Four-year-old Ben (name changed) from Brindishe Lee School in Lewisham, South East London, asks his teacher to put the iPad in the slow-motion mode when playing on the outdoor equipment one day. Dumbfounded, his teacher replies, ‘Excuse me?’, to which the boy explains, ‘My friend is going to record me in slow motion on the rope swing so that I can show him how to flip over.’
The child took the iPad and off he went. Later, his teacher found the perfectly captured flip on the rope swing in slow motion. Danielle Sanniti, Reception teacher at Brindishe Lee School, enthuses, ‘It was incredible. We watched the clip in class at the end of the day and the child explained to his peers what he did. This is the perfect example of how technology isn’t just about using iPads, computers or cameras but it’s about how we can manipulate them and use them to enhance a moment or an experience.’
ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE
Early years teacher and Apple distinguished educator Marc Faulder says that the video captured of the boy playing on the ropes is a ‘good use of technology’ because it has furthered that experience and taken it to another level.
Playing a game or watching a video, however, is a ‘not so good’ a use of technology because it involves a ‘lower-level skill’ where the child is consuming information as opposed to creating it, Mr Faulder explains.
He continues, ‘There’s a huge debate around screen time, and people are afraid of it. But what we need to be promoting through the technology strand is what is a good use of screen time. We have got children being consumers of information and we have children who are creators of information – and whenever we are using a screen to create authentic content with real images, sound and pictures and children are publishing themselves with technology, that’s a good use of screen time because it’s accessing so many other early learning goals.’
Practitioners should evaluate the use of technology as they would the use of worksheets or colouring-in activities and ask, what do we need to do to extend this learning to make it more worthwhile? Mr Faulder says when we see screen time in the same category as colouring in a picture or using a template, then if it’s that low-level repetitive activity and there is no other skill seen then it is ‘probably not the greatest use of that equipment’.
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD
In terms of Understanding the World, the best way to embed and integrate the technology strand is to weave it through the other early learning goals and statements and try to find ways in which technology will support the outcomes.
Mr Faulder says, ‘Look at how you would traditionally teach an early learning goal or skill and see if there’s a way to use technology to enhance that activity – to gain a deeper insight into children’s skills rather than a more traditional resource. That’s how to get the best use out of the technology.’
For example, if using the app Book Creator, which Mr Faulder advocates, children can use real photographs that they’ve taken, their own voice recordings and real sounds.
He explains, ‘This will enhance children showing us maths play because they can photograph their own maths play, record their voice talking about their maths play and put it into their own maths journaling Book Creator. Not only does this enhance the way that we gather children’s maths language but it also enhances the way that children record their mathematical thinking without having to formalise maths by writing down sums.’
TIPS ON INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY
To integrate technology successfully into your continuous provision, Mr Faulder suggests that settings:
Invest in devices or resources that have the facility for children to use their own photographs, record their own voices and get immediate feedback. Apple iPads incorporate all three – the microphone and the camera link into all the software, and it’s mobile.
Talking tins, voice recorders… anything where children can use their voice and record it and store it for use elsewhere is useful for children’s learning. If using cameras, let the children take the photos and print them out to use in their activities.
Model the good practice and use of apps or new technology in circle time. Show them how to use it correctly and then make it available in an area of the setting where the children can then practise those skills.
Ensure that you appear confident and an expert in the field of technology. This avoids problems later on when it comes to online safety and children believing that they know more than the adult.
Photography is a great way to get children using technology outdoors. When teaching good photography skills, look at photo etiquette and the appropriate use of photos. For a good example of early online safety, look up Daisy Chain narrated by Kate Winslet, at www.ilovedaisychain.com.
TOP FOUR APPS FOR EARLY YEARS SETTINGS
When it comes to apps for EYFS children, Mr Faulder recommends:
Book Creator This app enables children to write their own books, to use photographs, write with a pen on the screen, type and use their own audio – https://bookcreator.com
Puppet Pals HD Children make simple animation puppet shows with their own photos, paintings and illustrations and can record their voice to bring stories to life – http://downloads.tomsguide.com/Puppet-Pals-HD,0301-44445.html
Maily A class account where children find their name and face to log in and they can send simple emails to one another within the app – using their finger to write or type and the camera to take photos – http://maily.com/?lang=en
iStopMotion Lets children create stop-motion animations – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/istopmotion-for-ipad/id484019696?mt=8
RESOURCES
Talking Tiles, 80 seconds – 6 pieces, £49.99; Sound Bank Write on/Wipe Off – 5 pieces, £32.99; Micro-Speak, pack of six including seven-port charger, £239; Talking Tins, 40 seconds – pack of 10, £61.95; Multi-Memo Voice Recorder, £14.99; Recordable Speech Bubble, £9.99 – all from www.handson.co.uk.
TTS’s range of early years ICT includes Tuff-Cam 2 Digital Camera, £79.95; Sports Camera with WiFi, £59.95; Kidizoom Twist Child Friendly Recordable Camera, £49.95; Recordable Talking Clipboard, £10.99; Rainbow Talk-Time Recordable Cards A6, £29.95; Talking-Point Recordable Buttons, £29.95; Bee-Bot Rechargeable Floor Robot, £49.95 – all from www.tts-group.co.uk.
Interactive whiteboards – www.prometheanworld.com.
Smart boards, www.primaryict.co.uk.
CASE STUDY: BRINDISHE LEE SCHOOL, LONDON
At Brindishe Lee School in Lewisham, South East London, technology is part of the continuous provision, in the same way as writing, building or role play. The children use ICT – iPads, digital cameras, PCs, clipboards that record sound, as well as tills, calculators, old keyboards and telephones – on a daily basis to capture, record, evidence and reflect on their learning.
The use of this technology is child-led and not controlled by the adults. However, the teachers provide and enhance these experiences with challenges and open-ended opportunities.
Reception teacher Danielle Sanniti says, ‘We have four digital cameras that we loan out to each child on a weekly basis. The idea is for them to take pictures of their favourite things and then back in the setting they print them out and cut them and stick them in their learning journey book. Not only does it encourage their writing skills but it’s also great for conservation. They might take a photo that is blurry and the story behind it is that there was a ladybird that landed on their hand, for example. We give them the language of photography and tips on how to avoid blurry photos.
‘The parents are also really excited by this initiative. It is a great tool for understanding the world as there is scope to find out more about their culture and home life and what they are interested in. It could be an image of a child’s new karate belt that they achieved at the weekend or a family wedding. The children are given the option to share their photos with the class. One girl did a running video commentary of her toys. When I asked her about it she said, “It’s my blog”, and she talked about YouTube. This gave me huge insight into her interests and the way she likes to learn about things.
‘The children also like to take pictures of their own learning and then use the pictures to create scrap books, or write information, instructions or stories. I found that if I only use iPads or technology sparingly then the children crave it more and more and don’t use it productively.
‘The children also print out their own photos, using the step-by-step instructions that I have printed on the wall. This encourages them to follow instructions and understand that one “click” leads to something happening. It’s not an empty use of IT.’
MORE INFORMATION
Marc Faulder is a full-time early years teacher at Burton-Joyce Primary School in Nottingham and an Apple distinguished educator, who does outreach work for schools and speaks at schools, events and conferences. https://enabling-environments.co.uk