Techies

Welcome back! This week’s blog will cover how technology may be affecting children and learning. I paid close attention to this week’s topic due to the fact that I have three daughters, ages 5, 11 and 13. The internet has been a part of all three of their lives since they were born.  As a parent, I’m challenged with understanding the good, the bad and the ugly of my children’s technology use and facilitate a healthy, balanced relationship with technology.

As my children grow older, their technology use continues to evolve. It started with video game systems and moved on to cellphones, laptops and iPads. Now they are beginning to become interested in social media sites. It’s difficult to keep up with the various options they have today. One minute they are asking their friends to Kik them and the next it’s Whatsapp. I had no clue what Vine and SnapChat until my children told me. Parents need to pay attention to the online trends and the latest technologies, websites and applications children are using. I try my best to keep up with the times, but until I catch up the best thing I can do is warn them about the dangers of digital communication and monitor their usage.

There are very few studies available on the long term effects modern technology has on child development because we are still in the prime of its existence. The more advanced technology becomes, the more it seems to have control over our lives. When I was growing up, if you wanted to send a message to someone, you wrote them a letter; if you wanted to listen to music you turned on the radio; and if you wanted to research something, you went to the library.

Technology definitely has its advantages, but too much of a good thing can never be good. The amount of time children spend using media technology is alarming. The fear is not only that this technology is replacing physical and imaginative play, but that it also may be diminishing development of social skills, heart connection and empathy for others. In order for healthy development to occur children must overcome challenges and obstacles in the real world, learn from mistakes, and reflect on the adult they hope to become.

A recent study conducted by Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills found:

·         Teens that use Facebook more often show more narcissistic tendencies while young adults who have a strong Facebook presence show more signs of other psychological disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies.

·         Daily overuse of media and technology has a negative effect on the health of all children, preteens and teenagers by making them more prone to anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders, as well as by making them more susceptible to future health problems.

·         Facebook can be distracting and can negatively impact learning. Studies found that middle school, high school and college students who checked Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period achieved lower grades.

Rosen said new research has also found positive influences linked to social networking, including:

·         Young adults who spend more time on Facebook are better at showing "virtual empathy" to their online friends.

·         Online social networking can help introverted adolescents learn how to socialize behind the safety of various screens, ranging from a two-inch smartphone to a 17-inch laptop.

·         Social networking can provide tools for teaching in compelling ways that engage young students.

Are our children learning anything from the use of technology? Children need to develop the skills to use technology appropriately in order to survive in our digital world. They will need to know how to use a mouse, type on the keyboard, and navigate the internet as they get older. Digital devices give kids access to educational content from anywhere in the world. The convergence of digital and physical learning is emerging in our schools today. Some parents worry digital tools will replace the teacher or hands-on, in-person learning. In Sugata Mitra’s TED video Kids Can Teach Themselves, he states that “a teacher can never be replaced by a machine.” He quoted Sir Arthur C. Clark, “A teacher that can be replaced by a machine, should be.”

My 5^th grader’s teacher has implemented the use of technology in her classroom. She maintains a classroom blog for the parents and kids to keep up with the assignments. There are links to several learning websites that she encourages the kids to use to help learn certain things that they are studying in the class. I feel like the blog is helpful for me because it gives me an alternative to the written agenda. My daughter doesn’t always write everything in that agenda and I don’t always understand what they are covering by what is written. My daughter seems to be better organized by having the assignments posted on this blog. No more “I left my folder at school” excuses. Everything we need is available on the blog. It makes my life easier and that’s always a plus.

Some researchers argue the technology is taking over the imaginations of small children. Shilo Shiv Suleman is an illustrator, storyteller and iPad book creator. In her Ted video Using Tech to Enable Dreaming, she explains that she originally considered herself sort of a technophobe. She felt that cellphones and fancy cameras had stopped us from being inspired. She states “I was terrified by this idea that I would lose the ability to enjoy and appreciate the sunset without having my camera on me, without tweeting it to my friends. It felt like technology should enable magic, not kill it.”  Sulemon wanted to find a way for technology to help create magic in her stories. She is now using technology to bring her stories to life by merging sounds, images, and interactive capabilities to enable people to embed themselves in her stories. “In the last 10 years, children have been locked inside their rooms, glued to their PCs. … But now with mobile technology, we can actually take our children outside into the natural world with their technology.” (Suleman)

 

What are some ways that technology has helped your children learn?