1. ...continues on page 2
Coverstory
Making the most of our clever new tools
When Botany Downs Kindergarten
was given a box of obsolete cell
phones in 2006, the teachers
refrained from telling the children
what to do with them. Instead, they
put the phones on a table and
observed what happened next …
What followed was something of an
epiphany for the teachers. “We had a real
‘wow’ moment,” says Head Teacher
Bronwyn Glass.
“They did not use them as conversation
devices. They were not speaking into
them. Instead, they were texting or taking
photos – role-playing what they had seen
their families do with them.”
Bronwyn says this observation led the
centre, which had recently become a
Centre of Innovation, to “really change our
practice. We realised this was their reality
and that we needed to join their reality.”
Up to this point, Botany Downs
Kindergarten was progressing with ICT in
the same way as most centres, using
cameras and slowly adding to its
repertoire of tools and knowledge. But
from this point, 8 years ago, a concerted
effort was made to integrate ICT into
everyday activities.
It is now one of New Zealand’s most
ICT-savvy EC centres and even hosts
visits from overseas educators. It has
overseas students wanting to complete
their practicum with them, with two
arriving shortly from Germany, inspired by
reading the kindergarten’s blog (which
has recorded more than 100,000 hits).
Bronwyn says Botany Downs’ first step
towards embracing ICT more
Bronwyn Glass
Akorimakoorsmall bellbird who isable tofly to the lofty heights of the kahikatea tree
1Official membership publication of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
Making the most of
our clever new tools 1
Election 2014: “Three More Years” 4
Using SAMR to guide iPad use 5
Fostering whanaungatanga with
Facebook 6
Te Mirumiru shortlisted for
eco-tech award 7
Taking staff on the ICT journey 8
Spring 2014

2. comprehensively was to build teachers’
knowledge. “The Auckland Kindergarten
Association was providing a lot of
professional development around ICT. We
were also learning a lot along the way.”
Movie-making with the children followed.
Children shared their movies and got to
take home DVDs of their movies. A lot of
learning took place through movie-
making, and teachers and children
learned about smart new ways to share
information. They could share movies and
images of interest at group time – or even
upload to YouTube. If an individual or
group had something on their iPad so
interesting they wanted to share it
immediately, the teacher could quickly
click and transfer the information to a big
screen using Apple TV hardware.
The kindergarten gradually increased its
ICT capacity as teacher skills and interest
grew. Money for iPads and other
equipment came through “being quite
vigilant about fundraising”.
When iPads were introduced, there was
no need to show the children how to use
them. Their technical knowledge was
almost innate, and they were quick to
adopt devices for their own use. One girl
regularly Skypes her grandmother in
America, taking the iPad around the
kindergarten and showing off her artwork
and what is happening in real time.
Using the iPads and associated
technology has proved conducive to both
individual and shared learning. Teachers
also observed it helping raise self-
esteem, with each child gaining more
control and being able to personalise their
own learning.
When the kindergarten set up a blog,
Bronwyn says the teachers explained to
parents what was being planned and
why. Parents are encouraged to visit the
blog weekly to stay up to date with what’s
happening, and relatives living outside the
area are also invited to visit.
“We like people to look at it before their
children start kindergarten so they know
what to expect. It helps with the
transition.”
Technology also supports the transition at
the other end, to school. Every Thursday
for the past 4 years, Botany Downs has
Skyped a buddy class at the next door
primary school. The children exchange
information about what they’ve been up
to and can stay in touch with older
classmates who have already moved on.
This activity is one of the highlights of
the week.
Another very cool activity is reading ‘virtual
books’. When read on an iPad – or tablet
– a whole new interactive world opens
up. Characters can come to life and ‘fly
off the page’.
For the past 8 years, the children have
also been using a Mimio, a large
interactive board that they use to draw,
play interactive games on and make
movies and slide shows with. The device
helps build literacy, mathematics and
coordination.
QR codes are used on many
documentation items, taking the reader to
a related website or blog that provides
more information. They are also used in
learning stories when a movie has been
made to complement the story. The
reader can scan the code and go directly
to the movie, which may be on open or
What do parents say?
“I love the Skype date they have with the new entrants class, it’s absolutely fantastic.”
“The children all seem very comfortable with the new technology, and they’re using it
for learning, not just games.”
“I do have an issue with young children using iPads, but it’s more about using them at
home where they might be on them too much and there’s less control.”
“They’re going to need these skills, and it’s great they’re learning them in an
environment that’s safe.”
“It’s amazing. I particularly love the use of Skype to build relationships – with the
school and with children who have moved away, and it’s fantastic on grandparents’
day for getting in touch with the ones who live overseas.”
