Introduce and discuss the importance of the Engineering curriculum area in relation to facilitating creativity in young children
Early childhood education is dependent on engineering because engineering helps the young children think as critical, solve problems and innovatively. Children play with engineering experiences supported by hands on, through play based engineering concepts of designing and building, testing and improving ideas to encourage creativity. Open ended exploration of engineering, is a child’s ability to play with different materials and how they might structure them to provide solutions. Engineering activities offer opportunities to engage in problems solving, develop spatial reasoning, fine motor skill practice, as well as invaluable learning opportunities to collaborate with others. Educators integrate engineering concepts in early learning environments to help facilitate the future learning and innovation of creative thinking skills that are essential for future learning and innovation (Isbell & Akiko-Yoshizawa, 2016).
Identify the creativity theories and perspectives in the context of the Engineering topic and early childhood education
A couple of theories incorporate the association between creativity and engineering in early childhood education. Piaget’s Constructivist theory states that children develop knowledge actively, through their own experiences, and hence engineering activities are perfect at developing children's creativity and self-learning abilities. Vygotsky’s Socio Cultural Theory regards social interaction and collaboration and hence group engineering projects too can help improve creative thinking. In addition, Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences makes clear that spatial and logical-mathematical intelligence are active matter in engineering work. Thus, educators can use these theories to create environments that foster young children’s creativity in engineering (Howard & Mayesky, 2022).
Detail resources, materials, and digital technologies that could be utilised by an early childhood teacher to engage children in the chosen Engineering curriculum area
Your can find a lot of resources and materials, using which early childhood educators can teach engineering concepts in a creative and enticing way. Wooden blocks, LEGO bricks, and recycled items (cardboard, tubes, and bottle caps) are open ended materials that encourages children to play with creating different design and structures. Rulers, pulleys and ramps are simple tools that introduce engineering principles in a simple way. In the development of engineering through technology, digital technologies like coding robots (e.g. Bee-Bots) and interactive design apps support children to explore engineering. Educators provide diverse resources so that children go on trial and error, family and collaborative creative problem solving (Mayesky, 2015).
Provide examples of learning experiences for 0-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-5 years, and 6-8 years that early childhood teachers could use to develop young children’s creativity in the Engineering curriculum area.
0-2 Years: Soft blocks first showed infants the basics of engineering studying gravity and stabilization.
2-3 Years: Cardboard ramps for toy cars put into motion help kids understand motion and how to cause it.
Preschooler (3-5 Years): A preschooler test his design solutions and have a beginning (basic) structural engineering experience by playing with playdough and craft sticks bridges.
6-8 Years: Simple machines can be built and constructed, such as yarn and cups, a pulley system, to develop the idea of mechanical engineering and problem solving.
Include three (3) original creative learning opportunities for young children (1 x 0-2 years, 1 x 2-3 years, 1 x 3-5 years) that early childhood teachers could use to develop young children’s creativity in the Engineering curriculum area.
0-2 Years: “Tactile Towers”
Offer infants a variety of textured blocks (soft foam, wooden and fabric) to stack and knock down. Basic of engineering principles are introduced to this activity and sensory exploration and motor skills development are enhanced.
2-3 Years: “Rolling Ramp Experiment”
They experiment with ramps made out of materials such as cardboard, wood, plastic, as well as see how toy cars travel faster or slower down each surface. Problem solving, prediction and creative experimentation are encouraged by this.
3-5 Years: “Build a Bridge Challenge”
Children design and build a bridge to use straws, popsicle sticks, and tape to hold up small toy figures. It stimulates creativity, logical thinking, spatial awareness.
Include a critically reflection and evaluation on how your personal creative characteristics in this topic will enhance your teaching skills in facilitating creativity, creative thinking and innovation across the Engineering curriculum area in early childhood contexts
For education in engineering, creativity needs a mind set which is open to innovation, freedom to be flexible and exploring. The fact that encouraging young children to take risks and experiment with designs and ideas encourages their problem-solving successes and creative thinking. My flexible and inquisitive personality allows me to develop open ended, engineering experiences, which accommodate a diversity in learners’ learning styles while building upon my personal creative characteristics. Engineering within early childhood education can encourage these young learners to explore challenges in a confident, resilient and imaginative way (Connor & Toper, 2015; Wilson, n.d.) preparing them for a future of invention and discovery.
Being able to be flexible and curious as an educator makes me able to create open ended engineering activities with open ended questions so that is fits a group of learners at whatever stage they are at. For the children to think independently and solve problems creatively, I design activities where children build, test and modify their ideas.
Engineering in early childhood education allows young learners to develop crucial 21st century skills such as collaboration, perseverance and innovation. (Connor & Toper, 2015; Wilson, n.d.)