Today, almost every child has access to computers, tablets, and smartphones either at school or at home, there seems to be no agreed of scientifically proven safe or right age to expose young children to the use of computers and other technological gadgets. The main concern in relation to this is the effect that computers have on the physical and mental development of young people. The vast relevance, applicability and importance of computers to the younger generation cannot be dismissed nor overlooked, while the side effects of the same must also be evaluated, discussed and understood so as to develop a safe formula or strategy of introducing our children to computers and any other technology related equipment. Parents must be at the forefront to ensure that kids are exposed to technological gadgets at a medically approved age with use under the guidance and supervision of someone with excellent knowledge of computers and danger they pose to children which most people are usually oblivious of.
Adoption of Computers in Early Childhood Education
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_O_Onditi]Kenneth O Onditi
Virtually all children have access to computers either at school or at home, the current technological dynamism though has made it difficult to agree on the right age to expose the younger generation to this technology. Differences in exposure, economics and social structures has often dictated when a child can start using a cell phone, a laptop or a tablet computer with little regard to the age factor. The changing technological knowledge and capability is increasingly gaining cognizance as an integral learning tool for promoting the social, linguistic, and cognitive development of young children. Fact is - there is no backtracking to past practices and the issues that needs to be dealt with currently should not be whether computers are ideal for learning purposes but rather how this new technology can be incorporated into the education system from a scientifically justifiable age.
The key concern in computer use by children at the preschool ages is mainly the effect they have on their development physically and mentally. Research suggests that uncontrolled computer use by children can be harmful at varied levels and scales. The early frequent use of computers by toddlers has been found to tamper with children's' attention spans, damages their developing brains which become hardwired in response to the experiences of virtual reality that they experience in front of the computers as a result subverts the development of children's cognitive skills, most protagonists to child adoption of computers inn education cite cases of obesity in children who spend excessive time with computers, possibilities of repetitive-strain injuries when children use computers at workstations not designed for them, decline in social involvement and development, and increased aggression due to emulation of violent computer games among others. These in my view are very valid reasons that need to be looked into before the introduction and adoption of computer use by children at the Early Childhood Development stage.
Other studies also give very strong support for the use of computers by children citing very positive effects. Growing up in a technology - computer era triggers a different thinking from other generations. Several researchers recognized that computers are increasingly becoming relevant in early childhood education where preschool educators employ computers/technology as a major teaching assistant, this is something that cannot be stalled because dynamism of modernization and technology is inevitable. A number of defining characteristics of the digital natives evidences the importance of early adoption of computer use i.e. more connection to other generations, faster processing of information and as such faster feedback, greater potential for multitasking, among an array of supporting arguments.
Young children are surrounded with technology in their communities and at home - the greater risk now is to ensure that these kids are exposed to the technological gadgets at a medically approved age with use under the guidance and supervision of someone with excellent knowledge of computers and danger they pose to children which they are obviously oblivious of.
Yes we live in a computer age!, but should that be an excuse for disposing precautionary measures?, clearly it is a big no!
The introduction of computers in early child education for instance should only be strictly approved by a professional medical practitioner with extensive engagement and consultation with a computer engineer after which they can lay out the rules and guidelines of the extent of exposure of children to computers. These should be aimed at nurturing a healthy computer generation.
However you view computer use in pre-school education, there exist a downside edge which we need to be aware of, embrace, and above all find how best to safely accommodate within the healthy provisions of computer education.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Adoption-of-Computers-in-Early-Childhood-Education&id=7890923] Adoption of Computers in Early Childhood Education
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_O_Onditi]Kenneth O Onditi
Virtually all children have access to computers either at school or at home, the current technological dynamism though has made it difficult to agree on the right age to expose the younger generation to this technology. Differences in exposure, economics and social structures has often dictated when a child can start using a cell phone, a laptop or a tablet computer with little regard to the age factor. The changing technological knowledge and capability is increasingly gaining cognizance as an integral learning tool for promoting the social, linguistic, and cognitive development of young children. Fact is - there is no backtracking to past practices and the issues that needs to be dealt with currently should not be whether computers are ideal for learning purposes but rather how this new technology can be incorporated into the education system from a scientifically justifiable age.
The key concern in computer use by children at the preschool ages is mainly the effect they have on their development physically and mentally. Research suggests that uncontrolled computer use by children can be harmful at varied levels and scales. The early frequent use of computers by toddlers has been found to tamper with children's' attention spans, damages their developing brains which become hardwired in response to the experiences of virtual reality that they experience in front of the computers as a result subverts the development of children's cognitive skills, most protagonists to child adoption of computers inn education cite cases of obesity in children who spend excessive time with computers, possibilities of repetitive-strain injuries when children use computers at workstations not designed for them, decline in social involvement and development, and increased aggression due to emulation of violent computer games among others. These in my view are very valid reasons that need to be looked into before the introduction and adoption of computer use by children at the Early Childhood Development stage.
Other studies also give very strong support for the use of computers by children citing very positive effects. Growing up in a technology - computer era triggers a different thinking from other generations. Several researchers recognized that computers are increasingly becoming relevant in early childhood education where preschool educators employ computers/technology as a major teaching assistant, this is something that cannot be stalled because dynamism of modernization and technology is inevitable. A number of defining characteristics of the digital natives evidences the importance of early adoption of computer use i.e. more connection to other generations, faster processing of information and as such faster feedback, greater potential for multitasking, among an array of supporting arguments.
Young children are surrounded with technology in their communities and at home - the greater risk now is to ensure that these kids are exposed to the technological gadgets at a medically approved age with use under the guidance and supervision of someone with excellent knowledge of computers and danger they pose to children which they are obviously oblivious of.
Yes we live in a computer age!, but should that be an excuse for disposing precautionary measures?, clearly it is a big no!
The introduction of computers in early child education for instance should only be strictly approved by a professional medical practitioner with extensive engagement and consultation with a computer engineer after which they can lay out the rules and guidelines of the extent of exposure of children to computers. These should be aimed at nurturing a healthy computer generation.
However you view computer use in pre-school education, there exist a downside edge which we need to be aware of, embrace, and above all find how best to safely accommodate within the healthy provisions of computer education.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Adoption-of-Computers-in-Early-Childhood-Education&id=7890923] Adoption of Computers in Early Childhood Education
RSS Feed