3. Early Childhood Learning Environment
– Integration of both indoor and outdoor learning
environments, so children can be sheltered or enjoy the
sunshine.
6. National Quality
Standard
(Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, 2018).
– Standard 3.1: Design
The design of the provocation is developmentally appropriate and easily accessible for all children to
freely explore.
– Element 3.1.1: Fit for purpose
The furnishings are child-sized to be easily accessed and the provocation was designed with enough
space has been given to ensure the children are not limited within their area.
– Element 3.1.2: Upkeep
Safety considerations were made when choosing materials and resources to use, for example no
sharp tin cans were used. Water and sand are changed regularly to ensure it remains clean and well-
kept.
7. National Quality Standard (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality
Authority, 2018).
– Standard 3.2: Use
The provocation invites open-ended exploration because it is
inclusive, supports play based learning and shows responsibility
for the environment.
– Element 3.2.1: Inclusive environment
Both indoor and outdoor learning environments are organized
for children to explore. They are inviting, have enough space
and are easily accessible to support inclusivity for all children.
8. National Quality Standard (Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality
Authority, 2018).
– Element 3.2.2: Resources support play-based learning
The resources and materials used are both recycled and natural
which allows for many uses, easy manipulation and invites the
children to learn whilst playing.
– Element 3.2.3: Environmentally responsible
The provocation shows a sense of sustainability and this
expresses to children to be aware and show responsibility in
looking after the environment.
9. Keywords and Metaphors- Overall Softness (Zini & Ceppi, 1998)
The provocation promotes a sense of overall softness
because it is welcoming and stimulating. It uses
natural light and neutral tones, creating a sense of
safety.
The ecosystem is diversified because the resources
and materials used are artificial, but they are recycled
and used in a way to promote sustainability. Many of
the resources are also natural materials.
The environment is serene and amiable because all
materials are placed with enough space. It uses the
strategy of attention to gain interest and is pleasant
to perceive.
10. Keywords and Metaphors- Relational Space (Zini & Ceppi, 1998)
The provocation promotes a sense of relational space
because it is a functional zone with fluidity.
It is a ‘way of seeing, reading, studying, interpreting
reality and representing it with a critical awareness’.
The environment is rich in information with books and
signs to refer to.
The environment shows different identities in harmony
with a set of values. For example, the provocation is set
up near the block play area. If the child chooses, they
can incorporate the provocation with the resources in
the block area.
11. Keywords and Metaphors- Epigenesis (Zini & Ceppi, 1998)
The provocation promotes epigenesis because it is
easily adaptable during one’s own evolutionary
processes.
The resources could be modified and manipulated when
the children's ever-growing learning journey takes a
different path. For example, the child shows interest in
the tissue box because they make a great home for
animals. The provocation can turn into a learning
journey about building bird boxes.
The materials can be recycled for other purposes and
provocations. For instance, the egg carton figurines can
be used to role play scenarios or retell a story.
12. Keywords and Metaphors- Constructiveness (Zini & Ceppi, 1998)
The provocation promotes a sense of
constructiveness because it is a learning journey
about sustainability.
Children can construct knowledge and
understandings about sustainability and respecting
the environment.
Children can organise information of nature and link
their play-based experiences on how to care for
wildlife and the environment.
13. Environmental Sustainability in the Early Childhood
Learning Environment
The early childhood learning environment
promotes environmental sustainability in
numerous ways.
The provocation promotes sustainability through
the materials themselves, the resources and the
underlying message or purpose for the learning
journey.
14. Environmental Sustainability in the Early Childhood Learning Environment
– The Materials
The materials used in the provocation promote
environmental sustainability because they are
recycled and natural materials.
The recycled materials can be reused copious
amounts of times with the right upkeep. Making
sure they are cleaned and safe to use.
The natural materials can also be reused for other
projects or learning provocations, but they can also
be put back where they came from to start the
breakdown process which is our living ecosystems.
15. Environmental Sustainability in the Early Childhood
Learning Environment
- The Resources
The book ‘Uno’s Garden’ promotes environmental sustainability because it is
about showing respect and caring for our natural world.
‘Uno’s Garden’ is about a man who discovers a beautiful forest with fascinating
animals and plants. He adores the forest a great deal and decides to live there.
After a while, Uno notices a small village grow into a large city, he then notices
the animals and plants have begun to disappear. Uno learns that it is all about
balance.
The moral of the story is that we as humans unintentionally affect the
environment in a negative way. It also shows us that we can learn from our
mistakes and find better ways to do things (Base, 2013).
16. Environmental Sustainability in the Early Childhood Learning Environment
– The Purpose
The idea of the provocation is to ‘build a home’ for an animal and create a safe
place for them. We want to instil the idea of building up instead of breaking down
the environment.
