Our teina are naturally immersed in Te Ao Matihiko (the Digital World), as it is an integral part of their lives beyond the classroom. With the rapid evolution of technology, our tamariki are more digitally adept than previous generations. However, while digital tools are often used for entertainment, there is an exciting opportunity to further develop their skills in using technology as a powerful tool for learning and exploration.
I, personally come from a generation when technology became more and more advanced in a space of 30 years so technology was also something new for myself. Since being a part of Waitara East School, I have learn’t to adapt to the idea of having a digital classroom.
What does this mean for me? A digital classroom seamlessly integrates digital learning into my teaching, empowering our tamariki with the skills to learn, create, and share in a digital space. I was fortunate to complete a Digital Fluency Course through Manaiakalani in 2023, which equipped me with the knowledge to effectively navigate Google functions and enhance learning opportunities for our tamariki. Have I learn’t all that I need to know? Kao.
2024 was a fantastic year for digital upskilling, thanks to the invaluable support of a wonderful Whaea from Manaiakalani (Tū Atamai i te Ipurangi). Her weekly in-class sessions, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, provided an incredible opportunity for both my students and me to enhance our digital skills, fostering growth and confidence in the digital space. So, I can say, I have some digital skills in my kete ready to go. But, Is this enough matauranga to teach tamariki who have not yet been exposed to digital learning in the classroom?
So whānau…..whats going on in my classroom?
I have welcomed year 3 in my class this year. My kopa is usually a senior classroom from year 4 – 6. I have found that the year 3 & 4 have not yet been exposed to digital learning at school. This is where my journey begins as a Digital kaiako, as I endevour to connect our teina to the digital world through ako, hanga and share and the strategies I have learn’t through Tū Atamai I te Ipurangi.
What seems to be happening in my kopa so far?
Our tamariki are so keen to work or in this case, “play” on their chromebooks. You know how young 7-8 year olds can be with digital technology, they see an opportunity to play some games or moreover, they see a computer like device and their mind goes straight to video games. So…….
Step 1:Teach our teina to see their chromebooks as a device for learning opportunities. But how do I do that? How can I change their thought pattern to know that when its time to work on our chromebooks, this is a time to learn? I have been implementing an approach—though I’m not certain it qualifies as a rautaki—that leverages rewards and incentives, which tend to work well for teina learners. For now, I have been using free time as a motivator to guide their engagement with Chromebooks. However, I’m not convinced this is the most effective strategy. I believe there are more suitable rautaki out there, and I am eager to explore approaches that better support their learning.
When it’s time to begin our work on Chromebooks, my mind races with thoughts like, How can I explain this clearly? Will they understand? What if they feel frustrated? When should I pause or adapt the lesson? While I know that a well-planned lesson provides a strong foundation, I still find myself concerned about our tamariki feeling overwhelmed. Given their young age, their digital comprehension may develop at a different pace compared to other areas of learning. My goal is always to ensure they feel supported and confident in navigating these digital tools. So………..
Step 2: Use effective lesson plans that incorporate a clear whainga ako, pin point one digital aspect to focus on, add an interactive activity – one that tamariki can navigate easily. Lesson planning is essential, and through a year of developing digital fluency, I have gained valuable insights into where to begin with our teina. From my observations over the past few weeks, it’s clear that our teina benefit greatly from one-on-one support during learning sessions. Would it be more effective to separate them from their tuakana to provide more focused attention? I believe this approach would be beneficial. I recently discussed this with our Whaea from Manaiakalani, and she also supported the idea of splitting tuakana and teina to ensure the teina receive personalized teaching rather than a single lesson plan for the entire kopa at once.
The first lesson we went through as a kopa was Kawa of Care. We did not use the chromebooks during this lesson we discussed and identify tikanga when using the chromebooks. Tamariki received a paper that had a certain image or sentence with a tikanga on it and they were to place it in the Pai or Kaore he pai section. Kawa of Care will be an ongoing discussion until our tamariki fully understand how to look after their valuables.
I know there are more steps ahead to be able to effectively teach our teina digital fluency so they can be confident in learning in a digital classroom.
Ngā mihi o te Wā o Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga ki a koutou katoa xxx
