Computer Fun

The children in my room have a strong interest at the moment on working on computers. Children can build a variety of skills while exploring the functions of a classroom computer. There is a computer list next to the computer where we encourage children to write their names down. This aids in us being able to see who the next person is to have a turn. This, I believe has been a great exercise to encourage children's early literacy skill's which helps them to write their name even if it is the first letter of their name. Te Whāriki states that children develop "experience with some of the technology and resources for mathematics, reading and writing" (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 78). The computer list also encourages turn taking which helps to teach the children how to play with others fairly. I believe that turn taking offers more than just fun, they provide the youngest of children with valuable lifelong lessons in sharing. The children are also allocated time on the computer which is not only managed by the clock but also by a timer. Technology emphasises creative and productive aspects of problem solving (Smorti, 1999). Here again the children familiarize themselves with numbers that are found on both the clock and the timer and they are able to grasp the concept of time.

The programmes on the computer are all educational so the children are learning through playing games such as memory games, counting and adding games and matching, sorting and pairing. The children’s learning here is affirmed by Piaget’s cognitive theory, which acknowledges children as being capable of constructing their own knowledge and finding their own ways of making sense of the world around them (Santrock, 2008). I have noticed that the children have become confident with how to operate the computer, for example turning it on and then selecting the programme and game that they would like to play with. Te Whāriki states that children develop "familiarity with the properties and character of the materials and technology used in the creative and expressive arts" (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 80). They have the ability to operate and control the mouse and type letters using the keyboard. I found a lot of Vygotsky’s scaffolding taking place here, especially with the children that have just transitioned into the preschool room from the toddler room. The children use the computer to create art, make music, tell and record stories, and play educational games that can connect with off-screen learning and play. Isenberg and Jalonga, (2001, p. 25) state that “developing the young child’s problem solving processes gives children the time and opportunity to explore materials and use hands on approaches in pursuing solutions to interesting challenges”. Careful planning of computer use lets children explore these new opportunities.

Research by Haugland, (1992) has shown that 3- and 4-year-old children who use computers with supporting activities that reinforce the major objectives of the programs have significantly greater developmental gains when compared to children without computer experiences in similar classrooms-gains in intelligence, nonverbal skills, structural knowledge, long-term memory, manual dexterity, verbal skills, problem solving, abstraction, and conceptual skills. Haughland, (1992) adds that the benefits of providing computers to preschoolers vary depending upon the kind of computer experiences offered and how frequently children have access to computers. I believe that computers enhance children's self-concept in that children demonstrate increasing levels of spoken communication and cooperation. Haughland further states that "the potential gains for preschoolers are tremendous, including improved motor skills, enhanced mathematical thinking, increased creativity, higher scores on tests of critical thinking and problem solving, higher levels of what Nastasi and Clements (1994) term effectance motivation (the belief that they can change or affect their environment), and increased scores on standardized language assessments" (1992). From the observations that I have made in my room I definitely believe that children share leadership roles more frequently and develop positive attitudes toward learning when using computers.