Mikayla using Mimio Ayah and Izabella storytelling on the OHP
2
ItiRearea 41 Enhancing ECE through technology
Coverstory

3. closed YouTube, depending on what
the parent prefers.
That old workhorse, the overhead
projector, still plays a regular role. This is
another option children use to draw on
and tell their own stories, as well as
experiment with its properties.
Botany Downs’ integrated ICT approach
doesn’t end with children’s learning
activities – staff role model everyday use
of ICT as a helpful tool wherever it is
applicable.
Teacher registration is completed through
a combination of Google Drive and a
blog. Google Drive is used for weekly
diary entries, and the blog provides the
evidence, with learning stories, movies
and a wide range of slideshow formats
being used to upload evidence. The
setting up of these becomes part of the
registering teacher’s learning journey.
There is no paper, therefore sustainability
is supported. It is also very secure – if a
computer is lost, all entries remain in
cyberspace. This also means the
supervising teacher can connect to see
work and leave comments at any time.
Google Drive is used for staff and
committee meeting minutes. This means
all teachers can type in their reflections at
the same time, which better engages
quiet teachers. These virtual meetings
mean staff don’t have to be on site to
‘attend’ a meeting.
Facebook takes its place as a
noticeboard for families, while email is
used for more personalised
communication, beyond talking face to
face – especially for families where
English is not their main language.
Can every EC centre achieve this?
Driving ICT adoption is just like driving
science, maths, literacy or art, Bronwyn
believes. “Yes, you do need to have
someone with the disposition to persist.
Things will go wrong. You’ve got to
stick with it – and I’m certainly not an
ICT expert.”
Bronwyn says there is a lot of support
for teachers wanting to develop their ICT
skills. In 2011, she became a CORE
Education eFellow, being awarded a
year-long scholarship to explore ICT by
distance learning through Christchurch-
based CORE Education.
When computer technology was first
introduced in education, it was viewed as
a subject. Now, it is seen as a tool to be
used – much like crayons, books, paint
and paper – to express and record ideas,
to learn and communicate with. But more
than that, it is helping children to gain a
better understanding of the world where
ICT is already a big part of their
generation’s reality.
Bronwyn Glass firmly believes good use
of our clever new tools is helping achieve
better learning outcomes in early
childhood education.
Come site-seeing!
Be appy!
• Imag.N.O.Tron (virtual reality books)
• SpeechTrans (for working with a child
in their home language)
• PictureTrail
• QR Reader
• Garage Band
• NZEI talk about Botany Down’s Skype
project
https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=TRG2-
acWkMQ&feature=youtu.be
Cool apps for children
• KidPix 3D
• Toca Boca (any programs)
• I Want to be a Pirate
• Jurassic Park
• Draw and Tell
• Countdown Dreamworks
Away sick – but still engaged
When 4-year-old Evan spent several days
sick at home last month, he really missed
going to kindergarten. Unable to attend,
he did the next best thing – he got in
contact through Facebook, onto which
he upload photos of the marshmallow
and toothpick constructions he was
making at home. •
Net safety
advice for
ECE centres
The Ministry of Education and
NetSafe have resources that provide
support and guidance to ECE
services: www.netsafe.org.nz
Hector’s World™ is an animated
website for young children. It
promotes safe and responsible
internet use through resources such
as lesson plans and downloadable
storybooks. The Hector’s World
Safety Button™ is a resource for
young children to use when on the
internet. Downloadable from
www.hectorsworld.com.
For greater security with videos,
rather than used closed YouTube,
teachers can use Vimeo, as this can
be password protected.
Wee for Wii
The Kindergarten has a Wii (a game console that allows users to physically interact with images on a big screen). The children
fundraised to buy their Wii by bottling worm wee from their worm farm and selling it to keen gardeners. They went to The
Warehouse and paid for their Wii with hundreds of coins from their venture.
41
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Official membership publication of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
Coverstory

4. A name change for the Association
As of 1 January 2015, Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association (NZCA) will be
renamed ‘Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand’. Though our name is changing, our
values and priorities are still the same. We advocate for high quality early childhood education.
Find out more information at nzca.ac.nz/name.
4
ItiRearea 41 Enhancing ECE through technology
Election 2014: “Three more years”
By Nancy Bell, Chief Executive
Given the lead up and the number of
controversial players it was to be
expected that this year’s election day
would have us on the edge of our
seats. However, the landslide win
came quickly and National has a
further term with a strong mandate.
