Technology expands curious minds of early learners

Kaiako Rakhee at Just Kidz Henderson is showcasing technology to expand young learners’ knowledge.

When a butterfly flew through the playground at Just Kidz Henderson, it piqued the curiosity of the young learners. It’s only fitting that much like how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, teachers at the centre have been using technology to transform learning and expand young minds.

Rakhee Osborn, a kaiako at Just Kidz Henderson – which caters for babies through to school-aged children – says that moment with the butterfly led to the creation of the Monarch Butterfly Programme.

“Of course, that sparked lots of interest with the children. And then the teachers could research, and it went from there.

“After we found that the children were interested in the butterflies, we were gifted a swan plant which brought more interest, and the children had fun capturing their own moments using the iPad and the tablets,” she says.

Rakhee says technology has enabled tamariki to watch the life cycle of the butterfly and look at different butterflies around the world and in New Zealand. Images of these butterflies have been printed and displayed on the walls of the centre, she says.

“Technology allows us to do way more than we could 20 years back when I first started teaching. When a child would come up to me with an interest or something, I would have to go to the library and sometimes you might not get those resources straight away. Where nowadays, it’s easily accessible and we can just expand their learning straight away in real time.”

Kaiako Sean demonstrating how technology has enabled kaiako to facilitate learning and engage children.

Transforming learning

Vanessa Henry, Just Kidz Henderson’s operations manager, says using digital resources enables children to gain “so much more” from activities.

For example, their paintings can become a copied and saved masterpiece with images or video of them creating it; they can explore spatial awareness, distance, direction and mapping through early coding and programming of robots; they can develop aural skills and communication by accessing online videos, music, and cultural resources; and they can capture their own stories and ideas with cameras and video, going on to publish their work and findings.

“It crosses into all learning areas and enhances them,” she says.

“It adds a richness and depth that wasn’t available before and enlivens all the senses through more engaged and varied learning.”

This sentiment is shared by kaiako Sean Xiao, who says technology has enabled kaiako to facilitate learning and engage children. This weaves in the full framework of Te Whāriki, in particular the communication and exploration strands.

“There’s no denying that this is a state-of-the-art technology era. So, everybody has to use technologies to work. From early years, this is basic ideas that they can just grasp from using the technologies here at the daycare centre, for the future of learning as well.”

The mahi at Just Kidz Henderson brings to life the work across government education agencies to spotlight the potential of digital and data to improve learning and teaching.

Vanessa says the centre was eager to showcase the many benefits of digital technology with young tamariki.

Kaiako Sean at Just Kidz Henderson encouraging technology approaches to enhance learning.

“We are forever conscious of what excessive screen time can mean for children; however, we are aware that technology as a whole can be so beneficial in aiding positive learning outcomes for children when it is used appropriately,” she says.

“When used to research and share information in the moment of learning and discovery, we see a whole new world open for our children, and their knowledge widen and stretch.”

Rakhee says one of the positive learning outcomes has been an increase in the children’s confidence.

“They’ve learned to be independent and capable to use resources to actually research and find out the answers themselves with support from the kaiako,” she says.

Whānau connections

Technology is also helping connect whānau with the learning happening at Just Kidz Henderson.

The centre uses a programme called Educa where families can access children’s learning stories and see their development online.

“Educa is actually not only for us as teachers to write learning stories on, it’s also for the parents to really look at what learning is happening at this daycare centre,” Sean says.

Zoheb Shah, a parent, describes Educa as a “Just Kidz Facebook-type thing”.

“The teachers here, they’ve put in comments and stories and little shenanigans that she’s been part of. So, it’s cool,” he says.

Rakhee says it’s been “really good to have extra expanded whānau” who can join the programme and be involved, even if they’re overseas.

Andrea Spraggs, also a parent, says Educa enables extended whānau to keep up with her son’s learning.

“Having it has been very helpful because we definitely share it with grandparents and even my sister is quite interested in keeping up with his learning and stuff too. So, she likes looking at all the pictures and stuff on it. So yeah, it’s very helpful.”

Students at Just Kidz Early Childhood Education Centre bringing learning to life through play.

Vanessa says for teachers and families, information is readily available, easily shared and communicated.

“We are becoming more connected, more informed, and more knowledgeable. We continue to learn alongside the tamariki, with them, and also in our own journeys,” she says.

“Technology gives us access to so many networks of support and resources to increasingly reach better outcomes for children’s learning and development. Simultaneously, it provides tools for deeper, quality partnerships with their whānau.”

Rakhee says using this technology in the centre will impact the children’s future.

“In the future, I feel like it would be nice for children to be able to access and research using technology at home, and I feel this will impact and help them in the future on their next journey through to school.”

Visit education.govt.nz/digitalstrategy(external link) to find out more.

Watch the video showing how technology has enabled teachers at Just Kidz Henderson to transform learning opportunities(external link).

Transformed learning, teaching, assessment and research

Education agencies are building the commitment to include digital and data considerations throughout the education journey. Digital and data can contribute to better educational outcomes. Building digital capability is essential to helping learners gain the skills they need. This includes approaches to safety and wellbeing, curriculum, assessment, research and building the capability of educators.

To enable transformed learning, teaching, assessment and research, learning environments require secure platforms, systems and assistive tools. Used well, digital and data can contribute to better educational outcomes.

Te puna kōrero

Celebrating stories of digital success in education

Education Gazette is offering a series of articles highlighting digital success stories from across the education sector.

Stories like this one of new approaches to digital in education are being regularly showcased. You will meet kaiako Rakhee, who is using digital to share butterfly stories in her early childhood centre.

Just Kidz Henderson is harnessing the power of technology to expand the enquiring minds of young learners.

All videos are available online at education.govt.nz/digitalstrategy(external link).