Technology has had a massive impact on almost every aspect of human development. It has changed the way human socialize or work. One of the most significant effects of technology is changing how children play and interact with each other compared to previous generations. Children now spend more time indoors playing with computer games, but that is bad for their social skills and physical health. Access to devices such as smartphones has exposed children to online harassment, although the same devices are useful tools for learning. They foster a new kind of learning that is student-centered, making learning exciting. However, on the other hand, digital media has its downsides such as interfering with the emotional development of children, poor performance in school, lowering attention span. Digital technology is beneficial in so many ways because it promotes learning but also carries certain risks that hinder the social and emotional development of children.
The most important technological development is the rise of digital technology. Digital technology encompasses a range of innovations or products that relies on digital signals to transmit information instead of analog signals. The most significant moment was the invention of the personal computer in the later 70s and early 80s (Tefft, Guerette, & Furumasu, 2010). For the first time, people could afford to buy home computers to do things such as financial planning via productivity tools, play games, and communicate with friends and relatives. Another innovation was the rise of the internet and the World Wide Web. Those technological developments have enhanced connectivity and opened new avenues for learning.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Digital technology has changed the way children learn using tools such as computers. Today, most school-going children at least own one computing device with which they can complete their homework by researching online and writing answers on their computer (Tefft, Guerette, & Furumasu, 2010). If learners need help, they can collaborate online with their friends or tutors. Some sites such as YouTube even have tutorials to guide learners to answer homework questions. Another site such as Khan Academy offers different tutorials meant for children at all levels of schooling. Therefore, digital technology is an enabler of learning for most children.
Digital media has introduced additional tools for learning. Games are useful learning tools because they can scaffold even some of the most challenging concepts. For instance, with simple games, learners can master valuable skills such as computer programming. Games as learning tools make learning exciting and student-centered (Rosen et al. 2014). In recent years, pedagogical methods that seek to make learning student-centered have gained the attention of educators due to their potential to make learning experience exciting. Moreover, it makes learning discovery-based, which boosts critical skills such as critical thinking, ability to conduct research, and integrating different domains of knowledge. However, despite the apparent benefits, digital technology has downsides.
Digital technology has affected how children spend their time. Children spend too much time with their devices playing games or interacting with their friends and relatives online. Under such conditions, children have little or no time to exercise or engage in outdoor activities that children did traditionally. The lack of physical activity is directly related to the rise in cases of childhood obesity (Mintz, Branch, March, & Lerman, 2012). The rates have increased steadily in the last three decades, which coincide with the rise of digital media. In 2012, childhood obesity rates stood at 18 percent, which is higher than the rate in 1980 by a considerable margin (Mintz, Branch, March, & Lerman, 2012). While most schools now recognize the need for encouraging children to engage in activities, the problem is too significant, and without drastic intervention, it will remain problematic.
Spending too much time indoor using digital devices also robs children additional benefits from the outdoor experience, which promote the physical health of children. The benefits include exposure to the body to sunlight, which is a good source of vitamin D that helps fight infection and maintain healthy skin and maintaining a proper sleep cycle. The popularity of digital devices, therefore directly contributes to poor health among children if they do not spend enough time outdoors. An appropriate cycle of sleep is crucial in maintaining a robust immune system and combating weight gain (Russell et al., 2003). Digital devices also emit a blue light, which harms the eyes, cause headaches, and disrupts the sleep cycle. Digital technology is, therefore, harmful to the physical health of children. However, an even bigger problem is the harassment, and its attendant mental health issues, that occur online.
Digital devices harm the wellbeing of children due to bullying and online harassment. Online bullying is similar to traditional bullying but takes place online. It takes the form of teasing, threats, and shaming on social media sites. Bullies humiliate their victims by publishing false information online or sharing private or confidential information such as photos or chats. Cases of children being harassed online have increased due to the presence of digital devices such as smartphones (Russell et al., 2003). In Western Europe, almost all children have a smartphone or access to one, in addition to gaming consoles. Studies show that online harassment leads to stress and poor mental health, especially if not resolved in good time. A few children have even committed suicide due to online harassment.