NZCA members were hoping to see
quality early childhood education
featuring in the new government’s
priorities and are clear this requires
additional government investment.
Members want to see funding rates that
keep pace with rising costs and higher
regulatory standards for qualified
teachers and teacher-child ratios. They
also want wide access to funded
professional development and better
support for curriculum implementation.
What are we likely to see under a
National government?
Prior to the election Minister Parata was
considering a recommendation for the
establishment of an independent sector
led group to review the implementation of
Te Whāriki and make recommendations
about how this could be strengthened.
The Minister is keen to see strong
learning continuities as children transition
from ECE to school. This involves ECE
and primary teachers knowing more
about each other’s curriculum
documents and perhaps shared
professional development across the two
sectors. We should expect to see a
response to this proposal soon.
We should also expect to see progress
of the previous government’s flagship
education projects: Investing in
Educational Success (IES) and the
establishment of EDUCANZ. These are
intended to strengthen teaching and
leadership across the education sectors.
While IES applies only to the compulsory
sector at this stage, we are important
stakeholders in the transition from NZ
Teachers Council to EDUCANZ, making
up 22% of the profession. Minister Parata
has also signalled informally that she
intends to focus on special education if
re-elected. NZCA members would
welcome this focus if it results in quicker
and wider access to support for children
with additional needs. On the under-2
ratios, we wait to hear an official
response to our request to the Minister
early this year to address the issue.
And the funding increases we want so
that we can provide high quality ECE? In
its manifesto National promised to focus
on increasing participation with resources
targeted to areas of need. No-one would
argue with this but the majority of our
members will be asking whether ‘3 more
years’ are endurable without significant
rates increases.
We’ll be taking this issue, along with our
other priorities to our first meeting with
the incoming minister. Quality ECE for
every child is and will continue to be our
number one focus. •
Politics

5. 41
5
Official membership publication of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
BestPractice
Using SAMR to guide iPad use
When iPads were introduced to the
world a mere 4 years ago in 2010,
early adopter ECE services primarily
used them as expensive cameras.
Now, iPads are used extensively in
centres as an invaluable tool in
children’s learning and teacher
assessment. Sharon Carlson,
Regional Facilitator in the Early Years
Team for CORE Education, talked to
Iti Rearea about how to get the most
educational value out of iPads.
For centres that already have iPads,
Sharon recommends the SAMR model
to evaluate how they are tracking on
their iPad (or ICT) journey. The SAMR
(substitution, augmentation, modification
and redefinition) model was developed by
Dr Ruben Puentedura to show how ICT is
used in educational settings. Most
organisations start out at the substitution
phase – ICT is simply a substitute for
other activities, for example, using an iPad
to read children a book rather than a
physical book. Sharon says the ideal
goal for ECE services is redefinition –
using iPads to undertake new tasks or
conduct activities that wouldn’t have
been achievable before, for example,
digital storytelling.
Digital storytelling is one of the iPad
initiatives that excites and engages
teachers the most. It has benefits beyond
literacy as it inspires creativity and gives
children an opportunity to practise
leadership skills, says Sharon. “It allows
them to recreate stories which are of
interest to them using their own art,
photos, videos and stories to create new
books and content. It can become a
project over a long time. It’s also not just
restricted to one child – a group of
children can create their own story,
turning it into a collaborative and
combined effort.”
iPads also allow teachers to access apps
for children who have special
requirements. Sharon recalled a centre
with two children who had cochlear
implants and were using NZ Sign
Language. The centre accessed apps
that allowed the children to read books
that had audio as well as someone
signing the words as they were spoken.
There are also apps that can be used as
a tool to help calm down over-excited
children, and children for whom English is
their second language can listen and read
books in their own language.
iPads can be used to aid teacher
assessment and self-review. “Apps with
e-portfolios such as Storypark can record
children’s voices so you can create
learning stories actually alongside the
children. The child can record their
thoughts and reflections on the learning,
and there is a real ease of doing it with
the iPads. The child then becomes
involved in their own assessment.”
Teachers are able to customise the
degree of access children have to parts
of the web and the ability to add and
remove apps. This gives teachers (and
parents) extra assurance and control over
what content can be accessed. Sharon
believes iPads should always be
available to the children (within reason)
to use when they like, just like they do
the art area and sandpit. “It is a very
expensive tool to have just sitting
charging in the office all day.”
For those teaching teams that don’t
use iPads yet, Sharon suggests first
giving them to the teachers to take home
and play with. “You can become familiar
with how they work pretty quickly, and
the more confident you are in using
them, the more confident you will be
engaging children using it.” Adopting
iPads as a team-wide initiative is great
too. This way, teachers can use each
other as support. Even just adding ICT
as a permanent agenda item in staff
meetings is a small step that any early
childhood service can do.
