos when they are used in an interactive way such as laminating it” ( p. 40). So then we had a little discussion about the topic of the book and concluded with “Our Weekend Story”. The children helped me set up the laminator. While we waited for the laminator to be heated up, the children put their drawing in the laminating pouches. I also advised them that the laminator is going to be hot so we have to be mindful of that. I demonstrated by laminating a paper. Some children became familiar of how to insert their pouches into the laminator while others still needed assistance so I helped them.

Now, how could we bind our book? K said ‘we can staple it’. P said ‘we can cello tape it’. L said ‘teacher cello tape will come off’. 'We need a strong machine' said M. How about using a binding machine. What is that teacher? said P. It is a machine that will help us to bind our book. So I went to the office and got a binding machine. Firstly, I demonstrated the children by binding few papers. The children were very curious and interested in how it works, what it does and how it is meaningful for them. I could see children’s excitement in using new technology. As according to Te Whāriki, " children use variety of technologies for different purposes as they explore their world"( Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 98).

Each child had a chance to slide the page of their book into the opening at the bottom of the machine. Then they press down on the lever to punch holes in the pages. Once everyone had done this I placed the plastic binding over the teeth at the top of the machine and pulled the lever to open the teeth. The children helped to insert the pages of the book between the teeth and I released the lever to close the binding securely around the pages. I then removed the book from the binding machine.

Children got turns in sharing about their drawings during our ‘show and share’ time. The book was then put on the book shelf, another addition to our library corner.

                                 The children loved going through the book with
                           their friends.

 Durning this activity children’s drawings were used to promote langauge and literacy. As according to Good (2009) “ young children’s language can be promoted by asking them to describe what is happening in the pictures” ( p. 103). Children took turns in using the binding machine . During show and share children also took turn taking, talking, and listening while showing off their works of art.

To further enhance this learning of using a binding machine I will give children opportunity to make their own book.

References:

Good, L. (2009). Teaching and Learning with Digital Photography: Tips and
                Tools for Early Childhood Classrooms. Thousand Oaks, CA:
                 Corwin Press.

Kent, T.W., & McNergney, R. F. (1999). Will Technology Really Change
           Education? From blackboard to Web. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki mātauranga  mō ngā
                mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington: Learning Media.

Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2008). Instructional technology and media for

                  learning (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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