I think it is important to understand the degree in which children are able to benefit or suffer from the use of technology. Rather, I think it is important to understand technology as a good and a bad in the development of a child.
First, we will take a look an 18 month old girl using an iPad as well as any adult I have ever seen! Immediately after opening the device she opens an app allowing her to work with percussion sounds, which is great for a child's development in more ways than one. Then she moves with ease through media storage, and eventually finds the result she has been looking for. You can see excitement and happiness in the child as she finds "Tinkerbell" on the iPad, so can they really be all that bad?
First, we will take a look an 18 month old girl using an iPad as well as any adult I have ever seen! Immediately after opening the device she opens an app allowing her to work with percussion sounds, which is great for a child's development in more ways than one. Then she moves with ease through media storage, and eventually finds the result she has been looking for. You can see excitement and happiness in the child as she finds "Tinkerbell" on the iPad, so can they really be all that bad?
If you heard the phrase "We are going iPad free" from a family twenty years ago, chances are they were from another world! But today, iPads and interactive technology devices are as common in households as bread and butter. Children as young as months old are spending time with these devices and parents, educators, and scholars everywhere want to know if they are hurting or helping the development of children. The argument has so many sides and things to be considered. Are iPads and children incompatible all together? Is there a way to moderate their time on these devices? What are they missing out on by playing with these devices? I find the last question to be the most important. This new article highlights a research study that was done to show how the socialization of toddlers using iPads suffers in comparison to open, free play with toys and other children. While this can lead to more confrontation and emotional upsets, these things are healthy and necessary for a child to develop properly. Take a look here.
If you are a parent or member of a family that is as reliant on technology as the family featured in this clip, have you ever considered going "iPad free"? Please feel free to share your experiences or even your reservations about going "iPad free?"