Reliance on social media for communication and interaction affect the ability of children to form bonds with people in offline settings. Some studies have found that children with existing issues such as low self-esteem or poor negative self-concept are likely to resort to social media as a tool for self-expression. However, relying on social media instead of learning real social skills only worsens their fragile emotional states (Mintz, Branch, March, & Lerman, 2012). In that respect, digital media ends up worsening an already bad situation. Children suffering from low self-esteem, stress, depression, and other psychological problems do not need social media but medication and therapy. Leaving them to social media makes them prone to manipulation by older people or by bullies taking advantage of their vulnerability.
Technology also hams attention spans. There is evidence that technology is changing the way the brains of children are wired. Unlike adults, the minds of children are under development. Exposing children to technology over a long period might force the working of the brain to change to fit the new environment and stimulus from digital devices. One characteristic of modern computing devices is frequent stimulation and rapid change, which leaves the brain with little or no time for imagination or even thinking (Russell et al. 2003). To cope with excessive stimulation, the brain might develop short attention spans. Such children might have problems focusing on a particular task that requires concentration.
The continuous use of digital technology tends to encourage certain anti-social behaviors. Multiple studies have found that the use of certain video games increases aggression. Most children spend their time playing aggressive games, which increases aggression in kids. Such children are likely to argue with parents, teachers, and peers. They are also less empathetic, and actual violence does not affect them as much, because the violence in the games makes aggression normal (Mintz, Branch, March, & Lerman, 2012). The normalization of aggression often leads to bullying and other antisocial behaviors that harm society in the longer term. This problem is likely to become complex as video games gain more popularity. As argued elsewhere in this paper, digital technology is a useful tool for promoting educational achievement, but in some cases, it undermines it.
With little attention span, students can hardly read long essays or articles on their own. They are even less likely to write one because they lack the capacity for imagination required to create a flowing essay. This problem is significant because mastering reading and writing is critical to success at all levels. In middle and high school, domain-specific reading competency is a good predictor for performance. Students need to master discipline-specific vocabulary and write in all domain areas (Tefft, Guerette, & Furumasu, 2010). Low attention spans make it harder to achieve the goal of learning reading and writing by the time children reach high school. Evidence now suggests that about half of high school students lack the reading competency needed for their level. Digital technology is, therefore, hurting school performance as it stands in the way of students trying to get solid skills required for an excellent performance.
Technology has some negative impact on the emotional development of children. Children learn primarily by observing others how they behave in certain situations and seek to imitate. They listen, learn the language, and watch how people navigate around emotional situations. By spending too much time in front of screens, children lack the opportunity to master critical skills useful for emotional development. As children get older, the inability to get enough time with older people hampers their ability to gain social skills. They may even develop a sense of detachment from their feelings. For young people, if they cannot spend time with their peers, the results are devastating (Russell et al., 2003). When children play, interact with their peers, explore their environment, and fulfill their need to satisfy curious phenomena in their surroundings, they sharpen their intelligence and listening skills. They also develop skills in solving problems as well as developing empathy and social skills. If children do not develop those skills during their formative years, they might end up as social misfits as older adults in society.
In conclusion, technology is useful to children but also harmful. With access to devices, children can learn on their own and engage in research and exploration of new topics. However, on the other and, spending too much time indoors in front of small screens is terrible for health and limits the chances for developing skills useful in real-life situations. Moreover, digital media exposes children to online harassment by bullies without the knowledge of their parents. Low attention span means that children cannot excel in school, leading to low educational achievement and violent games lower capacity for empathy and increases chances of engaging in aggression.
References
Mintz, J., Branch, C., March, C., & Lerman, S. (2012). Key factors mediating the use of a mobile technology tool designed to develop social and life skills in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Computers & Education, 58 (1), 53-62. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2011.07.013
Rosen, L., Lim, A., Felt, J., Carrier, L., Cheever, N., Lara-Ruiz, J., . . . Rokkum, J. (2014). Media and technology use predicts ill-being among children, preteens and teenagers independent of the negative health impacts of exercise and eating habits. Computers in Human Behavior, 35 , 364-375. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.036
Russell, M., Bebell, D., Odwyer, L., & Oconnor, K. (2003). Examining Teacher Technology Use. Journal of Teacher Education, 54 (4), 297-310. doi:10.1177/0022487103255985
Tefft, D., Guerette, P., & Furumasu, J. (2010). The Impact of Early Powered Mobility on Parental Stress, Negative Emotions, and Family Social Interactions. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics, 31 (1), 4-15. doi:10.3109/01942638.2010.529005