Finally, Sharon has some good
troubleshooting advice. “If you get stuck,
give it to the children to work out! Don’t
be afraid to learn alongside them.” •
Sharon Carlson

6. 6
ItiRearea 41 Enhancing ECE through technology
Māori
Fostering whanaungatanga with Facebook
Loathe Facebook and Twitter?
Think that social media websites
have no place in ECE services?
Think again, say two kindergartens
that are using Facebook to build
whakawhanaungatanga and promote
early learning
Up until this year, Titahi Bay Kindergarten
was finding it a challenge communicating
with all of its whānau.
“Not everybody was taking newsletters or
was interested in them,” says Head
Teacher Karen Stevens. “A lot of whānau
weren’t reading whiteboards and weren’t
getting messages.”
Realising many whānau were on
Facebook, the kindergarten decided to try
it as a platform. Eight months later, their
Facebook page now has 128 likes and a
thriving online community that regularly
comments and shares posts and photos.
“A lot happens in our day that doesn’t
necessarily become a learning story but is
still significant or of interest to parents,”
says Karen.
“Posting it on Facebook builds a picture
of what we value, what’s happening in our
programme and what happens
throughout the day for their children.”
The kindergarten has been focusing on
whakawhanaungatanga and growing
whānau participation.
“That can be little things – just coming in
to spend time with us or sitting and
chatting – or it could be building a house
frame for the children to work on [an
ongoing project at Titahi Bay].
“Now, whenever whānau come in, we try
really hard to post a photo on our
Facebook page so people can see there
are a range of different ways they can be
here or contribute in a way they feel
comfortable with. And because we post it
on Facebook, whenever whānau come
and spend time with us, it’s growing –
it’s feeding itself. They see that we
really value that.
“We’re really excited at the moment
because we have a lot more whānau
participation happening. I think Facebook
has had a lot to do with that.”
Whanaungatanga has been described as
“a value, which reinforces the
commitment whānau members have to
each other” (Paul Hirini, 1997). This
commitment can be expressed through a
process of caring, sharing, respecting,
helping, relieving, reciprocating,
balancing, nurturing and guardianship.
For Titahi Bay Kindergarten, Facebook
helps facilitate this process by actively
welcoming whānau into the life of the
kindergarten.
Some recent Facebook posts have
produced a great response from whānau
– either online in terms of likes or in
turnouts at events. They include requests
for help at working bees to build a new
raised garden, a plea for any families
visiting the beach over the weekend to
collect seaweed for compost, a Matariki
request for children to bring in vegetables
that they then made into soup and an
invitation to whānau to come in and enjoy
the kai with their children. (The tamariki
also made their own pita bread, and the
recipe was later posted on Facebook.)
The teachers are currently encouraging
children to make their own dress-ups.
Since a recent Facebook request for
help, they’ve had one parent come in with
a sewing machine and numerous
donations of fabric, shoes and
accessories – “people even leaving stuff
at the door!” laughs Karen.
As a result of Facebook posts, parents or
members of the extended community
have offered to fix broken equipment, and
a grandmother who saw that children had
been working with clay offered to fire their
creations on a kiln – “so that’s extended
their learning further”.
Of course, families can opt out. All
parents must sign a Facebook consent
form giving permission for their child’s
photo to be used with first name or in
a group but not easily identifiable or
not at all.
Otaki Kindergarten has found a clever
way to manage privacy issues around
Facebook photos – the “no faces, just
hands” approach. Kaiako Linda Milne
sees Facebook as “just another
interesting way to communicate. We still
communicate verbally and through
newsletters and emails – this is just
another way.”
She’s particularly interested in using
Facebook to communicate with whānau
about how children learn and the
importance of unstructured play. She’ll
often share posts from websites like PD
facilitator Kimberley Crisp’s, offering
provocations about learning.
“It’s interesting who comments or likes. I
think, ‘How did that person get to know?’
So I think it’s good for spreading the word
about high-quality early childhood
services.” •
If you’re on Facebook, you can check
out these kindergartens’ pages by
searching “Titahi Bay Kindergarten”
and “Otaki Kindergarten”.
Claywork at Titahi Bay Kindergarten

7. 41
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Official membership publication of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
Cuttingedgedesign
Te Mirumiru shortlisted for eco-tech award
Ngāti Hine Health Trust’s womb-form
inspired Te Mirumiru centre has been
named a finalist in the World Green
Building Council’s Leadership in
Sustainable Design and Performance
award for the Asia Pacific region.