The underlying message of the provocation is to promote environmental
sustainability. To teach children to care for and respect our natural environment
and the living creatures inside it.
17. Integration of ICT
Integration of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in
Early Childhood Education reaps many benefits.
The enabling function provides access to knowledge and
communications that are essential to keep up with the
everchanging media world.
Technology enhances social and cognitive skills such as, turn
taking, compromising and boosting motivation to stay on task
(Bullard, 2017, pp.344-345)
18. Integration of ICT
Children can use ICT to record their play, learning and masterpieces.
The child will be given an iPad to take photos and videos of the
house they built for the animals.
The child can then use applications on the iPad to edit the videos
and put in special effects.
They can use an application to upload their photographs and choose
new characters. The child can also move the characters around the
screen whilst role playing a scenario. The role playing can be
recorded and the child can watch themselves back on video playing.
These videos can be played on the projector for all children to watch
and they can see what their friends created.
19. Integration of ICT
When children use ICT they can express their
knowledge and ideas on multiliteracies.
Technology is growing at a rapid rate so children need
to be multiliterate in todays society to keep up with
the world.
We as educators ‘can provide the opportunity for
children to express their ideas and feelings
aesthetically through media’ (Roy, Baker, Hamilton,
2015, p.171).
The skills learnt from being multiliterate are beneficial
for children to interact with the world socially.
20. Summary Critical Reflection
– Constructivism
Constructivist theorists like Piaget have ‘the belief that children construct their
versions of reality from their own unique experiences’ (Nixon & Gould, 1999, p.11).
Constructivism is essentially the ideas or constructs of knowledge that children
form to understand the environment.
Throughout this assignment I have used a constructivism approach to help form my
learning.
I have used self-regulation to keep myself on task to hand my assignment in by the
due date and on time. I became frustrated when I did not understand something
on the marking guide, but I self-regulated and sought out the answer by breaking it
right down to the skeleton.
21. Summary Critical Reflection
– Social Constructivism
Social constructivism relies greatly on ‘Vygotsky’s belief that social processes are integral to
learning’ (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019). Social constructivism is essentially the role of
social influences that form learning.
Throughout this assignment I have used a social constructivist approach to help form my
learning.
I have needed clarification from my tutor to help guide my direction on how the
assignment should be laid out. I sought for clarification to construct the right ideas of
formatting my assignment as to not lose vital marks.
I have asked my peers about how they laid out their assignments as I was using a different
server and it helped clear up some confusions I had. Their social influence helped to
construct my ideas and I was able to move forward with my assignment.
22. Summary Critical Reflection
– Discovery Learning
As Bruner suggests about discovery learning ‘it is the child who discovers the
answers for themselves’ (Nixon & Gould, 1999, p.11). Discovery learning is
essentially when a child explores objects and ideas in the environment and makes
links between them.
Throughout this assignment I have used a discovery learning approach to some
extent.
I had to extend my knowledge and ideas about multiliteracies and discovery
learning to bring my assignment to a finish point. I had to search books and journal
articles to further construct my ideas, where eventually I made the link between
the word and meaning about multiliteracies and discovery learning.
23. Summary Critical Reflection
– Multiliteracies
Multiliteracies are essentially using both standard forms of national language and
modern day technologies to express ideas and knowledge.
Throughout this assignment I have used multiliteracies to reach my full potential and
completed my assignment.
I have used standard forms of national language to map out my ideas on paper.
I have used technologies such as cameras, computers and applications like SlideShare to
put my assignment together. I used a camera to take pictures of my provocation. I used
my computer to access photoshop to place my provocation within a learning
environment and I accessed PowerPoint to create this assignment.
24.
25. Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (2018). Guide to the National Quality Standard. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about/guide#wa
Base, G. (2013). Uno’s Garden. Penguin Books Australia. https://www.bookdepository.com/Unos-Garden-Graeme-
Base/9780143501305?redirected=true&selectCurrency=AUD&w=AF45AU99Z0369CA8VCCS&pdg=pla-293946777986:cmp-6919946397:adg-82581721111:crv-389775188388:pos-
:dev-c&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6_vzBRCIARIsAOs54z50sAW44pj5BfPEdAQaKR8r3U-f9tTK3rPmx1raLVbqPvl94NyuLTwaArXqEALw_wcB
Bullard, J. (2017). Creating Environments for Learning: Birth to age eight (3rd edition). Pearson.
Duchesne, S., & McMaugh, A. (2019.). Educational Psychology: For Learning and Teaching. (6th ed.). Sydney, Australia: Cengage
Nixon, D. & Gould, K. (1999). Emerging: Child development in the first three years. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia.
Roy, D., Baker, W., & Hamilton, A. (2015). Teaching the arts: Early childhood and primary education (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press.
Zini, M., Ceppi, G. (1998). Children, spaces, relations: metaproject for an environment for young children. Reggio Children.
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