StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
This paper 'Learning Science, Math and Technology with Children’s Engagement in Play' tells about the play has been found by experts to be an effective tool in learning.  While children play, they become fully engaged in the activity that their sensory awareness is heightened in full gear…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.1% of users find it useful
Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play"

Learning Science, Math and Technology with Children’s Engagement in Play Play has been found by experts to be an effective tool in learning. While children play, they become fully engaged in the activity that their sensorial awareness is heightened in full gear. Little do they know that they are learning much from their play experience and the skills they develop are applied in their everyday tasks without even being aware that they have gained such skills already. This workshop will discuss the free play of children from infancy to early childhood and each stage will be represented by a particular type of play that is common to children their age. It will be learned that Science, Math and Technology concepts and skills are acquired while children engage in play. Math and Science are all around. Children usually see numbers on television channels, telephones, their house numbers, on tag prices, etc. They may also witness their mothers in the kitchen as they cook following recipes that specify the measured ingredients. Science is likewise ever-present as they discover how things work, observe change in things, use their senses in learning about their world. Technology is likewise accessible to them. This is not limited to what most adults know about technology as electronic gadgets or computerized contraptions. Technology includes processes people use to solve a problem deliberately. Adults should respect how young children want to try their hand in working with technology (Mortlock, 2005). It is for the children to discover how technology will work for them and make tasks more convenient such as using cups or buckets in the sandbox to create more defined mounds of sand instead of just a hump they shape out of their hands. The following will discuss how science, math and technology interplay in the messy play of infants, sand play of toddlers and block play of pre-schoolers. These activities come naturally for children that they do not need any specific instructions from adults. Messy But Busy Babies” In the Stages of Cognitive Development of Piaget, children from 0 – 2 years of age belong to the Sensorimotor Stage. This period is characterized by interactions with the environment based on the child’s reception of sensory input and muscular reactions. The task of this period is to develop the concept of object permanence, the idea that objects exist even when they cannot be seen or heard. (Brewer, 2001). Infants are sensorial learners and they are awed by the possibilities of the objects around them. When they engage in messy play, they get to touch things and feel its textures, see the object up close so details may be inspected. They even get to smell or in most cases, taste objects because it is in their nature to learn about things by putting it in their mouths. Science is at work when they notice changes in things, such as when a drop of paint blots on the paper when an object passes on it. They also get to notice tracks or prints of objects such as car wheels or rollers when these make impressions with paint on paper. They learn math when they see the colors and shapes of the toys they play with and get to feel the dimensions of shapes when they touch these with their hands. They would know that circles have no angles and that squares have 4 sides. When they are handed things like sponges or small rubber stamps for printing, they realize that these may serve as technology to leave imprints when dipped in paint. Allowed to explore paints and things during messy play gives them several learning opportunities about how things work in the world and what they can do with these things to cause an effect such as rolling a plastic care over paint and seeing the tracks they can make from it. Curious Tykes in the Sandbox Toddlers continue to enjoy sensorial play and they love playing with open-ended materials such as sand and water. They learn many scientific concepts with sand. Pouring various amounts of water on sand creates different textures and this dictates how firm the sand will mold into the shapes they want. Too little water will make the sand crumbly when it is released from the mold. Too much water will make it runny that they cannot form it into anything. They also learn math concepts in sand play such as comparing buckets of sand as to which bucket has more sand than the other, or which size of bucket gets filled up with a certain number of scoops of sand. They would learn that bigger buckets take a longer time to fill up with more scoops of sand. With regards to technology, toddlers can discover that use of various objects with sand play may create different effects on the sand. When they use rakes or combs, it leaves lines when they run these through sand. They can also create different sand impressions with different objects of various shapes. Exploring Blocks in Preschool Blocks are staple preschool materials that provide a multitude of benefits to children. The natural feel of wood, its smoothened shapes teach three-dimensional geometric shapes that feed young children with knowledge in basic mathematical concepts. Since blocks come in sets, children are able to explore numeracy by counting sets of blocks shapes and matching complementary shapes that may teach about parts and wholes. Children get to know about how many triangles can make a square or rectangle or how many cylinders they should use to reach a certain height. Napper (1991) contends that early play with blocks does not necessarily include building structures but learning about the attributes of the blocks such as its size, shape, mass and texture. These attributes will then build simple to complex structures and help them solve block building problems that are associated with design, bridging, enclosures and repetition. When children build structures, they realize that they need to balance it well. This is where scientific thinking comes in, as they experiment with which shapes and number of those shapes should be used so as not to topple down the structure. Simple physics is reflected when they study the angles that would project movement and direction. The basic “machines” of inclined plane and wedge may be utilized as tools to help them in building. These may also be part of what they learn from technology. Apart from using the blocks, children may search for other technology to use to bolster or embellish their structures such as pulleys and wheels. Adding accessories like cars or traffic signs give more meaning to their block play. With the right disposition and trust that children’s explorations will bring about meaningful learning for them, adults can let go of their young learners and let them loose in the world of play. Usually, it follows that Science, Math and Technology are incorporated in their play and they unconsciously learn concepts and skills in these areas which would greatly benefit them as they grow up. Engaging in play especially with materials that do not have specific purposes or have a multitude of uses expands children’s imaginations and therefore involves their higher thinking processes. Giving them a toy that has a mechanical function such as a wind-up toy or a push-button toy that automatically does its movement or music leaves little for the children to work on because the goal of the toy is to merely entertain children who just passively watch it. On the other hand, open-ended toys such as blocks, paints, playdough, sand, etc. can be challenging for them to discover its possibilities. Learning comes with discovery, and sometimes, the learning they derive from their play are concepts and skills that they may lean on when they are older and are being formally taught lessons on such concepts and skills. It is essential that seeds of learning various concepts and skills have already been planted in them during their play in their early childhood. Thus, they have something to harvest when the right time comes. References Brewer, J. (2001) Introduction to early childhood education. Allyn & Bacon. Mortlock, A. (2005) The technologist-toddler and ‘intentionality’, The First Years: Ngo Tau Tuatahi. New Zealand Journal of Infant and Toddler Education, Vol. 7, Issue 2. Napper, I. (1991) The Development of Technological Capability in Young Children, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, Vol. 16 (3). Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words, n.d.)
Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words. https://studentshare.org/education/1753210-to-present-a-workshop-on-where-science-mathematics-and-technology-occurs-in-your-early-education-and-care-centre-at-the-next-staff-meeting
(Learning Science, Math and Technology With Childrens Engagement in Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
Learning Science, Math and Technology With Childrens Engagement in Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words. https://studentshare.org/education/1753210-to-present-a-workshop-on-where-science-mathematics-and-technology-occurs-in-your-early-education-and-care-centre-at-the-next-staff-meeting.
“Learning Science, Math and Technology With Childrens Engagement in Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”. https://studentshare.org/education/1753210-to-present-a-workshop-on-where-science-mathematics-and-technology-occurs-in-your-early-education-and-care-centre-at-the-next-staff-meeting.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Learning Science, Math and Technology with Childrens Engagement in Play

