Areas of Concerns about Childrens ICT Use - Literature review Example

? Should young children use ICT in ECE Areas of concerns about children’s ICT use There are important areas of concerns linked to children’s information and communication technology (ICT) use during their early childhood education (ECE). In this section, some of them are discussed, which involve concerns about harmful physical effects; the negative impacts on children’s learning, cognitive, social and emotional development; concerns about children’s exposure to harmful or unsuitable content; and concerns about ICT displacing other important learning and play activities. 1.1 Concerns about harmful physical effects Recently, the media like the internet, television and other related platforms are optimised for the modern spreading of information and advanced and effective communication process integrated with high technology. Old and young people alike including children are strongly exposed to them. However, the media may not be the major contributing factors for health problems in the US, but they have considerably become integral components of pediatric and adolescent health related problems at some point. This claim is supported by the study concerning the health effects of the media on children and adolescents (Strasburger et al., 2012, p.533). This claim is substantially supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics as it recognizes that exposure to mass media like video, computer games, and the internet, presents health risks for children and there are potential negative effects than the positive ones (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2010). Karnik and Kanekar (2012, p.4) stated that among the possible major reasons of childhood obesity epidemic are the “lack of playtime, little or no physical education at schools, videogames and excessive TV viewing time and computer usages.” Based on some of these reasons, it is therefore clear that the exposure to various media may eventually present harmful physical effects to children. 1.2 The negative impacts on children’s learning, cognitive, social and emotional development A review article tries to investigate two major substantial points of the use of the media on young viewers’ learning ability. At the other side, there is corresponding fear about the use of the media as ones responsible for the negative attitudes and behaviours in some young viewers (Hogan, 2012, p.635). Media may contribute a significant prosocial effect to the young viewers, as far as cooperative attitudes and behavior can be learned. Study reveals that there is a strong negative correlation between the cognitive development, academic performance of children between 5 and 10 years of age and the hours of television watched (Munasib and Bhattacharya, 2010, p.873). Their cognitive scores speak of the conventional belief that exposure to television promotes harmful effects on children’s cognitive development. “Research strongly indicates that face-to-face relationships with people and the rest of the natural world are critical for young children” (Alliance for Childhood, 2004, p.2). Face to face discussions and socializing may help children to learn the topics well. Learning takes place not only inside the classroom, but also in the external world. Classrooms will not provide enough opportunities for the children to interact each other. On the other hand, the world outside of the classroom helps the children to interact freely. Free interactions with the peers and external world are necessary for proper learning. However, the excessive exposure to videogames or TV viewing and computer usage substantially reduces the opportunity for the normal socialization process (Karnek and Kanekar, 2012). 1.3 Concerns about children’s exposure to harmful or unsuitable content The use of the media and the potential bad impacts may be revealed through the level of worry adults have on them concerning on the harmful influence of their messages and images on children and teens (Hogan, 2012, p.635). For this reason, adults continuously seek the ultimate ways on how to recognize or encourage positive and healthy employment of the media (Hogan, 2012, p.635). This is to ensure that young children may not be substantially exposed to harmful or unsuitable content of today’s modern innovative technology for communication. We clearly know that the internet has become the haven of unsuitable contents like pornographic materials and other related contents that at any time may expose a child early to sexual related matters. “Of the children and young people in the UK who have access to the internet, 18 per cent have reported experiencing content which they found inappropriate or harmful” (Byron, 2008, p.10). This only proves that children’s exposure to harmful or unsuitable content cannot be contested at some point. However, it is clear that the pervasive influence of the media has significantly brought the existence of the above percentage to life. 1.4 Concerns about ICT displacing other important learning and play activities The study of Karnik and Kanekar (2012) does not only present us the fact that exposure to excessive computer usage, TV viewing and videogames may result to some health-related problems among children. It also simply tells us the fact that children may deliberately allocate much more time for computer usage or engaged in the media for play or fun rather than things pertaining to learning at school. In fact, as already stated earlier, too much exposure to television reduces the