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Developmentally Appropriate Technology for Early Childhood | |
| Exemplars - Critical Awareness 0 to 3 years | ||
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Developmentally Appropriate Technology for Early Childhood | |
| Exemplars - Critical Awareness 0 to 3 years | ||
| Graphical
Awareness To become aware of the role of technology in culture is a central part of developing computer literacy. This includes being aware of how technology has totally changed the conditions under which images are produced and distributed. With programs for editing pictures children can explore the possibilities of digital media. This activity supports a number of different learning goals. Children can become aware of the conditions under which images are produced so that they can critically scrutinise different media images. They can also become producers of images that are similar to those they see in commercial culture. |
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| Some pictures made with a simple painting program are displayed in the nursery. These simple "mousepaintings" are more appropriate to the under 5s |
| There can be no doubt that images have become a central part of a post-modern society. Images can now easily be copied, edited and distributed. For children, it is crucial to understand that the photographic image has lost its status of representing "reality". Digital technology also provides unique opportunities for children to become aware of how images in commercial child culture are produced. Children can for example create cartoonish pictures with large surfaces of one colour. |
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. It is rather common that children draw pictures were they are trying to copy the one coloured surface of printed cartoons. With crayons or watercolour, this is rather hard work that ends up with an unsatisfying result. With PhotoShop or some other tool for editing pictures, children can easily fill scanned line drawings, just like a professional cartoonist. See our instructions on image editing for a description. On the left is a picture were a child has used a green ink pen, trying to make one coloured house. The girl had to be stopped before colouring the sky with a pen. |
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| A pencil drawing can with this activity become a digital coloured image, which can be printed or used in a multimedia production. The girl that made these pictures tried a number of different colours on her monsters. Trying different colours on a drawing is a rather unique creative activity that can only be done with technology. |
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Using this technique for producing images makes children producers of the cartoon like images that are part of their lives. Here is a monster that is obviously inspired by Pókemon. |
| first published 19/10/01 updated 17/12/01 |
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