What is an iPad?

This seems to be an odd question, given its 2014 and iPads infiltrated our society back in 2010. However, I still believe, its a good question.

Technically it’s a rectangular screen with finger touch sensitivity. It can connect to the world wide web via a wifi (wireless router), or in some cases via the cellar mobile network. It has two cameras (front and back), speakers and a microphone all inbuilt into the screen. It comes with a base set of applications or programmes - called ‘apps’. Apps can be purchased  and loaded onto the screen via an online store. Apps are used to access and create digital information. Many apps are free but contain advertising. More specialised and ad-free apps are purchased relatively cheaply.

Given all these technical capabilities, the iPad enables us to connect to almost anyone, anywhere who has a regular phone, mobile phone, computer or ipad. It enabled me to send instant photos to the children of Manaia Kindergarten (New Zealand) from the heart of Kruger National Park (South Africa) - while tracking an elephant. It has enabled me to find my way through a rural township in South Africa that had not street lights. Its capabilities seem almost endless.

Apple, the company that designed, created and brought the iPad into our homes describes the iPad as its "most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device”

Were they right?

If we are to accept the iPad into our lives, we must endeavour not to be trapped in the rectangular screen - but to dream big, explore widely, and embrace the magic.

Other posts of interest.

What technologies do you have in your centre?

Technology fundamental in ECE

Music and ipads

Exploring Space on the iPad

MoMA Art Lab

Children's Collaborative Creation - Manaia Kindergarten

There are many creative apps for the ipad, but what is different about MoMA Art Lab ($4.99 NZ) is its link to the Museum of Modern Art (New York). Using 'simple' shapes and techniques children can explore colour, balance, shape whilst creating a work of art. Designs can be complex or 'simple' - and both stunning. Children can explore the processes of creating abstract modern art, and they can save their final creations to print and display. The MoMA Art Lab encourages group collaboration through the use of 'Create an exquisite corpse'. Based the age old game where friends draw different body parts on folded paper, children can create a surprise drawing together... ideal for a kindergarten setting. Above is the design created by three Manaia Kindergarten children. You can see them in action using the app together, on the Manaia Kindergarten blog - Drawing Together with MoMA.

The Art Lab tools that are provided for creations mimic techniques used by the Great Artists, and introduce young children to great paintings. Below is a YouTube clip highlighting many of the creative attributes of MoMA Art Lab for the iPad.

Talking Tom - fun, entertaining, social teacher

When Manaia Kindergarten first began using the ipad, we couldn't help but download Talking Tom The children very quickly learnt that if you tickle or tap him he goes crazy and falls down. In a previous post I asked the question - Games or educational apps: What's the difference?

Thank you Margaret for your response "What I am finding is that they are being used (as with desk top computers) by groups of children, thus stimulating discussion, social interaction, and shared learning experiences." Margaret also inferred that the learning she expected to happen, is not the learning that IS happening.

Children set their own learning goals, explore intensively, learn and share. Here is a great example of an 'entertainment' app that certainly entertained, but also encouraged clear enunciation, turn-taking, well processed questioning skills, stimulating 'discussion' and social interaction.

Exoplanet - ipad apps for young children

Do a Google search "apps for young children" and inevitably you are provided with a selection of app icons showing cartoon characters, alphabet flash cards, peekaboo and nursery rhymes. Some of these are great (though never the flash cards!!) But our children deserve more! Our children are capable of more! I recently took an evening session in astronomy for children at our local school on camp. Unfortunately it was cloudy, so we turned to technology. In preparation for this, I had downloaded apps onto the Manaia Kindergarten ipad to use with the school children. The session went brilliantly (but more of that on another post). I left the apps on the ipad and took it back to Kindergarten. I did not alert the children to these new apps - I left them to make their own discoveries. Two weeks later, Otis's Nan brought this picture in to Kindergarten.

Otis told his Mum, "The sun is in the middle of our earth and the earth is going around and round the sun. The planet on the outside is Jupiter."

Wow - When did he learn this? His family had not spoken to him much about the solar system, but he does have a natural curiousity towards stars and planets. He had found the apps, explored them, and set up his own learning goals. Check out the app Otis explored.

