The Greatest Technological Challenge: Weening Kids Off of It
There is a downside to personal-device technology.
Exposure to electronic devices can impede development. The longer I teach, the more exposure my incoming classes of students have had to being babysat using electronic devices.
The result is that they have increasingly more difficulty doing life without the constant presence of a wireless crutch.
Consider this excerpt from a September 2016 article in Gulf News, entitled, “We’re Turning Children Into Cyber Babies”:
Somewhere along the line, a misinterpretation of neuroscience has led parents to believe that all stimulation for a child is good. Even if these devices in themselves are not proven to be harmful, there is significant harm simply in the lack of time spent doing things in the real world that are known to be important for development.It has been shown repeatedly that at least 60 minutes a day of unstructured play — when children entertain themselves, either alone or with another child and without adult or technological interference — is essential. This is when a child uses imagination and creativity, when he or she practises decision-making and problem-solving, develops early maths concepts, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.In Britain, an escalation of problems associated with tablet use among pre-school children has been reported by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. These include developmental delays in attention span, motor skills and dexterity, speaking and socialisation — as well as an increase in aggressive and antisocial behaviour, obesity and tiredness. A growing number of young children are beginning school without enough dexterity to pick up and play with building blocks.One gathering of teachers in Manchester called for help with “tablet addiction.” A teacher in Northern Ireland described pupils who were allowed to playThe Greatest Technological Challenge: Weening Kids Off of It | deutsch29:
