Supporting families with technology

On Wednesday 13^th April our centre celebrated Grandparents day.  Grandparents, whanau and friends were welcomed to spend the morning to celebrate relationships, connections and children’s learning.  It was a fantastic day but of course some children did not have Grandparents living close by and although they didn’t seem that concerned, I just could not stop thinking of ways in which I could help bridge the connections and support the relationships for these children as well.  

I couldn’t believe that i hadn’t thought of it before!  I would use a software programme called SKYPE to do this.  After some careful planning with parents I was able to actually make it happen for some of our children.

I thought It would be a good idea to introduce the children to SKPE, so that they could acquire a basic understanding of how it worked and what it could be used for.  They all understood the concept of a telephone as a way in which we could communicate to another person and as I set up the laptop I explained how using a computer and SKPE would let you also see the person you were talking to.   They all looked at me blankly until we dialled a number and their friends face popped up and started waving!  The children were so excited and two way conversation as well as giggles and face making and singing songs began.   That afternoon we made calls to South Africa, India and Australia.  It was a magical day which I felt privileged to be a part of.  Because of this experience, some of the families who did not know about this technology have downloaded this programme at home and are now frequently in touch visually with their loved ones overseas.  The next day S’s Grandparents emailed S at the centre which I did not anticipate at all.  It was a lovely surprise for S to receive this email and she carried it around with her all day. 

The Ministry of Education (2005) recognises that Information and communication technologies are an integral part of our modern world and that “To grow and live as citizens of the world, New Zealanders are learning about, with, and through ICT” (p.4).   Aviation technology has made it easy for people to emigrate to all corners of the world and has given us more choice and freedom of where we want to live.  The sacrifice for having this choice is sometimes having to leave behind immediate family and loved ones.  Drewery & Bird (2004) states that “Geographical distance between grandparents and grandchildren can work against the development of close intergenerational relationships” (p.330)   Although nothing can replace the human touch, hug and closeness, technology such as Skype can help to bridge the miles in distance and help maintain those relationships within families. 

A famous quote comes to mind by Maya Angelou.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”   

With the assistance of computer technology, how do you think S is feeling?  She is someone special.  She is loved.  She is valued and cared about.  She knows this and carries the email around with her all day knowing that her Grandparents are with her every day in her heart.  This supports S’s well-being and as we help to support these relationships, S’s self-worth, identity, confidence and self esteem are all nurtured (Ministry of Education, 1996). 

By providing opportunities like this in early childhood settings, children become more aware of the different technological tools for communication that are available to them in todays world.  The first time we used Skpe, I demonstrated to the children how to launch the programme by clicking the button and pointed out the green ‘phone call’ button to use when we wanted to call someone. The next time we used Skpe, I was surprised at how much they had remembered and they immediately pointed to the Skpe symbol.  Children learn by doing and learning is “strengthened when they are able to be active learners, and when their learning is embedded in meaningful contexts, connects with their wider worlds of family and community, and promotes the development of relationships and active exploration” (Ministry of Education, 2005, p9).  

After seeing the significant impact this communication technology has had for the children and families at my centre and also for the extended family living further away I would really like to continue to support and develop the use of this technology in my centre.   I am thinking of approaching my manager to perhaps make a laptop available at the end of a designated day so that children and their families have regular opportunities to keep in touch with their loved ones as some families do not have access to this technology at home. 

Reference List

Drewery, W. & Bird, L.C. (2004). Human development in Aotearoa: A journey through life (2nd ed.). Sydney: McGraw-Hill.

Ministry of Education. (1996). Te Whāriki: He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. Wellington: Learning Media.

Ministry of Education. (2005). Foundations for discovery.  Wellington: Learning Media.