I have learnt recently
that technology can be so many objects that we use in our everyday lives that
we just don’t realise. Digital technology is only part of the technology that is
used in our day to day lives. Smorti (1999) states that “Do you associate any
of the following items with ‘technology’? A
ballpoint pen/ brick/ racehorse/clothes peg/ computer/ corkscrew/ hammer/
newspaper/ radio/ kidney transplant/ ice-block stick/ new variety of grass. The
simplest definition of ‘technology’ I found was that – ‘technology is about
helping people and solving problems’. Each of the above named items are thus
associated with technology” (p.5). Who would have thought that the ball point
pen would be classed as technology, but truth be told it is.
The ball point pens
that we use today have not always been as easy to use. It is rather interesting
that the ball point pen was not created until the late 19th century
and that the original way that was used to write was with a quill which you
could retrieve from a goose. The idea of plucking a quill from a goose,
trimming the feathers, sharpening it into a point and splitting the end so that
it could hold a small amount of ink seems rather time consuming and
frustrating. That is why technology has advanced today to the point where we
use pens that hold their own ink and last for longer periods of time.
At my centre child C
came over to me as I was writing on the toileting chart and asked me if she
could use my pen. I told her that she could and she sat down at the table and
started to experiment with the pen. First she drew different shapes and letters
and then she turned to me and said it’s small. I asked her what she meant by
this and she said “when i draw with the felts it’s bigger”. I realised that she
was experiencing this technology for the first time and that she was wondering
why the pen made small lines and why the felts made bigger ones. She went over
to the arts and crafts trolley and took a blue felt. She drew a line with the
felt next to a line done by the pen and she seemed to examining the difference between
them. Her friend child D came to the table to see what she was doing and she
started to tell him about the pen she was using and how she could draw smaller
lines with it. She gave child D the pen and he had a turn drawing with it. They
both seemed delighted and excited by this new discovery.
I found it really
amazing that child C was so interested in the pen. Before starting my class on
people, places, things, and events I wouldn’t have thought of the pen as a
piece of technology and yet here is a four year old child who is fascinated
with a ball point pen. That is when I realised that technology can come in many
forms. Child C was confused by the lines that the felt tip made compared to the
pen. She was comparing the two pens, forming her knowledge on their differences
and then explaining her knowledge with her friend. This is supported by
Ministry of Education (1996) which states “Children develop confidence in using
a variety of strategies for exploring and making sense of the world, such as in
setting and solving problems, looking for patterns, classifying things for a
purpose, guessing, using trial and error, thinking logically and making
comparisons, asking questions, explaining to others, listening to others, participating
in reflective discussion, planning, observing, and listening to stories”
(p.88).
References:
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā
mokopuna o Aotearoa : Early childhood
curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Google images. Quill pen. Retrieved from http://www.rickconner.net/penspotters/history.html
Google images. Child using the pen. Retrieved from
http://imagesofbirmingham.photoshelter.com/image/I0000fbAHfPsq.Mc
Google images. Ball point pens. Retrieved form
I have enjoyed reading your last reflection. It is evident that the child has learned how to compare and evaluate technology. I really like that she was confident enough to experiment with the two different types of pen. I find it very interesting that some of the simplest things around us are examples of technology. I need to remember not all technology needs to be complex.
ReplyDeleteThe interaction between yourself and the two children reflects Bandura’s social learning theory. He believed reinforcement was not enough to teach children, they need to observe peers and adults.
Children are great copy-cats. Child C saw you using the pen and wanted to copy what you were doing. As an early childhood educator you need to be aware that you are a role model and the children watch you as you perform your duties, interact with other adults and other children. I wonder what other technologies came such humble beginnings?
Hey Annalicia
ReplyDeleteSmorti (1999) states that “The simplest definition of ‘technology’ I found was that – technology is about helping people and solving problems” (p.5), and I have to agree that the ball point pen has certainly done that, through providing a tool for communication to being able to write a list so we can remember things such as grocery item, and much more. I found your blog on the ball point pen insightful as before this class I would not have seen it as technology.
I believe it is great that the child was able to explore the difference between the pen lines and felt tip lines I feel this is a learning experience that links to the Ministry of education (1996) who state “children develop: familiarity with the properties and character of the materials and technology used in the creative and expressive arts” (p.80).
I found this to be a great piece of technology for the child to be using as children at my centre do not have access to pens (due to health and safety, cost and transition reasons), so I interested to know what is required by your staff when allowing a child to explore with a pen, such as is extra supervision required or do they need to be in a specific area?
As non-digital technology you have chosen a ballpoint pen and proved your point by saying it can be considered as a technology because” technology is about helping people” (Smorti, 1999, p.5). You showed great understanding as you linked your ideas to history, taking us back to the 19th century to clearly show how pens have transformed over the years. I like how you used the example of ‘plucking a goose, trimming the feathers’ and so on to give the reader an understanding of why technology is necessary today. You encouraged child C to use the pen as it was her first time using this technology and got her thinking by asking how a pen was different from felts. This encouraged her to practically examine compare the difference between the two by drawing lines onto a paper. Te Whāriki’s strand on exploration links to this as it states that “children develop the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively with all the senses” (Ministry of Education, 1996, p. 88).
ReplyDeleteHi Annalicia,
ReplyDeleteI too would never have thought that something as simple as a ball point pen was technology but yes it is and it is a marvellous piece of ever transforming modern technology. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the information you shared about the pen and its transformation through history. It was interesting to know how far we have come in not such a long period of time. I really liked the interacting you experienced with the child and the way she was able to explore the differences between the pen and the felt. This is supported by Ministry of Education (1996) which states that “Children develop: the confidence to choose and experiment with materials, to play around with ideas, and to explore actively” (p.88). I like how you were able to allow her to have this experience and experiment with the two different mediums. What other mediums do children not use in their everyday life at the centre? Maybe you could experiment with different types of media for the children to use at the art table?