Modo 4: La intersubjetividad en un sentido restringido

Twenty-six student teacher contributions post practicum (15 in phase two and 11 in phase three) featured aspects to do with teachers accessing the Internet to research topics, often in response to children’s questions. They mentioned teacher and teacher-child collaborative use of the Internet to support and extend children’s interests.

Phase two examples – post practicum

The following five examples are representative of the 15 phase two student teacher contributions. ST6 shared an example of teacher research, the answer in response to a child’s question:

On placement yesterday at morning mat time a child showed some photos of his father and himself on the farm, he also had some cows’ teeth. This lead to a discussion on how many teeth cows have, how many stomachs do cows have? The teachers could not come to an agreeable answer so they quickly looked up the answers on the Internet and were able to share the answers with the children. (ST6)

In the above comment, ST6 suggested that the Internet was used and provided an effective means to respond to a child’s question promptly when teachers were unsure. She indicated that this process contributed to teachers’ as well as children’s knowledge.

ST25 mentioned that, when children were able to use the Internet to undertake research alongside teachers, it helped them to be connected to their learning. She commented: “… being able to use the Internet and work collaboratively with teachers in researching helps children to develop a secure sense of self, competent, confident and connected to the learning” (ST25). Here, ST25 inferred that collaborative research through the Internet supported children’s confidence and helped develop their sense of self as learners.

ST36 described a mini Olympics. Again, this was associated with the children asking questions and finding out about different countries and their location. She shared her experience of this in her contribution below:

… we had a mini Olympics at the centre, and one boy wanted to know where China was. We have a world globe so showed him on that, then a teacher suggested that we Google it with him. It was excellent, as you could zoom in, and then move down to Aotearoa/New Zealand and get an idea how small we were compared to China. (ST36)

In this posting, ST36 has detailed that teachers were able to respond to a child’s question about a country, research information and compare visual images to illustrate its size and place in the world. This provided more extensive information than would have been accessed by simply looking at the globe.

ST47 spoke of teachers being able to access instant information to answer children’s questions:

The Internet for example is a great instant source of information that can help teachers assist children to find answers to their questions and develop their knowledge about a topic. Therefore I think the Internet can provide a great fast form of ICT for early childhood centres. (ST47)

In this contribution, ST47 suggested that the Internet was a valuable way for teachers to undertake research quickly in response to children’s enquiries.

ST1 mentioned the immediacy of ICT in relation to researching topics in support of children’s interests. She commented:

The Internet is so convenient and fast, especially when you or the child wants to find out about a certain topic, all you have to do is ask a question and bam! At the click of a button it is all there for you. Where as if you didn’t have access to the Internet, it would involve more time, for example you may have to go to the library, do some research and find the right information, which would take up so much time. (ST1)

ST1’s contribution contains evidence that she valued the ability to access information in the ‘here and now’ rather than having to find other ways to locate the relevant information. This was seen as being a valuable aspect of the immediacy of the Internet.

Phase three examples – post practicum

Eleven of the phase three student teacher contributions indicated that there was value in teachers’ use of the Internet for research purposes. Their descriptions of teachers responding to children’s interests and researching them imply this process could build on and expand their knowledge. The following three examples represent these outcomes.

ST35 drew attention to teachers and children researching together as a way to encourage children to become researchers in the future:

On placement the children are looking at outer space and they were making planet mobiles. The children were unsure of what colours they should colour their planets so the teacher got the Internet up and running and showed them the colours they could use. ICT is going to be more advanced in the future; we are just setting the children up to become researchers. (ST35)

In the above contribution, ST35 suggested that teachers were able to prepare children for the future by working with them to use ICT as a legitimate mode for research.

ST37 shared her experience from practicum of teachers encouraging children to undertake research using the Internet: “During my practicum the teachers used the computer for case studies on certain topics. The teachers got the children to join in with searching different websites …” (ST37). ST37 implied that the Internet

provided a means that enabled joint research between teachers and children in response to children’s interests.

ST38 shared her experience of a child asking her to “Google it” when she could not answer her question:

… a girl brought in a snail to the centre. She asked me questions about the snail’s anatomy. I was unsure about the different body parts. She then suggested that we ‘Google’ it to see if we could find out. We discovered a diagram of a snail’s body, [with] the body parts labelled. The Internet proved to be a great way for the child and me to learn alongside one another. (ST38)

In this contribution, ST38 noted that a child suggested that she use the google to answer here question and her experience of doing this affirmed for her that it was a valid and useful way for adults and children to learn together.

The student teacher data indicated a developing knowledge and understanding of the use of ICT for pedagogical purposes through observations of teachers and their own experiences while on practicum. This was highlighted in their identification of educational games as a mode of learning and the immediacy of the Internet for accessing information for educational purposes. Overall, their comments indicated that these student teachers had a growing recognition of the potential role for ICT, with this understanding was balanced in some comments with the caution around overuse of games.

6.4 Pedagogy as a Relational Practice

Building and sustaining relationships with children, families and others is an important feature of the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. Analysis revealed that 34 student teacher comments (16 in phase two and 18 in phase three) suggested that ICT had the potential to contribute to this in early childhood settings during the online discussions. The comments included mention of ICT building and sustaining relationships between the ECE centre and families, between teachers and children and across a range of contexts. Table 14 below contains the contribution counts these theme

Table 14 ICT Building and Sustaining Relationships

Building and sustaining relationships themes Count phase two Count phase three

Between centres and families 13 13

Between children and teachers 1 1

Across contexts 2 4

Total number of contributions 16 18

6.4.1 Building and Sustaining Relationships Between ECE Centres and