digital technology can't do everything!

Don't expect computers to do everything for you! teachers remain the most important part of the process! both as educators discussing what is on the computer with children and accessing peripherals to maximize engagement, as participants in the decisions about what should be on the computer, and continuing to capture the teachable epiphany in the format most accessible to the learner, her peers, and her family. Here's the challenge!

philosophy, good teaching, vision - alongside the tools...

Below is an article written by Ann Hatherly- the leader of the research project investigating the use of ICT in ECE. This was made public for download on the Ministry Website. I find it pivotal to the 'heart' of the matter'. I've seen lots of techy oriented people who don't 'get it'. The people wielding these neutral tools ( ict) need to be teachers. Not only teachers but GOOD teachers.  The tools have 'seductive qualities' ( Hatherly) and are tailor made for ece as they are highly visual and oral... potentially.  They rely on the teacher 'getting' what the interest is for the child ( or group of children) and being responsive. So what sort of ICT you use doesn't mean that with the biggest 'bling' factor... just that which will be likely to communicate the best - or bring the gap.

Technology+ +a+Teacher+Mind.+Ann+H

Snowing in Wellington

Ok- old news now. But as I moved from Kindergarten to Kindergarten last year - Everyone had documented something about the snow. It captured the teacher's sense of wonder and this communicated itself to children and was fed by families. It should have been a case in point to us in ECE circles how using wonder to drive a project or support a teachable moment can work. I might be slightly biased on this front ( having co written an article on wonder in ece ) but also am speculative about what happened next - did the teams capture this rare moment of shared understanding and run with it? Here's a clip from Wellington that encapsulates wonder in the snow.