In the
centre I decided to bake with the children as it is an activity that the
children enjoy doing regularly, so we made chocolate chip donuts. Through this
activity I am using non- digital equipment to make these donuts with the
children. As technology is not only material that is run by power or is in the
form of a computer or television, but it is also a form of process or is an invention
or a design. (Dictionary.com, 2012). The non- digital technology we used to make
the donuts were all invented by someone to make baking an easier process. We
didn’t use any electrical items but we used the basic externals’ to bake with
like the mixing bowl, tea/ table spoon, wooden spoon and measuring cup.
While
preparing the table with all the equipment and ingredients that were needed to
make the donuts, the children waited for their turn patiently around the table.
As I put each baking equipment I asked the children “what is this, and what do
we use it for?” an example is when I held up the wooden spoon and asked them
the questions, the children replied with “it’s a spoon and we can stir with it
and eat with it”. The children were able to acknowledge and explain what each
technological item was on the table, and what it was used for. From the first
process of preparing the children for baking, the children were learning and
developing language skills where children’s “language grow and develops on
meaningful context when children have a need to know the words to
communicate”(Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 72).The children engaged in the
activity were learning the names and use for each equipment and ingredients
needed in the baking experience.
Through the mixture process the children all helped out as some children placed ingredients into the measuring cup by using the lines Engraved on the side to get the accurate amount needed. With this piece of technology the children learnt how to measure liquid as well as solid ingredients by reading the recipe and measuring cup to get the right amount of ingredients needed. Through reading the recipe you can show real life experiences, from what the children see at home from their parents cooking or baking at home (Reluctant gourmet, 2012).The children also developed mathematic skills through this step of baking by using the equipment designed for measuring as well as reading skills by recognising how much flour or sugar they needed to put into their mixture.
While
other children got to mix the dry ingredients within the wet, using the wooden spoon,
which the children developed physical skills by stirring the mixture but also
gaining, “the fine motor skills while measuring, spooning, manipulating, and
stirring” (St Louis kids, 2012).The main fine motor skill the children showed
though this activity was by being able to grip on to the spoon in a comfortable
manner to combined the ingredients together.
Once the mixture was at the texture the children wanted it to be at we placed teaspoons of mixture into the donut maker, the children estimated how much mixture they would need to fill each donut tin. The New Zealand Curriculum states that “children are given the opportunity to learn to estimate reasonably” (Ministry of education, 1993,p. 26). Using non-digital devices allows the children to use the right equipment to estimate and gain mathematic skills. While the donuts were cooking the children could see the liquidly mixture change into solid as the heat was cooking them. So the children saw dry ingredients turn into liquid and then back into solid. The children developed science skills though the cooking process but then learning mathematics skills by timing how long the donuts needed to cook.
Overall
the children were using technology throughout the activity and developing and
learning from the equipment that was set out to make their final product.
References.
Dictionary.com.
(2012).Technology Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/technology
Ministry
of education. (1993).New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: learning
media.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whariki: He
Whariki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington, New Zealand:
Learning media.
Reluctant Gourmet.(2012).The
Developmental Benefits of Baking Cookies. Retrieved
from, http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/kids-can-cook/cooking-helps-kids-with-language-skills-self-confidence-and-following-directions/
St
Louis Kids. (2012). The Metro St. Louis guide to smart parenting. Retrieved
from http://www.stlouiskidsmagazine.com/story/developmental-benefits-baking-cookies
Photo references.
Beach
lover’s kitchen. Baked donuts. Retrieved from http://www.beachloverkitchen.com/2009_04_01_archive.html.
Photo references.
