Many children interact with technology daily in various ways. If you looked into homes across the world, you might see young children using tablets, smartphones, and watching television.
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Discussion 1: Technology and Young Children Today: Multiple Perspectives
Many children interact with technology daily in various ways. If you looked into homes across the world, you might see young children using tablets, smartphones, and watching television. There are television shows and apps geared toward all ages that advertise activities that promote developmentally appropriate learning. As an early childhood professional, committed to fostering positive outcomes for young children, it can be difficult to determine as a guardian or caregiver which digital media is appropriate for each child. As opportunities to interact with technology continue to permeate so many aspects of children’s lives, it is a concern whether the amount of screen time children are exposed to should steadily increase. It is not only the time children spend in front of screens that is of concern to educators, families, and even the medical community; it is also what children are “giving up.” Interactions with books, playing outside, and participating in face-to-face conversations are a few examples of activities that may not be as prominent in children’s lives. What are children gaining and what are they giving up?
For this Discussion, you further explore the use of technology with young children and what the appropriate amount of screen time may be.
To Prepare:
Read “Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education” (Linn, Almon, & Levin) with an open mind. Choose a point from the article that resonates with you. It can be a perspective with which you agree or disagree.
By Day 3 of Week 7
Post the following:
· A detailed summary of the point you chose from the article
· Whether you agree with this point and why
· A citation for a peer-reviewed article or a textbook that validates your thinking and an explanation of how this resource supports your view
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/screen-time/art-20047952
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/sites/default/files/facingthescreendilemma
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RESPONSE 1
RE: Discussion 1 – Module 4 Renee Morris
COLLAPSE
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Technology has evolved through the 21st century. Technology allows students to take control of their learning. The use of technology allows teachers to personalize learning for students. Preparing students for the global society, technology is definitely a necessity in the classroom. However educators should be mindful that technology can also be harmful to students.
Students’ mental health has become an increasing concern. Linn, Almon, and Levin (2012) highlighted “extensive screen time is linked to a host of problems for children including childhood obesity, sleep disturbance,
learning, attention, and social problems.” Shonkoff et al, (2011) explain that mental health concerns have increased due to effects of watching television and other technologies. As many students face adversities outside of the classroom, this could be a valid argument if technology is not intentionally and purposefully used. Linn, Almon, and Levin (2012) stated that “time with screens takes away from other activities known to be more beneficial to their growth and development.”
The use of technology should be well planned into lessons to enhance development. Technology usage should be purposeful and not used for busy work with no set goal. Incorporating technology in the class takes a great amount of organization and planning. Digital citizenship should be well established and revisited throughout the school year. Digital citizenship teaches students how to responsibly navigate the internet, effectively and respectfully communicate online, and how to respond to internet dilemmas. Technology usage is a 21st century skill needed to successfully thrive in a globally competitive society.
Kressin (2020) reported that the success of technology usage in the classroom requires teacher’s willingness. Educators should recognize that the use of technology allows for personalized learning. Learning can be individualized on a student’s level. The use of technology in the class allows all students to shine and do their best. Using technology provides students with a choice. Students take ownership of their learning when a choice is provided. Teachers can use the time to highlight positive behaviors of students that may not usually get the praise in the traditional learning setting. Teacher check-in can also be an addition as students work independently or collaboratively on a task.
Although Linn, Almon, and Levin (2012) have a valid argument that technology can be “commercially driven and detrimental to a child’s development”, technology has great benefits for preparing students to be a productive citizen. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (n.d.) “technology and media usage can support learning and relationships.” Children are familiar with several technological devices and applications. Parents and educators should use the technology to the childs’ benefit.
References
Kressin, L. (2020). Teacher Freedom and Student Ownership in the Classroom:
Integrating High-Value Technology in the Elementary Mathematics Classroom – ProQuest. Retrieved 4 January 2022, from
https://www.proquest.com/openview/85c8cc26a9159b4b98509f1a150480e9/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Linn, S., Almon, J. W., & Levin, D. E. (2012). Facing the screen dilemma: Young
children, technology and early education. Retrieved from
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/sites/default/files/facingthescreendilemma
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.). Technology and media.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media
Shonkoff, J.P., Garner, A.S., Siegel, B.S., Dobbins, M.I., Earls, M. F., McGuinn, L.,
Wood, D. L., (2011). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics 129(1) e232-e246.