Once you have zoomed into Planet Earth's solar system - you can manipulate it for a better look...

Otis clearly had some knowledge of the solar system - such as knowing about the existence of planets, the names of some planets - and he was able to further extend his knowledge by exploring the ipad app Exoplanet. This is a sophisticated app and through this app you can learn about other solar systems - enabling teachers and parents to learn alongside their children. There is huge potential for Otis to further extend his knowledge of solar systems because this app isn't "just for children". It doesn't limit knowledge to information we THINK children can handle.

I continue to search for apps that support children's interests and current knowledge....

In the meantime check out Exoplanet - an added bonus is that its free.

Exoplanet

Buying an iPad for Education?

Technology fundamentals for Educators


I was recently providing ICT professional development to a cluster of kindergartens. I was inspired by their desire and passion to learn, and to approach technology in early childhood education in a new way. As a final summary we concluded the following:

1. ICT is a tool. Use it to engage children with yourselves, each other and learning opportunities.

2. Technology for a purpose. ICT should be used throughout the curriculum. Scatter technology (computers, laptops, cameras, ipads) where it will be used for a purpose - digital microscope near a collection of bugs, natural resources, science specimens or close to the outdoors. Laptops with typing programmes in an area promoting literacy, cameras where children can easily access, take a photo of their name, and download photos when returned.

3. Start with one thing and do it well. The latest technology on the block can be cool, exciting, trendy to start with (like the ipad) - consider its long term appeal. Choose the thing that you think you can move forward on and commit to it. Make sure its achieveable.

4. Technology is not a babysitter - its a tool that should encourage collaborative learning and teaching. Engage in technology WITH the children.

5. Encourage children/students to be the teacher. You can learn a lot from them. Technology shouldn't be stored until YOU have mastered it - open it with the children and learn together. Encourage children to push buttons. Its unlikely to blow up. Learn from their desire to explore.

Beginning 2009 with Wisdom

I have been waiting for inspiration to step into 2009 with a positive and meaningful post for the ECEICT blog . As mentioned before - I have a number of draft copies of posts yet to be published. They all seemed an inadequate start to the new year. Today, however, I have been visiting TED again. If you haven't joined TED - I highly recommend them.

Barry Schwartz, a professor of Social Theory, talks about wisdom. That elusive quality that is hard to teach, that crosses cultural communities, age, education - and yet without it even the most intelligent among us can struggle.

Wisdom can not be taught. However I do believe that wisdom can be role modeled. As Schwartz promotes, we need organisations both on the macro level (say Kindergarten Associations, Boards of Trustees, Committees) and the micro level (individual teaching teams, individual teachers) that value wisdom above rules...

Check out what Barry Schwartz has to say. At first I thought I would recommend that you at least listen to the first 5mins... then I listened further and if you have 10min to spare enjoy a cuppa and listen. However, I actually highly recommend that you sit down, enjoy and be inspired by the 20mins of wisdom.

Please observe there is a footnote about ECE below this video.

What is Early Childhood doing about Children and the development of Wisdom?

Te Whāriki (NZ Early Childhood Curriculum) has five essential strands - Wellbeing, Belonging, Communication, Contribution, and Exploration. These we hope are some foundational developments to wisdom. Within our everyday programme we value children's thoughts. We try to connect with individuals at the beginning of the day to get them thinking - "What is your plan for the day?". When disagreements between children occur, we try to step back, or stand beside if asked and support them as they try to think through solutions. When altercations have erupted we sit together to work out how things got so bad that someone felt they had to resort to fists, and consider other pathways that could have solved the problem.

I believe that although wisdom can not be taught, we as early childhood teachers should be valuing this quality in children, parents and teachers - by documenting and celebrating wise choices, thoughts, and negotiations and promoting wisdom by not always sticking to the rules - seeing beyond the (our) rules.

What other ideas do you have to cultivate wisdom in young and older children? How can we help to build a generation of adults who are motivated by practical wisdom.

