Based on our study of people, places, things and events, and the impact of using technology in early childhood education, the children learn in motion and relate to the world through their bodies and senses. The preoperational stage on Piaget’s cognitive theory of development discussed the simple connection of young children’s sensory information with physical action (Santrock, 2009). In this stage, children begin to go beyond and perform mental actions, even though they can only do it physically (Fleer &Jane, (2011) also suggests that technology is everything in our environment that we use, such as construction, clothing, tools, computers, machines, etc. Technology is very important in the developing of young children’s learning. Focus on this piece of technology and how it influences L and M’s learning, blocks help these children through the constructive open-ended play of building with blocks.
While building blocks may not be sophisticated as some other toys you can find at the store today, they are ideal for learning because they involve the child as a whole. Blocks encourage children to make friends and co-operate while playing together. It also builds deftness and strength in their hands and fingers, and improves eye-hand co-ordination. They discover how different objects feel in their hands, the way they think about spaces and shapes and how different blocks go together. Building blocks teach many skills that children will use later, and the concepts they learn from block building are the foundation for more advanced science comprehension (Johnson, 2010). Children learn how to fit pieces together and recreate structures they see in everyday life. They receive creative stimulation by making their own designs with blocks. Building blocks are also good long term investment because children can continue to use them as they grow. 
The children develop much kind of skills together; physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative, thinking and language. Blocks can hypothetically help develop children’s vocabularies as they learn to describe sizes, shapes and colours, and some other complex ideas such as weight and volume (Ministry of Education, 1996). They may enhance their math skills through the process of adding, subtracting or grouping blocks together. Building with blocks foster a feeling of competence, teaches co-operation and respect for the work of others.
Finally, the children taught more through the use of blocks when they have well-trained teacher who knows how to respond, to guide, to extend play and increase learning, and how to assess their development by observing them. We are often in too big of a hurry to step in and solve children’s problem, rather than giving the children the opportunities to try things out by themselves (Helm & Katz, 2001). Another use of technology such as blocks in early childhood settings enables teachers to easily convert the curriculum to meet individual child needs (Talay-Ongan & Ap, 2005).
References:
Fleer, M., & Jane,B. (2011). Design and technology for children. French’s Forest,
Australia: Pearson Australia.
Helm,J.,& Katz, L. (2011). Young investigators: The project approach in the early
years. New York, NY: Teachers College’s Press.
Johnston, J. (2005).Early Explorations in Science (2nd Ed. ). London:McGraw Hill.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki, he whaariki mätauranga mo nga mokopuna ö Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Santrock, J. W. (2009) Lifespan development: international student ed. (12th
Ed.). Boston, Ma.: McGraw Hill.
Talay-Ongan, A., & Ap, E. A. (Eds.). (2005). Child development and teaching
young children. Southbank, Victoria: Thompson Social Science
Press.
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Hi, great blog. The blocks I find are something that children never get bored with, they always seem to go back to them at some stage. Such creative ideas come from them too for something so simple! Its great that you got to observe and didn't intrude on their learning I liked your comment about how all too often teachers are quick to interfere and fix children's problems for them.
ReplyDeleteI find thats the whole point of the process is for children to develop these problem solving skills themselves! Sure if they ask for help its ok and even then its good to let them learn through trial and error! So it was great you were just there to observe.
You identified a lot of skills and learning that children gain from this activity which was great, there is so much they can learn from something like blocks it isn't until you really think about it that you realise! I was thinking as I read your blog the learning they get also and its so much! like you said problem solving, shapes and sizes, social skills etc and there is things like maths, patterns, creativity, trial and error. You made some really good points and links to literature. Ka Pai!
In my centre a couple of times children have asked us to help them build something or have asked us what it looks like which leads to opportunities to use the computer to search for images or books so its great that we can use all these different technologies together! Something you might like to try sometime :) Leads to even more conversations, (which is always a good thing!)
Don''t forget a picture for your blog :)
ReplyDeleteYes Faaea, I agree how you say that technology makes the children design their own creativity. Yes of course that is technology, technology is about designing, making and appraising (Smorti, 1999). It is really good to see how children develop through the use of block that builds by children or use by the children to design their own creativity. It is fascinating to know that children also build their creativity using these pieces of woods.
ReplyDeleteIt’s motivated to read that children are constructively developed through the use of the blocks. I think this is in terms of making positive attitudes when playing along with others, demonstrating useful thinking when designing their own ideas using block and practically inspired and encouraged others to have open constructive play.
Putting together and fitting together of the pieces by the children is a good developing learning that children emerging from this activity. I think children are developing constructions skills and may be influenced other children or model to other children to practice this learning. It is nice you pick this one
Faaea..Nice work…keep it up
Hi Faaea.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that you mentioned in your blog about the learning children gain from playing eiyh blocks. I like how you mention that children go beyond and perform mental actions. To me and my own understanding this is how problem solving starts. When children are able to plan mentally and then act after.
It's also true that in the block area alot of social skills are practiced and/developed because children have conversations and suggest ideas on what they are building. For instance, in my centre, when the young children are at the blocks area, one child would build his/her own city and another child will extend on this and build railways or train tracks and this just builds up. OYou then notice that there is a number of children working on a single project that seems to just extend with their different ideas.
I support how you held back and allowed the children to do things on their own. After all, linking to Te Whariki, we need to encourage children to be competent and confident learners and your actions reflect that.
Just a small reminder, you need to post up a few pictures onto this blog as well.
Thank you for the hard work Faaea.
Talofa Faaea
ReplyDeleteYes, that is the true meaning of deconstructing knowledge that children have in using blocks. Definitely the boys are commonly interested in playing with blocks. Children also share their knowledge by building and constructing their ideas in using blocks. In addition, some of them are interested in building towers to show out the knowledge and skills that they have seen and in mind. Building blocks is the other way that children communicate in their learning by sharing ideas and ways of learning to each other to reform a successful learning.
Nevertheless, blocks are one of the important resources that the children have in their learning in terms of deconstructing in science and shaping in mathematics. It also helps the children to be confidence in build solitary activity to become more independent in their learning. Using blocks also develop and motivate children’s body movement in controlling their hands-on experience.
Malo lava, Keep up the good work!
Talofa Faaea glad to see that this activity shows that young children are very stimulating in builing blogs.Yeah you are very right that cogitive skills of children were developed through using these non digital technology.You are right that
ReplyDeletetechnology is everything in our environment that we use, such as construction, clothing, tools, computers, machines, etc. Technology is very important in the developing of young children’s learning. The children develop much kind of skills together; physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative, thinking and language .Blocks can hypothetically help develop children’s vocabularies as they learn to describe sizes, shapes and colours, and some other complex ideas such as weight and volume.This is very true and great you mentioned vocabularies where children learn through building blocks. In this constructive activity it is very important that sensori motor skills of children were developed and its benefit for us to see how technology works and impacted the learning of the children.
Talofa Faaea glad to see that this activity shows that young children are very stimulating in builing blogs.Yeah you are very right that cogitive skills of children were developed through using these non digital technology.You are right that
ReplyDeletetechnology is everything in our environment that we use, such as construction, clothing, tools, computers, machines, etc. Technology is very important in the developing of young children’s learning. The children develop much kind of skills together; physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative, thinking and language .Blocks can hypothetically help develop children’s vocabularies as they learn to describe sizes, shapes and colours, and some other complex ideas such as weight and volume.This is very right and great you mentioned vocabularies where children learn through building blocks. In this constructive activity it is very tru that sensori motor skills of children were developed and its benfit for us to see how technology works and impacted the learning of the children.