Te Mirumiru, in Kawakawa, incorporates
the latest green technologies. It was
designed by Phil Smith of CASA
Architects to represent the culture and
values of the local Ngāti Hine iwi, which
places a high value on guardianship of
the earth. The building design provides a
‘wrap around’ protective environment
for tamariki.
A green roof enables the building to blend
into the natural environment, while solar
panels harness energy from the sun and
double as a railing to stop children from
falling off the rooftop. Passive
environmental design features enable
interior spaces to be naturally ventilated,
with a thermal mass keeping the spaces
warm in the winter and cool in the
summer.
Centre Manager Kororia Tipene Slade
said children and staff are appreciating
the beauty of their new centre. Many
people are deceived by the outward
appearance of the ‘puke’ or grassed hill
and are really amazed by what is inside.
WorldGBC Chief Executive Officer Jane
Henley says Te Mirumiru “is an
outstanding example of a building that not
only accommodates the next generation,
but also engages and educates children
about their culture, customs and the
environment”. •
Te Mirumiru

8. Is a quarterly newsletter produced exclusively
for members of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/
NZ Childcare Association.
National Office
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191 Thorndon Quay
PO Box 12 725, Thorndon
Wellington 6144
0800 CHILDCARE
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We’d like to hear from you. We welcome
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accepting contributions from our members.
Email us at members@nzca.ac.nz
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well managed forests.
Taking staff on the ICT journey
By Martin Švehla
The mere mention of iPads/tablets,
GoPro cameras, and information
and communications technology
(ICT) can strike fear into the hearts
of the most experienced and valued
staff members. But, making
technology a valuable part of a
centre’s teaching toolkit doesn’t
need to be a painful exercise.
Increasingly there are expectations from
parents and society as a whole to
embrace ICT in early childhood. ICT
certainly does have a place in ECE
settings when it is used to support not
replace relationships. For many ECE
services, tablets will already be as much
a part of the everyday programmes as
traditional tools such as blocks and
playdough. To get the best use of ICT, it
should be used as a learning resource
that enables ‘sustained shared thinking’
for teachers and learners about topics of
interest or for communicating about
learning interests (e.g. Skyping Grandma).
In homes, children are using devices
such as phones and tablets as naturally
as they would a shape sorter. And, golly
they’re good at it. My 2 year old Lulu
navigates the iPad like a pro often
surprising us with what she has figured
out. ICT is now a part of normal life,
this applies to learning contexts as well
as at home.
For some staff though technophobia is a
disorder that needs to be addressed
supportively and with sensitivity.
Symptoms include, staff taking sick leave,
comments about kids having too much
screen time, or dismissing the value of
the technology.
Some suggested ways of taking your
team on the ICT journey:
1. Attitude is critical. If people believe
they can do something, they’re far more
likely to succeed. Make your staff believe
they can learn new things, and that
technology is designed to be used by
humans (which they most certainly are!). It
may not be easy at first, but if they decide
they can do it, listen to others and
experiment – they will get there. Bronwyn
Glass from Botany Downs Kindergarten
(see cover story) says, “I’m old, I’m no
spring chicken, and if I can do it, anyone
can do it.”
2. PD shifting to a professional
learning community (PLC) – start off
with some quality PD but move towards
collaborative learning. Get staff to meet
together, and ideally with staff from other
services. Share what you’ve learned with
each other. Another idea is at team
meetings take 3–5 mins per session to
stand up and discuss a use you have
found for technology that enhances your
childrens’ learning. Encourage staff to
think of their colleagues as the experts in
their midst.
3. Ask children – ask the children
what they like to do with their devices.
You might be surprised what they can
teach you and what you can then share
with others.
4. Read and search – get onto
email lists and read blogs written by
centres that are already doing it well, e.g.
http://bdownskindy.blogspot.co.nz/.
Attend conference workshops on the
topic. NZCA workshops at the
conference are always extremely popular
and valuable.
5. Get teachers to use the SAMR
model – Dr Ruben Puentedura’s model
helps to show how ICT is used in
educational settings (see previous story
Using SAMR to guide iPad use, p5.).
Teachers should aim to achieve
‘redefinition’ where the ICT tools allow
them to teach in new ways that they
couldn’t have before. YouTube and
Google SAMR and check out the
resources that pop up. Many people have
shared their learnings.
All the best for your ICT journey. This is
certainly a part of the ECE world that is
only going to develop further. •
Official membership publication of Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa/NZ Childcare Association
ItiRearea 41 Enhancing ECE through technology
ItiRearea
Managementmatters