The importance of the Technologies curriculum area in relation to facilitating creativity in young children
The role of fostering creativity within young children is played by technologies as a curricular area that allows exploration, experimentation, and problem solving. Through contact with materials and digital tools, children learn to be flexible in thought and develop imagination. Children can be given an opportunity to realize ideas into concrete entities, which causes curiosity and innovation (Howard & Mayesky, 2022). This area in early childhood settings makes it possible to integrate design thinking, digital literacy and applications in the real world. Educators nurture early creative dispositions to promote children’s confidence to create and think confidently about the world through technological exploration (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016).
The creativity theories and perspectives in the context of the Technologies topic and early childhood education
Builds out of constructivist and sociocultural theories, the technologies curriculum provides the basis for creative work. According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural perspective, social interaction, and cultural tools like digital technologies, play a significant role for creativity (Connor & Toper, 2015). An example of people who believe children should have active, hands on learning and construct their own knowledge are constructivist theorists like Piaget. They allow for open technological play which is an important means to develop creativity (Howard and Mayesky, 2022). Isbell and Yoshizawa’s (2016) belief is also that the creative process is helped by environments that support innovation, flexible thinking, and freedom to experiment with a variety of materials and tools.
Resources, materials, and digital technologies that could be utilised by an early childhood teacher to engage children in the chosen Technologies curriculum area
Physical and digital resources can be blended to enhance the Technologies curriculum at early childhood education. Materials such as cardboard and/or recycled objects, loose parts, basic circuitry kits, and other similar open ended items, provide stimulus for invention and design (Mayesky, 2015). Digital tools, including free coding robots (Bee-Bots), tablets in order to access apps like drawing, voice recording, and story tapping, are offered to create multimedia. Documentation and reflection can be supported by cameras and video tools. By combining the tactile and digital resources, children get a chance to switch from abstract to tangible outcomes, helping to increase their technological fluency as well as creativity and problem solving skills (Wilson, n.d.; Howard & Mayesky, 2022).
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 Technologies curriculum area.
0-2 Years: Sensory rich experiences like the ones that are provided with interactive toys and light tables are important for learning in the first two years of life because they stimulate curiosity.
2-3 Years: Children can play with simple cause and effect digital play using touchscreen or interactive book for 2 to 3 years.
Preschooler (3-5 Years: Basic robotics such as the Bee-Bot should be offered in 3–5 years to support sequencing and problem solving. It also helps with design thinking as it encourages to build with recycled materials.
6-8 Years: From the image apps that allow children to storyboard animations to assembling simple machines with digital blueprints, children can use apps for 6–8 years. They allow for the nurturing of creative expression, critical thinking and collaboration (Howard & Mayesky, 2022; Connor & Toper, 2015), all very important based in the Technologies domain.
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 Technologies curriculum area.
0–2 years: Light and Shadow Play. They explore creativity by hanging, touching and bouncing translucent shapes in front of light projectors. It enhances early sensory awareness and the cause and effect understanding.
2–3 years: Digital Sound Garden. Toddlers create digital soundscapes by recording natural sounds (leaves rustling, water splashing), and combine them using a tablet; the app provides with a soundboard with which to record and play sounds.
3–5 years: Design a Recycled Robot. Children build robots out of recycled materials and using safe scissor, glue, string. They tell their robot’s story on a tablet with the camera, photographing themselves and the robot as they do it and creating hybrid physical digital storytelling. Through these experiences, children use various technologies to invent, problem solve and convey their imaginative ideas (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016; Mayesky, 2015).
critical reflection and evaluation
I am an educator and I hold great value for creativity as a mindset that promotes children’s learning in technologies curriculum area. With the curiosity, adaptability, as well as the willingness to experiment with new tools, it allows me to design learning environments that encourage children’s inquiry and innovation. I teach them by modeling creative thinking and providing open ended challenges that allow them to fail without fear of failure (Isbell & Yoshizawa, 2016). By integrating digital and tactile technologies I am able to help children bridge abstract thinking and the real world application. An example of this is how I introduce drawing apps that help a child narrate their created imaginary world, based on how I observe the same child using a drawing app to create imaginary world. The importance of nurturing creativity is emphasized by Howard and Mayesky (2022) and in accordance with this intent, I aim to use intentional planning and attend to children’s interests to create support and resource rich environment for the creativity to develop. This reflective, imaginative way of facilitating (and being) makes it possible for me to create not only creative learners but empowered, confident and technologically adept people to face the digitally enabled world with the energy and pleasure.