Incorporating Arts and Technology

The Arts are powerful forms of expressions, something that is created with imaginations and skills. The meaningful expressions turns into drawings, music, videos, visual art, poems, stories, songs, pottery, carvings, waving, sculptures and etc. Art education explores musical concepts and expressions, drama through actions and language, dance and movement concepts, visual arts, connections with technology and connects with science. Visual arts drawn on everyday experiences, uses an expanding expressive vocabulary and tells the use of many familiar items.

Holistic Learning Approaches

Te-Whariki encourages wide approach of holistic learning for the children. New Zealand school curriculum states: “Through the development of art literacies, students as creator, presenters, viewers and listeners, are able to participate in interpret, value and enjoy the art throughout their lives” (TeWhariki) According to The Mayesky (2013), Fear and anxiety are the enemies of creativity. Art helps the child to monitor and accept their own feelings, helps children to appreciate their own unique characteristics and expressions, recognise and acknowledge children’s joy in all creative efforts. The Well-being/Mana Atua strand including the outcome, focuses on children’s ability to understand their own emotional responses and of others as well. This includes the representation and expression of emotions which is the core of arts. The Belonging/Mana Whenua, children develop an understanding of the links between the early childhood education settings and the known and the unfamiliar wider world through people, images, objects, languages and sounds etc. The Contribution/Mana Tangata, children develop the abilities and interests in a range of domains, spiritual, visual, linguistic, physical, musical, logical, mathematical, personal, and social. Also they develop a wider range of physical skills such as improve co-ordination, flexibility, and strength, develop fine-motor skills through visual art and technology and develop moment skills by exploring and participating in te reo kori. Maori culture is alive, rich, and flourished. Architectural carving, interior design of Marae and ornate whakiro (carving) in wood have strengthen the Maori art. “ Hard New Zealand pounau (green stone) was originally made into weapons. Native woods were carved into spiritual objects. New Zealand has many handmade Maori art and crafts. Ta Moko is traditional Maori tattooing” (Maori Art and culture).

Communication Through Art

The Maori believes that the Gods created and communicated through the master Carvers. Sumedha Muthukuda I.D. No. 18667 ECE6302 Task-1 3 The Communication/Mana Reo, “children experience an environment where they experience the stories and symbols of their own and others culture”. (Te- Whariki) The Science is the study of the nature and behaviour of natural things and the knowledge that we obtain about them. The science is traditionally separated into few categories: living world (biology ex. Plants and animals), Physical world (ex. Forces, light and sound), Material world (chemistry ex. Melting, and dissolving), planet earth (geology ex. Rocks and soil) Astronomy (ex. Planets and stars). According to the New Zealand curriculum framework, science helps children develop and understand the world built on current scientific theories; improve children logical skills; understanding cause-and-effect; explore the natural world; develop understanding of how living worlds function; Children will recognise that all living things have certain requirements; Ecology recognises that living things are suited to their particular habitat.

Environmental Connections

According to the Maori perspectives water and planet are living entities. Papatuanuku (Earth Mother)and Ranginui(Sky Father) look after all us.The sun,winds,rain,and air look after planets which look after us.Their tribes nurture tamariki(children)to care for their environment.Tamariki are developing respectful relationships with nature while nurturing their own health well-being wairua(spirituality/soul).Gardening,recycling,and food preparation as part daily seasonal shared rituals caring each other planet.“Te-Whariki elaborates on Exploration/Mana Atua strands as,”Children experience an environment where they develop working theories for making sense natural,social.physical material worlds.”(Te-Wharki-Exploration Goal 4) Children learn through play by exploring compromising experimenting negotiating investigating world things.By studying science children develop understanding based current scientific knowledge.Use scientific knowledge skills problem solving.(ex.Mixing ingredients together cooking activity create chemical reactions transform individual ingredients new form).

The Role of Social Science

The Social science is learning about people participation in society. Through social science children engage with social issues; they develop knowledge skills range experience enable identify places others relation heritage.Technology defer method systems devices results scientific knowledge being used particular purpose.Technology changing fast.Technology included computers,digital cameras,audio video equipment,electronic activities,music keyboards projectors programmable toys.Te-whariki New Zealand early childhood curriculum values children's participation ICT.“Assessments provide valid information teachers families children enable inform pedagogy which will strengthen all dimension participation ICT.”(TeWhariki) In Te-Whariki one indicative domain outcome Exploration/Mana Aoturoa describing children confident using variety strategies exploring making sense world.Also ability identify use information range resources participation themselves explorers’ confident learners investigators discoverers.

Creative Use of Technology

Children use creative expressive media technology meaningful purposes.ICT provides many opportunities children's learning including digital technologies can help learn explore patterns shapes numeracy(mathematical skills),improve music language literacy science various teaching techniques.Also children able have opportunity watching videos even communicating distant family members.Sumedha Muthukuda I.D.No 18667 ECE6302 Task-1 6 Although there several benefits using technology likewise potential risks associated using some areas ICT.Some researchers believe activities computer screen developmentally inappropriate young children including vision problems impedes physical development limits interaction people over stimulation.Even internet amazing source information also have dark side internet use including inappropriate content cyberbullying other scams.Teacher parents should be aware what kids see hear internet.Establishing maintaining cyber safety programmes crucial children.(ex.creating passwords beware scams not posting personal information photos internet).Furthermore computer skills allow children expose analytical thinking enhance creativity.Incorporating science Art technology lesson plans really important kids holistic development.