The Benefits of Technology in Education

Having recently attended ULearn08 in Christchurch, and presented at this inspiring conference, I again came home excited about the future of education. The possibilities seem to expand with every passing year and I am amazed as I reflect and realise that actually the possibilities for us as a kindergarten continue to expand. Everytime our children assess their own learning, and challenge us with questions and responses to technology, we are amazed by their own expectations and desire for learning. Here are some real life examples:

Digital Dexterity
A few years ago a young boy came to me with his completed work of digital art and my expectation had been that I would either type his name at the bottom, or print the picture and have write his name himself on the paper page. It was with renewed expectation about children's mouse skills that I appreciated how he wrote his name in green digital ink on the digital page. His very matter of fact satisfaction with his newly developed skill paved the way for himself and other children to extend their own possibilities.

Learners as Teachers
One four year old girl had just finished making her PhotoStory3 movie and she wanted to change the colour of her text on the movie. A few runs through that process with the adult teacher and soon this four year old was teaching her friends. When introduced to other programmes they recognised a difference in the programme interface and wanted to explore the slightly different method of changing the colour of the text. The pride in this young girls face as she taught her peers, and her matter of fact satisfaction when her friend also acquired this skill took us all to a higher level of expectation and possibilities.

A young blogger expects Web2.0 capabilites
A four year old leaned out the window at Kindergarten and said "Hey Beverly, I left a comment on the blog" - and she had! This same girl wanted to see on the computer, the school she was to attend when she turned five. When the website was downloaded by an adult teacher, the four year old searched the page and said "Hey, where can I leave a comment?" - unfortunately the school had not yet entered this young girls world of Web2.0. When she finally arrived at school on her 5th birthday, this new entrant handed over the kindergarten business card and said "This is my blog address, you will be needing that!"


What are the benefits?
You might read the above examples and wonder how they answer such a question. These are but small instances highlighting the impact of ICT on children as they assess their own learning, explore with fascination and expectation at what computers can do for them. This expectation goes with them to school. They have a level of expectation about their learning that is best supported through the use of ICT in education. Technology is an invaluable asset when we begin to explore what ICT can do for us and our students, and when we begin to view education as a collaborative, relevant, living opportunity.

Also Read:
What are the benefits of Technology in Education? Practical processes children use when engaging with technology including a list of links to kindergartens and schools who blog about their technology learning and their open exploration of education in all areas.

Benefits of Skyping

"A family who Skypes together stays together"

Ok probably as debatable as the old saying "a family who prays together stays together" - but in this instance the skyping lifestyle has helped to keep my family, at least, together and deepened our relationships.

The young girl who blew me kisses over skype ended up costing me over three thousand dollars. And despite the miles that have separated us, we are as close, if not closer, than we have ever been. I couldn't mention it then, but the day after my two and half year old niece was taught by her other aunt to blow kisses to me over skype, I booked my ticket to Tuscany!! I had said I couldn't afford it - but those kisses made me do it. (see story on the ICTECT blog)

My entire family congregated in Tuscany and skyped me everyday. They were planning my fathers 70th, and in the end I decided the best birthday present for him would be for us all to be together. So with those two events in mind (the kisses and the birthday) I travelled to the UK on the 13th of September (now booking airline tickets online is something I need to re-consider - the travelling story is a whole other story). Through the use of technology, skyping, email, texting - I slowly made my way to the UK, then to Goring, and then along the canal tow path - and knocked on the door of my father's canal boat. Stuck in a canal boat, away from the internet and most communication, he had no clue of my imminent arrival. He was gob smacked and I had a great week on their canal boat despite the rising river and appalling weather.

Then on to Tuscany to meet that little girl and my sister's family. Skyping has helped my nephew (check out his amazing blog about his time in Tuscany) and neice communicate with me on a regular basis, to see me, to hear my voice, to know me. Even as a two year old, Ana was able to pick up with me as we left off over six months ago. I also met up with my teenage neices in the UK. I haven't seen them for over two years. And again, via skype, blogging, and facebook our relationship is as comfortable as it ever has been.

Skyping has kept us all together. If you want to keep in touch, or rekindle your relationships with overseas family and friends, download skype today.