Learning Science, Mathematics and Technology with Children's Engagement in Play

Learning Science, math and technology with Children's Engagement in Play Play has been found by experts to be an effective tool in learning.... It will be learned that Science, math and technology concepts and skills are acquired while children engage in play.... The following will discuss how science, math and technology interplay in the messy play of infants, sand play of toddlers and block play of pre-schoolers.... math and Science are all around....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Science and Technology for young Children

Understanding Science and technology Learning: Young Children Name Institution Understanding Science and technology Learning: Young Children The importance of instilling science learning orientation in the early stages of children's cognitive development cannot be overstated.... Science and technology is taking centre-stage in contemporary society as evidenced by strides and advances made in both fields, which thus places emphasis on getting it right for children at an early age....
3 Pages (750 words) Assignment

ICT system and blending learning strategies

Research has shown that active learning can be realized when The reason for the school of thought is because the student will have more engagement with the teacher.... The beginning of technology in various aspects of academia has vastly supported the development of learning in all the academic levels (Glazer, 2012).... The use of ICT in learning remains an unproven experiment due to the empirical evidence for learning enhancement and the… In the recent years, the major academic stakeholders have sought avenues of improving the efficiencies in the delivery of educational programs through technology-enhanced methods....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Harmful Effects of Computer Games on the Educational Outcomes of Children

These studies are in addition to those that found repeated engagement in violent computer games as contributing to increased aggressiveness and hostility and desensitize children to violence.... These studies have explored whether the use of screen media such as computers improves children's imaginative responses, involvement in story making and their construction of creative imaginary play worlds.... The social impact of computer use has been found to be informed by the length of time spent on computers and the type of engagement or application that children use at a particular time....
15 Pages (3750 words) Research Paper

Curriculum Delivery through Game-Based Learning

nbsp; Besides that, this paper will address how to enhance working memory in children while highlighting aspects of learning, memory, and engagement with autistic children focusing on children in the late primary and early middle school, who are at a higher risk of social exclusion (Buchanan, 2007).... "Curriculum Delivery through Game-Based learning" paper explores the meaning of autism while highlighting the intricacies of classroom instruction for autistic children and explaining the difference between high functioning and low functioning autism....
36 Pages (9000 words) Thesis

Early Childhood Education - Play and Pedagogy

hellip; The play themes can be serious such as an accident but at the end of the day, they generate a strong sense of satisfaction, discovery, and fulfillment derived from meaningful engagement in the activity.... The author of the paper "Early Childhood Education - play and Pedagogy" argues in a well-organized manner that play is intricately motivated in that children are not forced on what to do but carry it on voluntarily without being imposed on every process they undertake....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Mathematical Games in the Development of Numeracy and Computational Skills

They also play a major role in developing learners' numeracy and computational skills.... Bragg's (2012) study results indicated that the application of games to address the mathematical content being taught in a class is an important approach for increasing engagement and in turn their learning potential....
12 Pages (3000 words) Literature review

Planning for Play and Investigation - Early Childhood Education

The play involves; mathematics, science, and technology thus need a certain level of participation.... As the paper "Planning for play and Investigation - Early Childhood Education" outlines, the setting of the playground is the toddler play zone within the school compound.... hellip; The location of the toddler play zone within the school compound has been chosen for its neutrality and children will feel their toys are protected....
11 Pages (2750 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us