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/129/1/e232.full
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RESPONSE 2
Chukwunonyelum Eneje
RE: Discussion 1 – Module 4
COLLAPSE
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Module 4: Discussion 1-Technology and Young Children Today Multiple Perspectives
A detailed summary of the point you choose from the article. Whether you agree with this point and why. A citation from a peer-reviewed article or a textbook that validates your thinking and an explanation of how this resource supports your view.
The point that I choose from the article for this week’s discussion is “ Nurturing healthy brain development” (Linn et al., 2012,p.6). And it stated that research has confirmed that in the field of early childhood, children enjoy exploring with their whole senses and bodies during play. The children need the adults around them to show love, provide food, safety, play explorations, read with caring and loving adults and have one-one conversations with them. And, that when children have connections and access to those opportunities mentioned above and more, they are going to have optimal development.
Also, it revealed the importance of adults providing quality experiences during the early years because children’s early years of life are crucial, it helps to support the children’s brain’s shaping and building, and children will experience positive outcomes in their lives that will act as a strong foundation for them now and in the future. And when the adults in the children’s lives continually practice those experiences, it strengthens those connections they have with the adults. Including their beliefs, habits and how they will respond to those experiences in the future. Even those children that do not enjoy and have access to those experiences such as food, safety, care, nature play, playing indoors and outdoors, etc in life will be affected in their development. So the adults in the children’s lives must provide these experiences to avoid lifelong consequences.
As adults, we should continually provide those experiences to reduce the children’s habits of watching television, playing video games and phone apps, and other technologies. So that the children will not have the challenge of turning off those technologies as they grow older.
In addition, more research is ongoing on the possible effects of the addiction to television, computers and video games on children (Linn et al., 2012).
Truly, I am in support of this point that I read in this article for this week’s discussion and the reason is that according to Jung & Jin (2014), it states that adults and children can create relationships through play. Also, children learn self-exploration and self-discovery through play. And children’s experience, self-efficacy, growth and other skills improve through play (Jung & Jin, 2014).
This article by Skalická (2019), indicates that when children are having too much screen time, it would result in a diminishing of quality of one-one interactions and social involvement with people around them. Also, the use of excess screen time affects discussions about nature with adults will be reduced daily and may affect the children’s recognition of emotions in others. When families encourage the use of screen time always the children’s emotional understanding might be affected and will weaken their developmental skills, which they need in life. Although these technologies can have positive effects on children’s developmental skills when they are provided with a high-quality academic program to watch and learn (Skalická et al., 2019).
From my experience, as a parent, I work hard to provide face-to-face interactions with my children to support the reduction of time my children spend with screen time by offering them activities that are engaging and interacting. We go to parks, backyard, nature walk to play with snow and build a snowman, run around, lots of exercises. And as an educator in my workplace, we do not encourage screen time because it takes away the time we are supposed to have one-one interactions with the children. I have seen a lot of children we work with, influenced and practice what they saw in the technologies at home in the classrooms because there was a lack of adult supervision during the screen time.
References
Jung, E., & Jin, B. (2014). Future professionals’ perceptions of play in early childhood education classrooms. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 28 (3), 358-376.https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2014.913277
Linn, S., Almon, J. W., & Levin, D. E. (2012). Facing the screen dilemma: Young children, technology and early education. https://fairplayforkids.org/wp-content/uploads/archive/facingthescreendilemma
Skalická, V., Hygen, B. W., Stenseng, F., Kảrstad, S. B., & Wichstøm, L. (2019). Screen time and the development of emotion from age 4 to age 8: A community study. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 37 (3), 427-443.https://doi.org/10.111/bjddp.12283
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