If you would like to know more about my adventures in Europe over the next three weeks check out treehouse dwellers. Next week I plan to skype Manaia Kindergarten children as they arrive at kindergarten for the day. Don't forget to visit next week to hear that story of skyping in education.

Manaia Kindergarten Presentation

We at Manaia Kindergarten, are working towards a keynote presentation for CORE Eds ULearnO8 Conference. We are sharing the platform with other like minded professionals across the education sector. Our aim is to share with others what we are doing at Manaia Kindergarten, and hopefully inspire others in their ICT journey.

So what are we doing at Manaia Kindergarten? Well check out our blog for starters. Our aim was to build community - check out our Kindergarten blog and see if you agree that this tool is achieving this aim. At Ulearn we have 15mins to capture the excitement that is happening in our community... If you want to know more, at this stage , come along to ULearn. Just 15 mins - that's a challenge!

And then I came across this today in my professional reading - The Machine is Us by Dr. Michael Wesch. It is not altogether new (2yrs old is old on the web) - but I find it interesting as it succinctly (in 4mins) tells the story of what is happening with as a result of digital text. It is powerful! It makes you think. It sketches an inspiring exciting future. And it is succinct! Succinct is good. Succinct is powerful. It also encourages me to believe that the task ahead of us is possible, as much as the research we began (2yrs ago) has been powerful -it has been possible with the use of powerful tools... digital text.

Explore more of Michael Wesch's ideas here on the ICT ECE blog.

Have you skyped today?

I was recently phoned by a telephone exchange company trying to sell me cheap international calls if I switched my allegiance to them. On the end of the line, one of those telephone sales people rambled on and on so that I couldn't interrupt and tell them to find another hobby. When eventually she did pause for a breath I informed her that I skype. A longer pause followed. I thought she was about to hang up when she asked "What does that mean?". I was amused that a sales person for a telephone company did not know about new telephonic technology. So I explained. Skype is a programme that allows the user to initiate phone calls from one computer to another (assuming that the other has downloaded skype onto their computer too). Not only can one talk to friends and family with the aid of a computer and microphone, if you have a webcam you can see each other too. The telephonist genuinely sounded impressed and asked skeptically how much it cost for a skype call. I told her that was the best part of it - it is completely free. She apologised for taking up my time and hung up.

Skype has been a wonderful way for Manaia Kindergarten children to meet and get to know children from other kindergartens around New Zealand. We have many examples of children in our Whangarei Kindergarten (at the top of the North Island of New Zealand) crowding around a computer and microphone exploring the art of conversation with children from Geraldine, Fiordland and Auckland. The skpying kindergartens have shared their knowledge of painting, matariki, possums and stoats with our children. As teachers we have been able to hold professional conversations with teachers around New Zealand and as far away as Chicago.

On a more personal note my sister recently packed up her family, with my 10yr nephew and 2yr old neice and flew off to Tuscany for a 6month holiday. It is a trip of a life time - and I miss them. My niece and I had just come to a turning point in our relationship - as happens between me and most 2yr olds. We pass that awkward phase and become buddies. So it was kinda tough on us for her to then be whisked away. The highlight for me during their holiday in Italy is that I have spoken to my sister and nephew much more than I ever did when they were just 2hrs drive from me in Auckland. We skype almost once a day - whenever Mathew is a bored he sends a little chat "Want to skype?" - and I beam from ear to ear. My niece has peered into the webcam and watched me - fascinated - but seems to have found it all a bit confusing. Today she peered into the webcam, then vanished, and I could hear her talk to my family as she pointed to the computer and said "Beverly". Later she sat on my sister's knee (her other aunt) and was taught to blow kisses. We had a wonderful time blowing kisses from Whangarei to Tuscany and back again - til I almost cried!




Have you Skyped today?
Download Skype

Can blogging benefit your children's education?

As teachers in a Kindergarten, as part of the MOE ICT ECE PL CORE Education Research Programme, this is one of the questions we have been addressing. If you would like to know more, check out Manaia Kindergarten Blog. If you are concerned about the safety of children blogging and their presence on the World Wide Web, check out our Blogging Safely Webpage - with links to articles, netsafety, and videos on how to begin a blog.

Share your edublog experiences under Comments.