Are Children Smarter because of the Internet? Most children and parents are so-called “addicted” to their smartphones, tablets, and computers. Our world is constantly changing, by using less paper and more screens. Is this really such a bad thing? Children can learn from the internet and actually become smarter because of it. The internet has the ability to benefit all ages, but especially children. The world is transforming into a digital place, which allows children to grow and learn, find answers in seconds, and keep up with current events around the world. Children are learning how to use smartphones and other devices at a very young age. Some people may think it is ruining their childhood by being on a phone, but children could actually be becoming smarter because of this. “By engaging their brains in more complex tasks at a younger stage in their lives, toddlers are improving their cognition and critical review skills, and displaying a more advanced understanding of both virtual and real worlds” (“4 Ways the Internet is Making Kids Smarter”). Children are participating in games on their tablet or iPad which provides them with ways to improve on …show more content…
Technology is taking over the classroom, so students and teachers need to be up to date on the latest improvements. If toddlers have experience with these games and how they all work, they should be up to speed or ahead when they come to school. “Kindergarten and first grade students were able to improve on word-reading skills, vocabulary knowledge, and phonological awareness when given digital text. Older students who have used e-reading technology have seen improvements with fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension” (“4 Ways the Internet is Making Kids Smarter”). Students who start using an e-reader or digital text at a young age will be able to improve greatly compared to those who do not use them at
Children use a lot of technology. They use technology whether they are using social media, using a learning program, or reading an electronic book. The truth is, that there are more positives than negatives when children use technology. There is fear that if children use too much technology they will not have proper development especially cognitively. This paper will show how technology can benefit a child’s cognitive development.
He points out three different mistakes that can be created in a child’s life when they use too much technology. These three mistakes are not setting limits, not having enough family time, and the parents themselves become too involved with technology. Too much technology can cause an increase of arguments between parents and kids, due to the amount of information kids now have access to. Children can use technology in a way to avoid real world situations and basic communication. In severe cases, Grover explains that technology can become addicting and can take over one’s life.
The Internet is a worldwide system of computer networks. Today, it is a public, cooperative and self-sustaining facility accessible to millions of people. This global access to a new world has its shortcomings. One of many that might be considered the most important is addiction; I can easily confess that I see myself as a cell phone addicted person. After reading the article “Half of Teens Think They” by Kelly Wallace, I came to a conclusion that I am not the only one who faces this impasse. However, the article also says that it is difficult to say how many teens are truly addicted to their devices and the Internet. Also it is found a problem, because parents feel their teens spend too much time on their mobile devices. Trying to solve this difficulty, some parents came up with solutions.
This technology revolution sparked a debate on children’s use of technology. Children are constantly using iPads, iPhones, tablets, and other computerized devices. By over exposing children to technology, they are being robbed of the mental stimulation that comes from doing real, non computerized, activities. It has gotten to the point where one can see a two-year-old navigate an iPhone with ease but struggle to speak. Sixty-nine percent of children aged two to five can use a computer mouse, but only eleven percent can tie their own shoelaces (Generation Tech More Kids Can Play Computer Games than Ride a Bike). Also, children are at an all time low in the creativity department
Although technology is the way the world is looking towards, younger children are more involved with playing with iPads, iPhones and iPods more than physical toys. It is proven that physical cognitive challenges require much more attention, control and concentration and are far more healthier for their developing brain. It puts children into a focused mind set than the children that sit on technology devices frequently. Children who still play with physical equipment are more likely to have a far better attention span and tend to pick up basic skills especially maths much more easier in their early learning
My cousin's wife Irina Olaru has a positive attitude about the internet use of their children, a girl of four years, and a boy of two and half years. Irina graduated Bethel University, in Minnesota, four years ago. She said to me that their children use a laptop and cellphones every day. Asking her how much time daily their children spend in front of a laptop or cell phone, she said more than two hours every day, which confirms above statistical data. Asking her what attitude they have, as parents about the computer use of their children at such young age, she explained that the internet gives many opportunities of learning and developing for their children. They do not want to ban computer use because they need a time when their children
In recent years, advances in technology have exploded. Almost every child has a tablet, middle schools are giving students laptops, and nearly every adult on the planet can be seen walking around with a smartphone. The internet is a huge part of today’s society. Information from all over the globe is just a few clicks away, but could that be a bad thing? Nicholas Carr thinks that the internet is making society stupid in his article “Is Google Making Us Stupid,” Steven Johnson says that the internet is a great thing in his essay “Everything Bad is Good for Us,” and Christine Rosen seems to think that everything digital is evil in her work “People on the Screen.” When used correctly, the internet has an overwhelmingly positive effect on the growth of the human brain. Technology provides people with more opportunities to read, a way for children to be stimulated, and simpler communication.
