The Double-Edged Sword of Technology
As a veteran teacher of 27 years in the public school system, I have seen first-hand the benefits as well as the downfalls of technology as it relates to children (especially those in Elementary School).
I am the first to admit that I am a techno-junkie. During my career as a teacher, I spent several years as the Technology Facilitator and network administrator at the schools. I was responsible for overhauling outdated networks and reviewing innovative software to aid teachers in the classrooms. My last school was outfitted with Internet-connected electronic whiteboards in every classroom. These tools are invaluable to a teacher to broaden the learning experience and connect students with people and places around the world.
HOWEVER, all of the innovative tools in the world will not replace good, solid teaching. Just as giving a Steinway piano to a mediocre musician will not make for a better musician.
As with all things in life, moderation is the key here. I get upset when I go to the store or am waiting for an appointment and see kids and parents sitting together, each engrossed in their smartphones or tablets. Nobody is communicating with each other.
Study after study has demonstrated the critical need for families to sit down at the table together and interact with conversation. It doesn't have to be over the latest philosophical treatises. Rather, simple discussions of how each person's day went, answering questions, or just sharing a joke or two make a tremendous difference in so many facets of a child's life.
First and foremost, they learn social interaction. Though technology has allowed us to reach out to a wider audience, it lacks the very personal and intimate properties of a face-to-face conversation. It is in these interactions with each other that we learn how words affect others and how to resolve differences of opinion. Even programs that allow video chat lack the very subtle sights, sounds and smells of actually talking with another human being.
Studies showed that children in families that have books in the home AND sit every night at the dinner table to discuss the day score HIGHER ON STANDARDIZED TESTS! It is these interactions and examples that form the very foundation for a child's entire life.
Secondly, we are seeing alarming increases in children with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and AD/HD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). Granted, not ALL cases are the result of parenting practices. However, if we examine the way that most computer programs operate, there is a change of image, subject, and challenge every x-number of seconds. It all began back in the 1970s with Sesame Street and other children's programs. If we were to time these programs, we would see that the image on the television changes
every 10-15 seconds. This programs and reinforces our brains to only focus for that amount of time. This serves to limit our attention spans to the point that we have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time.
I grew up in an era devoid of computers, Internet, Email, and even cable television. Our TV entertainment was limited to a paltry handful of channels. I spent many hours in the public library devouring books. I had read classics such as "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by the time I was 12 years old. I grew to have a deep appreciation for Literature and hopefully encouraged my students to do the same. I used to use the example of "Charlotte's Web" with them. I asked them to close their eyes and picture the character 'Wilbur'. Then I would have then draw what they saw in their mind's eye. Those who had seen the movie invariably would draw a Wilbur almost identical to the movie character. Those who had not and/or had read the book drew an altogether different Wilbur.
Books require us to use our imagination and to concentrate for long periods of time. When this activity is repeated over and over, synapses in the brain are formed that will last a lifetime. Television and video games are more passive in nature - they have created an image from the imagination of the software developer or the graphic artist.
Granted, I am not condemning TV, smartphones, or technology in the classroom. These are all wonderful tools. The operative word here is "MODERATION". Too much of anything can be detrimental. We need to strike a balance with regard to phones, video games, television, an other forms of technology. What can parents do?
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Limit the time that your children are allowed to play video games (don't make the games the "baby sitter")
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Set limits on the use of smartphones.
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Create time limits for television viewing (again, the TV is NOT a baby sitter)
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Encourage your children to play games with their friends (board games, sports, etc)
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Read to your children - kids LOVE to be read to, especially the younger ones. Try storytime at bedtime
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Create goals for your children to reach for reading books (real books are preferable to electronic books)
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Make the time to eat dinner together - we all have busy lives, but only about 18 years to form the personalities of our children
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Have a small library in the home - set an example by reading with your kids
Spending a little extra quality time with your kids will go a long way in enriching their lives. We are responsible for setting the examples for them - if not, they are left to the media, their peers and other adults to develop their sense of self-worth, communication skills, and values. We are only temporary stewards of our children. We teach them the important lessons in life and then let them fly from the nest. If they have a solid foundation, they will lead fulfilling lives.