Ceb’s
marketing leadership council. (2012).Wooden spoons. Retrieved from http://mlcwideangle.exbdblogs.com/2011/07/05/platinum-plaques-for-the-players-%E2%80%93-wooden-spoons-for-the-watchers/
Garden
goodies on line. Measuring jug..Retrieved from http://www.gardengoodies.co.nz/measuring-containers.html
Green
apple baby. Baked vegan donuts. Retrieved from http://www.greenapplebaby.com/2011/11/baked-vegan-donuts.html
Made
in China. Com.(2012). Donut maker. Retrieved from http://denniszheng2005.en.made-in-china.com/product/RbXQjCYyZEre/China-Donut-Maker-WDM-06-.html
Visual
v photo. Child stirring mixture in the bowl. Retrieved from http://www.visualphotos.com/image/2x3686132/child_stirring_bowl_with_two_wooden_spoons
Rebecca it is great to see you using non digital technology with the children and that you can identify what learning is happening. I feel that you need to write more about the learning you gained from observing the children using these non digital technology tools; rather than all about what the children learnt. Your blog sounds more like a learning story so try making it more of a reflective blog. You could try using ‘I’ statements to help you reflect on the learning you have observed. Is there anything you are now more aware of with non digital technology since you have done this activity with the children? Anything that made you think ‘wow’ I never realised or noticed that before? Did you come across any challenges whilst using these non digital tools? How could did you feel about the challenges and how could you over come them? These are some points that you could talk about in your blog to make it more about your learning rather than the children’s.
ReplyDeleteHi there Rebecca. It was great to read your own opinion and how you articulate your take on technology. I quite enjoyed discovering the technological experience that you described, but I wonder what you learning you gained yourself from this experience? I am very intrigued to discover what you felt during this experience and if you made any discoveries in regards to the way that you explained this non digital technology reflection. These different aspects could build a bigger picture for yourself and you could completely dissect your own adaptation and problem solving in this experience. I wonder if you have anything that you may like to adapt yourself in this experience? Was there anything that you might like to include for next time or possibly something spontaneous or ineffective. I can observe the many different learning areas this covered very clearly and it is great to continue read that you are thinking about all the different learning that the children are participating in.
ReplyDeleteKia Ora Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteYou have written a great blog on observing the children’s learning throughout this valuable non-digital technological activity. It was a great opportunity where the children were able to learn a wide range of knowledge, which you have explained. I liked how you broaden their baking knowledge as I'm sure this was a new experience to some. I would have liked to read any aspects you would have done differently next time or what worked really well. This helps to reflect on your practice and advance yourself as a great teacher. I look forward to reading your learning in your next reflection. You had great use of relevant visuals which was helpful to back up your discussion and allow the reader to understand what you were explaining. Also you utilised literature to support your reflection which were significant to children’s learning and development. Tino pai Rebecca on explaining what the children gained from baking. I’m sure they loved eating them as much as mixing the ingredients!
Megan
Rebecca, this is a good non digital technology example, and it is great to see you do all these non digital technology with the children, as it is very important. There is so much to learn from baking it involves a lot of outcomes, from science to maths and so fords. I would like to see you write more about what you have learnt, how you felt during this process and what have you notice, non digital technology is everywhere. See if you can spot some situations where the children are using non digital technology and what they are learning. (Children directed). It was great to read about how much the children enjoyed it. Rebecca I would like to see you think outside the box, what else is there that is non digital technology, other than baking? Your blog was well written Rebecca keep it up.
ReplyDeleteHi Rebecca I really liked reading your blog on baking as I found it quite interesting how you based this activity around a non digital approach which focused more on the preparation of the baking compared to talking about the technology aspect behind the cooking of the donuts. This showed me that you focused more on the benefits of the preparation aspect and how you enhanced the children’s development through the preparation process. For example you noticed and recognized that the children were developing mathematics and science skills through this activity. I also liked the way you talked about how children can do this activity at home as well as it showed me that you were thinking about and linking the centre environment to their home environment. However I felt that this reflection was based more on the children’s learning and development compared to your own. Next time I think that you should talk more about what you learnt and how you felt while doing this activity with the children as it will show the development that you have gained from doing this activity.
ReplyDelete