Invitations
Parents are invited to the school for an informal parental meeting on Friday, 1 May, 2017, to learn about the school’s action plan regarding the positive and negative affects of technology on young children, and the recent research which calls for parental guidance. Parents will also be provided with a list of useful resources which have more information. They can look at these at home, and can also pass them on to concerned parents.
Implementation
This will consist of 1: a talk on: What are the Positive and Negative Effects of Technology on Young Children?; 2: a question and answer session between the teachers who have prepared the talk, and parents: and 3: a research handout on the positives and downsides of social media and what can be done to control the negative effects will be given to parents at the end of the session, so they can explore this urgent topic in greater detail, and have access to professional online advice.
Agenda
A Talk On: What are the Positive and Negative Effects of Technology on Young Children?
As we are rapidly approaching 2020, artificial intelligence and technology is drastically changing everyone’s lives, and young children are no exception. When compared to just 20 years ago, children are now using far more technology, both at school and at home. This has had far reaching effects on the way they behave within society, their creativity, their learning and homework, and how they interact with family and friends.
There are now various technological tools for young children, and this is only likely to increase. Children are affected by technology in both positive and negative ways. At school, technology has transformed the way that children learn, and the internet offers limitless potential for gaining knowledge. Even standard school textbooks are now being replaced with e-books or online content.
To that end, it is not wrong to provide younger children with computers, laptops, ipads, and other technological tools, however, parents do have to supervise young children to ensure that there are limits to what sites and platforms they visit, what they use them for, and how long they spend with these devices. Sadly, many young children have become addicted to video games, or fallen victim to internet assailants who are grown-ups pretending to be children.
Spending too much time playing children’s video games and interacting on social media, results in the children not having sufficient time to physically interact with their friends and family, and substantial research has clearly shown that this has resulted in younger children suffering from depression and loneliness. Studies indicate that the most popular high tech items used by young
children comprise: chatlines, social networks, the internet, tablets, computers, television, smartphones and video games. So during our talk, we will be taking a look at the negative consequences, and see what can be done to reduce them by implementing a good parental strategy.
Research Handout
“Using technology can change a child’s brain. An article inPsychology Today says that the use of technology can alter the actual wiring of the brain. More than a third of children under the age of two use mobile media” (Edudemic, 2015). Provide the website to an article by Edudemic, which connects education and technology, entitled: “The Four Negative Sides of Technology,” at: http://www.edudemic.com/the-4-negative-side-effects-of-technology/
Internet safety suggestions for parents and children: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/social-media-monitoring-kids
- The Four Negative Sides of Technology,” at: http://www.edudemic.com/the-4-negative-side-effects-of-technology/
- “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8,” at http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PS_technology_WEB2.pdf
- “Technology and Young Children — Ages 3 through 8,” at http://oldweb.naeyc.org/about/positions/PSTECH98.asp
- “3 Tips for Monitoring Kids’ Social Media,” at: http://www.parenting.com/gallery/social-media-monitoring-kids