On the negative side, children are spending more time indoors playing computer games or the equivalent, but they are not developing interpersonal relationships. As the internet is becoming less of a modern convenience and more of a necessity for humans, young and old, it should be noted that the internet can cause impaired academic achievement, bad time management, and problems with health and interpersonal relationships (Lai & Gwung, 2013). In another study, Laverick (2009) states the children of the 21st century have lives that are interwoven with technology. These children do not know of a world without technology; in the study, this is called “an Eculture” (Laverick, 2009).
In today’s society we are overwhelmed with technology. Technology is changing everyday, and will forever be a staple in our lives. The effect that technology has on our children has brought on some concerns and some praises. Children these days have no choice but to some how be influenced by the ever growing technology in our societies. Our common concern has been that although digital technology has boosted children’s talent for multitasking, their ability to process information deeply may be deteriorating (Carpenter, 2010). Many people have a wide range of opinions on if technology is having a positive influence on our children or a negative, there is a vast amount of evidence to support both of these arguments. Technology can refer to
An electronic device, such as video games, home computers, and the internet has struck an important place in children and teenagers’ lives. The Internet and several other devices have a huge impact on the development of children and adolescents. The use of the internet affects children’s academic skill development, societal evolution, relationships, and perceptions of reality. The time passed on computers are genuinely important and shows that minors (between 2 and 17 years) in homes
The current generation of children is completely different than the preceding ones. They are living in the digital age. “Technology has blended in with daily activity to become a way of life and children today take for granted all of which is automated. It is hard for kids nowadays to imagine a world that existed without all of the gadgets, electronics and seamless operations that computer technology provides.” (3) “Children in the United States devote some 40 hours a week to television, video games and the Internet.” (12) Many psychologists and researchers are concerned about the impact that technology has on children. Children, tomorrow’s future parents and leaders, are being consumed by the negative effects that technology had on their
In addition, many children are required to use technology while there are in school. There is also a plethora of other reasons in which someone must use technology or a mobile device. While although there are many instances in which both adults and youth must use technology, enough is enough. Technology addiction is causing numerous health issues, causing people to lose their identity and even causing people to harm their relationships in the real world. However, the use of technology is not the issue, the issue is the abuse of technology and as a result, becoming addicted to it. If both parents and children are able to recognize the problem and use the steps to change something in the way they use technology, then maybe there would not be so many individuals addicted. Agarwal finds that, “More than 60% of Americans said they were addicted to the internet” (171). However, this statistic only includes those who were able to admit they were addicted. There may be many more people who need help and are unwilling to admit it. Both parents and their children need to step up and face the outbreak with confidence. As Vince Lombardi says, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will”. What Lombardi was trying to say can apply directly so how to solve technology addiction. If people know about the issue, but are
Today’s technology has greatly impacted the young children’s everyday lives. Phones, tablets, and computers are all a form of technology that impact the way kids are influenced. Some children get phones or computers at young ages and it can cause kids to depend on it to entertain them. Eventually they will allow the technology to take over and have it become the form of communication between friend and family instead of face to face. As parents continue to buy their children new technology they don’t monitor the amount of time their children spend on the Internet. Technology is becoming more advanced overtime which causes children to become more attached and unable to function without it near by.
Over the years, technology has increased in usage within many ways and has caused successful changes in a person’s lively routine. However, technology has evolved since the very beginning which concern has grown over the negative effects of its excessive use. Nicholas Carr’s article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” addresses the tendency of technology to create a sort of mental laziness where people look for instant answers rather than thinking for themselves. Daphne Bavelier, C. Shawn Green, and Matthew W.G. Dye have written in “Children, Wired: For Better and for Worse” on the transient and persistent effects of technology on children, particularly in terms of media exposure of television, movies, and video games. Additionally, Matt Richtel, writer for The New York Times, states in “Attached to Technology and Paying a Price” that the tendency of the brain to respond to immediate stimuli has a negative impact on the average user, ranging from disinterest to daily tasks to the risky behavior of texting and driving. Ultimately, these three articles agree that regardless of potential conveniences of heavy technology use, the tradeoff is something to be strongly considered.
In Phuoc Tran and Kaveri Subrahmanyam (2013) journal article it explains and gives us evidence on how digital tools are and have become an important tool when it comes to children’s learning and development. They mention Vygotsky’s theory, on how cognitive development happens with the use of computers because it is a tool that is part of our culture. These tools are important because it helps the children develop many different skills (Tran and Subrahmanyam, 2013). They mention different pathways that help toward cognitive development. The first pathway is the amount of time that they spend using the computers. Children shouldn’t spend a long time using the computers they should limit their use of computers for a certain amount of time per day. They mention how kids that come from a low-income family and struggle with reading get many beneficial in learning from using the computers. It enhances their school readiness. The second pathway is the way kids interpret the language of the computer. For example, how to navigate a computer. Tran and Subrahmanyam mention, “Research has suggested that playing an electronic game can have positive effects on cognitive