Effective Teaching: Do Not Allow Devices to Take the Place of Human Interaction

I write as a mother of two daughters, a six-year-old and a four-year-old.  I also write in the capacity of a high school teacher with over ten years of teaching experience. 

It is critical for teachers in the 21st century to incorporate technology in their daily lessons. Students need to learn to master technological devices and use them effectively for research and learning so their computer skills can be enhanced for the world of work. As I write this blog, I reflect on the effective use of blogging for networking, sharing ideas and building knowledge. A few other educational tools and services that are available through the internet are message boards, forums, school portals, e-learning, cyber libraries, virtual field trips and web quests (Henson, 2015). What is not okay however, is for us to just hand children devices and automatically assume that positive or effective learning will take place. 

Devices should not be used to replace human interaction. As a parent, I believe that the interpersonal skills of the child must be developed through social interaction. Apps that assist with phonics, spelling and other language arts skills for example, are good. However, language is not static. Therefore, we cannot rely on preset recordings. Human interaction allows for the acquisition of pragmatics, a crucial aspect of language development. Interaction also provides an opportunity for the child to give feedback and ask follow-up questions. The use of technology for learning must therefore be guided by the facilitator, be it a teacher, parent or mentor.

                                                           

Social interaction is to be encouraged and not isolation, which is typically associated with screen time.

Another drawback to introducing technological devices to children at an early age and making them dependent on it, is its “crippling effect”. The 2010 Kaiser Foundation study found that children between 8 and 18 years old spent an average of 7.5 hours in front of devices in spite of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation for screen time to be reduced. Additionally, it is recommended that children under 2 years not be exposed to computer use. Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist, reported that too much screen time leads to developmental and neurological delays, some of which can be permanent (Konerman, 2014, para. 3).

Reference

Henson, K. (2015) Curriculum planning integrating multiculturalism, constructivism, and education                reform. (Kindle version). 

Konerman, Tanya (2014) Negative Effects of Computers on Children                                                                 http://www.livestrong.com/article/85306-negative-effects-computers-children/