Countless technologies can be used in cooking. Let’s take my experience of making cookies with children as an example:
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| Cookie Cutters and Noodle Makers |
Second
Step: Making the cookies. We put all the
ingredients into a big bowl like we do in sand-water play. We used a large
spoon to whisk and mix the ingredients into cookie dough. I told the children
that making cookies is just like our pretended cooking play with play dough. We
used tools from our play dough trolley. We used rollers to roll the dough flat.
We used cookie cutters, knives to cut them. We also used noodle maker to squeeze
the dough into funny shapes. This is a process that contains a variety of
technologies for different purposes. Children explore these tools of
technologies, learn about how they work and put them into use (Ministry of Education,
1996). Linking the technology in cooking with those that children are familiar with help
them helps them to understand the use of the technologies. It also helps them
to understand that technology is transferable in different situations.
Third
Step: Cooking the cookies. We put our cookies onto
cooking trays. We took the cookies into the kitchen. I turned the oven on and
told them that we need to wait 10 minutes until the oven is heated. We came back
after 10 minutes and put the cookies in. We timed 12 minutes, took the cookies
out, put the tray on cooling rack to cool off. In this process, technologies
are used to deal with the heat. Simple as using the oven on to make the things
inside hot, putting hot tray on cooling rack to protect the bench from being
burnt. This was an
excellent teachable moment to help the children learn about the use of these practical
resources, so called technology, to expand human possibilities by addressing needs
(Ministry of Education, 2007).
Personally, in my
teaching, I put more effort on teaching non-digital technology rather than digital technology. Children
now grow up around high technology and digital products. It’s true that these do
make things easier. Yet, this means that there’s less for us to do. Same as in early
childhood, I believe that no teacher will ever show a cooking video to the
children, give them some cookies and tell them that’s how they’re made.
Children are expected to develop the ability to use media and the technology
associated with them (Ministry of Education, 1996). However, no video can
produce the same result as the simple movement of squeezing cookie dough out of
a noodle maker (Tsantis, Bewick, & Thouvenelle, 2003).
Above all, either
digital or non-digital technology can provide quality learning for children.
Teacher is the key to effective educational use of technology (Tsantis, Bewick,
& Thouvenelle, 2003). Using practical teaching strategies like co-constructing
and empowering gives children hands-on experience is one crucial factor. Balancing
digital and non-digital technology is another. May I suggest that the previous
cooking experience is a fun, handy, and simple way to juggle them!
Google Images. (2012). Image of a child baking. Retrieved from http://cdn.sheknows.com/chefmom/articles/2009/11/little-chef.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of two children with a computer. Retrieved from http://computer-monitoring-software.co/images/kids-computer.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of two children with a computer. Retrieved from http://computer-monitoring-software.co/images/kids-computer.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of cooking-with-kids.
Retrieved from http://www.aolcdn.com/photogalleryassets/food/544538/cooking-with-kids-a-365ds032409.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of digital technology product Retrieved from http://www.bestdealonline.com.au/images/frontend/tech_other_ban.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of digital technology product Retrieved from http://www.bestdealonline.com.au/images/frontend/tech_other_ban.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of play dough tools.
Retrieved from http://www.craftmill.co.uk/WebRoot/Store/Shops/CraftMill/45AF/9C81/74DA/75E6/E5FB/D9AE/F0F5/A4DB/fun_0020_tools_0020_web.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of technology desk toy. Retrieved from http://www.lbi.co.uk/assets/desktoy.jpg
Google Images. (2012). Image of ‘VS’. Retrieved
from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShn4BKuToXeawvazuEMgtvsqBR2FHeFFONpbDhrr3WC8G_I-LK3TDy8GpXytrYotBJLHs1akWedTik4Bj-9a9HwxeG-2wBbiFag4UKLeIiUrK3jR7eHX3Cnx1QpZ-vWDT05D5fFMLwsA/s1600/VS+logo.jpg
MacNaughton, G., & Williams, G (2004). Techniques for teaching young children: Choices in theory and
practice (2nd Ed). New South Whales,
Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New
Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (1996). Te
Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mo ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood
curriculum. Wellington, New
Zealand: Learning Media.
Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining
some common myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children, 58(1), 1-9.
In your third step, I learned a new meaning of technology- to expand human possibilities by addressing needs. Let children to learn how to use available resources around them to content their needs. In your reflection, I can see that you gave children high expectations to support all of them to learn and achieve their personal excellence, regardless of their individual circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe you can give some questions to children to represent their understanding of phenomena, when children are doing some explorations and experiments at the right time. Because this is relevant social constructivism maintains learning occurs from the interactions among people rather than individual learning. Providing a lot of opportunities for children to work and talk together as they can co-construct knowledge.
It is wonderful that you took the opportunity to expose the children to certain technologies/tools when doing cooking. Children explore these tools/technologies, learn about how they work and put them into use (Ministry of Education, 1996). The children have become familiar with the process of making food. It is also importance of having teachers hand on to learn alongside the children because it helps immensely, making the moment a pleasurably learning experience for everyone. I also believe that the provision of children experimenting with real food and materials, they have developed a respect for handling food and what’s expected of them.
ReplyDeleteI think from the technologies in cooking, children could develop emotional, cognitive as well as mathematical concepts such as measurement, counting. You were modeled how the resources/technologies are to be used in the process of cooking. Children were also exposed to the cause and effect of the whole process and it’s so much fun.
In this activity, the three steps gave children a clear picture about the process of making cookie. Children will have an understanding about how to make cookie successfully, also they will learn to use different materials. At the same time, I think that this activity helped children to enhance their social and cognitive skills. As when children used different materials to measure oil and flour, they would have an understanding of the mathematical concepts. During the activity, children took turns to use different tools, which encouraged them to communicate and build relationships.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is true, digital technology make things to become easier. But it cannot give children hands-on experience, such as making cookie. So in the early childhood centre, we should provide digital and non-digital technology for children’s quality learning. Just like what you said, teacher is the key to effective educational use of technology.
What a clear cooking instruction you made! And good evaluation is followed by each step. Children developed mathematical concept by measuring ingredients and timing for cooking; also their physical skills was developed by stirring and mixing the ingredients. Cooking experience also provide opportunity for children to develop their social skills by turn-taking.
ReplyDeleteWhen you search for the recipe with children online, which actually foster their research skill and have a long-term benefit in the future. For me, it is a sparkle in your reflection.
Your cooking process involves both digital and non-digital technologies and it was fantastic experience for children to work with technology. Through cookies cooking, children gained hands on experience which contributes to their authentic learning. I do have a big value on children’s authentic learning by experience. Great reflection! I like it.