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Tuesday 26 April 2011

3. “Playing my music by using CD player, says L”



Research believes that “when used technology appropriately, not only does not take away from important developmental experiences, but it actually adds the potential of supporting children's unique needs and enhancing 
achievement” (Mouza, 2005, p. 514). 

Playing and exploring on CD player in our centre has a huge impact in L’s learning and development in ICT and technology. This curiosity has given L an opportunity that will bring maximum learning on technology. She has interest in technology for the last couple of months and she moves from art and painting to the music area. Ever since she learnt how to put the CD inside and how to take it out L then started to learn how to play and pick a song by using CD player. As stated in Mitchell (2007) "that with this in mind, although still honouring the need for the personal encounters, technology can enhance the learning of young children in many ways” (p. 33).








This morning, I set up the music area at the outdoor environment for L to explore and develop more with her learning on technology. She came straight to the music area after morning tea and starts to put her favourite Cd called Hifive musical. As L was playing different Cd’s on the CD player she told me that she got her own CD inside her bag from home. I told her she can go and get it  whenever she wants to. 



However, looking at L’s learning and development on technology in our centre she figures out how to solve her own problems when she faces difficulties. For example, one of the Cd got stuck inside the Cd player and L was trying to get it out. I just stood back and allowed L to work out how she’s going to remove it out if it’s stuck inside. Siu and Lam (2005) indicates that “application and problem solving are important in technology education” (p. 357). When L finally knew how to take the Cd out from the CD player by spotting that the Cd was unbalanced inside she then pressed down the Cd to make both sides balance. L was so happy that she could do it on her own and she told me, Lucy I can do it, I know what happened to the Cd, and I can do it on my own. Reggio Emilia strongly believes that “these young children are encouraged to be investigators of the world around them” (Helm & Katz, 2000. cited in Mitchell, 2007. p. 33). At the same time that you are teaching children you also need to give or allow space for themselves to figure or problem solve what they face within their learning growth in and around the centre instead of solving it for them or helping them all the time. More over our minds need things to be figured out in order for it to grow and develop. Siraj-Blatchford and Siraj-Blatchford (2006) have identified communication and collaboration, metacognition and creativity as three areas of young children’s learning that can be supported through engagement with ICT. By enhancing encounters with ICT we meant "promoting the kind of sustained, mindful engagement that characterises active learning" (Stephen and Plowman, 2008. p. 638).


This interest has evaluated the significant use of technology on L's learning and development. It has encouraged her with her future learning.

3 comments:

  1. CD players are popular technological tools in every centre. It is our desire as educators to see the value of music being used spontaneously throughout the day, providing a background for play and activities. Lucy, in your blog, L is competent in handling the CD player. She is confident in trouble-shooting and resolving the problems she encountered. It must have been rewarding for you to see her appreciating and enjoying music. I suggest that you extend her development and appreciation for music further. You can do this by organising musical games. Also, there are many music clips on You-Tube that children would love to watch and listen to.

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  2. Lucy first of all I like to say that you have used lots of literatures to back your discussion and I am delighted to see that. It is good to see that you extended child L's interest in music. Music is something that is appreciated in all religion and culture. Looking at child L, she took interest in music and was able to use the CD player by herself. She was able to solve the problem by herself when the CD was stuck in the player. This shows that she has links to CD player from home that is why she managed to fix the problem. Looks like L has interest in music, and to extend that I suggest that having computer safe in mind you can go on you tube and find some nice music clips for her so that she appreciates your way of extending her learning. You can also implement some different cultural music and see if this interests her. You have done a great job by applying Reggio Emilia approach with child L. She was manage to resolve the problem by herself even though you were there for her. Good to see that you did not interrupt her when the CD was stuck.Technology is everywhere in the world so I suggest you and I to make the most of it before it's too late.

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  3. Thank you Emily and Pritiprat for your feedback! Yes, I will extend L's learning and development on technology by suggesting her video-clips on you-tube or music DVD’s to watch in the centre.

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