chance for higher cognitive learning among children (Strasburger et al., 2012). In this case, there is a great chance to displace other important learning and relevant play as far as a child may have substantial exposure to relevant ICT. 2. The potential advantages of using ICT in ECE From the previous section, we discussed areas of concerns about children’s ICT use. In this particular section, we will highlight the potential advantages of using ICT in ECE. Some remarkable areas of concerns include ICT and children’s play, ICT and language development, ICT and mathematical thinking and problem solving skills, ICT and social and emotional development, ICT and its support for children from diverse cultural or language backgrounds, ICT and children’s controlling and planning skills, ICT and children’s special learning needs and finally, the ways in which ICT can be part of ECE. 2.1 ICT and children’s play Based on a study by Aghlara and Tamjid (2011), there is a positive indication that to integrate the technology as part of play with the actual learning process may prove to be a potentially good instructional teaching approach. This study is concerned about finding the effect of digital games on Iranian children’s vocabulary retention in foreign language acquisition. The major highlight of this study is the significant inclusion of play in the actual learning process. This could point us to the point that even though as clearly stated earlier that ICT does not support physical play, it supports mental play immensely on the other hand. Computer games help children to compete with others (Bolstad, 2004, p.6). This means that the sense of competition can be cultivated in the minds of children with the help of computer games. 2.2 Using ICT to support language development As already stated, a research study on Iranian children’s vocabulary retention in foreign language acquisition reveals that those who were exposed in digital game for English vocabulary learning scored higher than those who were taught through traditional methods, implying that the employment of digital games in teaching English vocabulary to children might be an effective instructional teaching method (Aghlara and Tamjid, 2011, p.552). Intuitively, we can say that computer helps the children to know more about different languages along with their own mother tongue. The essential reason is revealed from the study of Aghlara and Tamjid. Learning with ICT can be innovative and fun, adding relevant thrill and conviction to children while they are substantially enjoying the process. 2.3 Using ICT to support mathematical, thinking and problem solving skills Based on a study concerning “Early childhood teachers’ thoughts and practices about the use of computers in early childhood education” it was determined that teachers use the computer with the intention to support children’s cognitive development in early childhood education (Yurt and Kalburan, 2011, p.1562). A study conducted among Tennessee students was able to evaluate the effectiveness of a technology-based mathematics after-school program using Assessment and Learning Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) on the student’s actual knowledge and behaviors (Craig et al., 2013, p.495). This research study reveals that those students assigned to ALEKS program performed at the same level compared to those students under the expertise of expert teachers on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). On the other hand, the employment of the audio visual educational aids was found to increase the level of creative thinking of children 4-14 age group included in the study, as this potentially relates to the child’s individualization process, personalization and developing identity (Yazar and Arifoglu, 2012, p.301). 2.4 Using ICT to support social and emotional development There are ICT interactive tools that could ignite social influence and altruism as the most important social motivations (Hernandez et al., 2011, p.2224). This is evidently presented in a study where a kindergarten teacher employed ICT with three Dutch kindergartens (Mooij, 2007, p.1499). In this study, the ultimate point is to showcase learning as an interactional con-constructive process. The teachers interaction using ICT during early education simply presents us the point of designing an education that eventually support social and emotional development, as integral components of learning. “Children and practitioners are using ICT together to scaffold children’s learning” (Bolstad, R. 2004, p.6). 2.5 Using ICT to support children from diverse cultural or language backgrounds A certain study presents a “conceptual framework for uniting schools, families and community using ICT” to know how schools communicate with ICT access and education for community and family members (Hohfeld et al., 2010). The result shows that ICT has a significant role or function played for increasing the involvement of parents and members of diverse communities. Elementary schools were found to have significant contribution for bridging the digital divide. Intuitively and based on the concept of the above study, one could picture out the internet for instance as a global medium. Today, it is easy for the children in any part of the world to acquire knowledge from other parts of the world through the internet. In normal classrooms, language classes usually handle only the local literature. It is difficult for children to get exposure to international literature in such classes. On the other hand, while using ICTs, children get awareness about foreign languages and cultures. This is supported by the above study, finding that the essential point of using ICT is involvement and bridging the gap within the digital world. 