ece

One of the things that we can rely on at ULearn is that some of our firmly held beliefs about teaching and learning will be challenged, often in surprising ways. I am particularly looking forward to Nicola Yelland’s spotlight. Having come across her in the reference lists of several academic papers by other researchers, and then discovering the work she has done in the Mapping MultiLiteracies research in South Australia, I am excited at the prospect of hearing her speak. She will provide exactly the kind of challenge that I look forward to at the conference.

The framework that she has been involved in developing for mapping children’s literacies, her view of teaching and learning (which crosses both ECE and early primary sectors) and the challenges that she throws at us in terms of our role as teachers of young children give us the opportunity to look at some of our own beliefs and practices with a new lens. As a primary-trained teacher now working in the ECE sector I know that there are practices and perspectives from both sectors that would enrich the other.

I am certain that I will hear comments after her spotlight that her focus on the ‘other’ sector meant that “she isn’t relevant for the sector I work in”. My challenge to you is to suspend your attachment to your own sector, and listen carefully and critically to what she is saying about children, teaching and learning, and our roles and responsibilities as teachers.

I really look forward to some lively debate after her session.

Elaine Newton
ECE ICT PL facilitator

Have you subscribed to the early childhood education blog yet?
http://centre4.interact.ac.nz/1723/68623 (For participants in the ECE ICT PL programme)

Take the opportunity to check out what the innovative and passionate early childhood teachers and their children and families get up to in a day before heading off into their workshops at ULearn08.

Below is a list of some of the ECE blogs available for public viewing.

Manaia Kindergarten
http://www.manaiakindergarten.blogspot.com

Next Generation Childcare
http://nextgenerationchildcare.blogspot.com

Greenwood Kindergarten
http://greenwoodkindergarten.blogspot.com

Geraldine Kindergarten
http://geraldinekindergarten.blogspot.com

Botany Downs Kindergarten
http://bdownskindy.blogspot.com/

Mangere Bridge Kindergarten
http://mangerebridgekindergarten.blogspot.com

In 2006, 60 early childhood teachers attended ULearn06 - a first for the sector. Two years later and the number of ECE registrations has more than doubled to 130. There are 28 ECE breakouts throughout the conference. Many of the teaching teams presenting are part of a three-year Ministry of Education funded professional learning programme which is operating in 60 centres nationwide. In these centres, it is not unusual to come across children creating digital stories, using cameras and videos to record their experiences and then putting these on a blog for friends and relatives.

If you don’t manage to get into one of the early childhood breakout presentations there are other opportunities to hear what our youngest global citizens, researchers and creators are doing. Manaia Kindergarten will tell their story of innovative ICT use as part of the final keynote. There is a full-day ECE pre-conference workshop called “Christine, do you know that I am 4 years old and I can do anything?” about what’s happening with ICT in early childhood contexts, with just a few spaces remaining. This will give you a chance to hear more about the ECE ICT PL programme and catch a couple of presentations from centres involved.

And there is more … Nicola Yelland is an invited spotlight speaker from Australia and will look at what young children take to school in terms of multi-modal literacies.