Digital microscope
Insects have been our tamarikis focus of interest these past few weeks. So far they have collected bees, grasshopper, ladybug and butterflies which they have put in little jar and place in our science corner.
This afternoon the children were discussing about a snail that they have found in the tyre behind a tree. Child W was wondering why snail crawl so slow into which child T replies that maybe the snail has no eyes as such she cannot see where she was going. Child D and J didn’t agree and wanted to prove to their friends that the snail has eyes but only tiny. After placing the snail in the jar, they went and ask for help.
I told the children that we could find out the answer through books, or search from google. Child D and J say that we didn’t need to do that. They all replied to just use our digital microscope, which I had totally forgotten as I had been away from the centre last three weeks.
I set up the digital microscope and let the children investigate their object. I was amazed by how focused they were on it. Digital microscope is essential for children to learn about small living thing. This is affirming TeWharaki exploration goal 1 children experience an enviroment where they develop working theroies for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material world (Ministry of Education, 1996).
This is our digital microscope, the children were taught how to plugged this in to the computer, but supervision is needed in assembling the digital microscope tool. In these photos the children placed the snail in the digital microscope, which is then transmitted to the wide screen.
Document cameras (digital overheads, sometimes called “docucams”) and digital microscopes magnify three-dimensional objects, facilitating more detailed exploration and easier collaborative viewing (Beyond the Journal, 2008).
By facilitating the digital microscope, the children develop the ability to enquire, research, explore, generate, and modify their own working theories about natural, social, physical, and material worlds, and respect and developing sense of responsibility for well-being of both the living and the non-living enviroment.(Ministry of Education, 1996).
In these photos I was showing T and D the proper way to assemble the digital microscope
By facilitating the digital microscope, the children develop the ability to enquire, research, explore, generate, and modify their own working theories about natural, social, physical, and material worlds, and respect and developing sense of responsibility for well-being of both the living and the non-living enviroment.(Ministry of Education, 1996).
In these photos I was showing T and D the proper way to assemble the digital microscope
Children use the tools to view objects from multiple perspectives, angles, and magnifications. This helps facilitate their scientific investigations as well as develop perspective-taking ability and spatial awareness. Images or video from both devices can be captured and stored for printing, sharing, or exporting (Beyond the Journal, 2008).
There are endless possibilities for technology integration in the early childhood classroom. Wonder what technology they can develop next.
References:
References:
Beyond the Journal, Young Children on the Web, (2008). Retrieved 14 of April 2011 from https//www.journal.naeyc.org/about/permissions.asp.
Ministry of Education. (1996) Te whāriki, he whāriki mātauranga mō ngā
Mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New
Zealand: Learning Media.
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic resource you have for your children to explore with. What magnificent exploration opportunities you and your centre are providing the children. One of the focuses so far this year for our daycare children has been insects. We have gone through books in the library, googled with supervision, collected insects from outside and used enlarged pictures to show what the insect looks like. However to have this tool really provides a whole new view of an insect, what they look like and the intricacy of their make up. Your children are really lucky, and I loved the story, Thanks Annie
That's an awesome teachable moment for you to facilitate the children who were so keen on finding out the answer if the snail has eyes. Through this learning experience, not only you valued their initiated learning as meaningful, but also you were helping them building up very positive learning dispositions, such as curiosity and competence. It's undeniable that technology has played such a vital part in children's learning. You enhanced the positiveness of technology and for sure children were gaining a great learning experience. An interesting idea came to my mind is that what can be the follow up for you to extend their interest?
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