2.6 Using ICT to develop controlling and planning skills “Research has tested the effectiveness of several digital media products for young children's learning and has found, for example, improvements in children's knowledge and skills for thinking, planning, observing, problem-solving, reading, language, mathematics, hypothesis formation and testing, creativity, and collaborative learning” (Lieberman, 2009, p.271). Thus, based on the above point, one can deduce the fact that computers and internet have the ability to cultivate good planning and control skills among the children. In fact, computer languages are well structured, accepting only structured instructions. Thus, specific instructions or commands are there for performing computer tasks. We can simply put it this way based on the above idea that while performing computer tasks, children unknowingly develop a structured approach, leading us to point that computers have the ability to cultivate planning skills among children. 2.7 Using ICT to support children with special learning needs ICT can help children with special learning needs immensely. Imagine the case of a blind child. ICT can help children in reading and writing. With ICT, a learning system can read the topics loudly or can help the children in writing using advanced software. Today, there are various user interfaces that could help aid the blind children and allow them to make use of modern technology (Raisamo et al., 2007, p.196). With this kind of opportunity, these children when they grow will be able to adapt to new technologies intended to cater to their physical disabilities. For instance, let us take the case of a new innovative technology that features possibilities for physically-challenged individuals. Money Talks is an innovative, accessible bank account management software package developed by the American Printing House for the Blind. It provides flexible bank account management, printing and braille embossing of the check register, and writing checks in a variety of sizes and styles. This program is feature-rich for computer users who are blind or who have low vision and works well both for computer novices and computer wizards (American Printing House for the Blind, 2013). 2.8 Ways in which ICT can be part of ECE So far the work at hand provides essential information and relevant studies concerning the advantages and disadvantages of ICT during the early education of a child. Even though there may be potential harm linked to ICT during early child education, there are also remarkable advantages as already stated that could help provide children a better education and self-improvement they deserve. For this reason, there should be remarkable ways in order to integrate ICT with ECE. The following are elemental ways in which ICT can be part of ECE. According to Holmes (2013) innovative and creative ICT pedagogy such as the children making mini-movies and avatars which were uploaded onto the nursery website are helping children in developing sustained shared thinking (SST). This only means that ICT should be effectively integrated with the entire education system. However, it is also important at this point to consider the skills of teachers at ECE and even their perception of the program to guarantee success as illustrated from the study of Mooij (2007) and Yurt and Kalburan (2011). With this, there can be an assurance that ICT can effectively be part of ECE for the children’s future advantage. References AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) Council on Communications and Media. 2011. Policy Statement-Media Use by Children Younger Than 2 Years. Pediatrics, 128(5), 1-7. Online: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-1753 [Accessed 21 July 2013]. Aghlara, L., and Tamjid, N. H. (2011). The effect of digital games on Iranian children’s vocabulary retention in foreign language acquisition. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 29, p552-560. Alliance for Childhood. 2004. Tech Tonic: Toward a New Literacy of Technology. College Park, MD: Alliance for Childhood. [Online] Available at: http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/sites/allianceforchildhood.org/files/file/pdf/projects/computers/pdf_files/tech_tonic.pdf[Accessed 21 July 2013] Bolstad, R. 2004. The Role and Potential of ICT in Early Childhood Education. A review of New Zealand and International Literature. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Education Research. Byron, T. 2008. Do We Have Safer Children in Digital World. The Report of the Byron Review. Sherwood Park: Department for Children, Schools and Families Publications. Craig, S. D., Hu, X., Graesser, A. C., Bargagliotti, A. E., Sterbinsky, A., Cheney, K. R., and Okwumabua, T. (2013). 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Children, Adolescents, and the Media: Health Effects. Pediatric Clinics of North America, Vol. 59 Issue 3, p533-587. Yazar, T., and Arifoglu, G. (2012). A Research of Audio Visual Educational Aids on the Creativity Levels of 4-14 Year Old Children as a Process in Primary Education. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 51, p301-306. Yurt, O., and Kalburan, N. C. (2011). Early childhood teachers’ thoughts and practices about the use of computers in early childhood education. Procedia Computer Science. Vol. 3, p.1562-1570. Read More