How different is a digital childhood ?

Hi there ! Today I have learned that children’s development, including how children learn, think and interact with other people can be different because of digital. So technology is truely taking part of the child development and has an impact of his cognition and social skills.
So do you think this changement is bad or good ?
For me, technology and digital is different way of learning and it can provide to learn new abilities. But in an other way, baybe it has a bad impact on social relation with others. Myabe I will change of opinion after reading more of the subject !

Since you asked, I think I agree with you, Clemence. Technology exists so we need to use it and adapt its use to get the most benefit from it whilst understanding and being aware of its detrimental effects. I'll be interested to hear what you learn.

I've learned basis of my lesson and I want to share it with you some interesting informations.

First of all, I've learned that childhood technology is not only computer, tablet devices and mobile phones but also DVDs, websites, games, and interactive stories. So these are the physical hardware but you have to know that there are others ways of technology such as the different funcionalities of the physical hardware : communicating (texting, instant messaging), sharing (blogs), searching (Google), reporting (camera use) and socialising (social networking sites) that we forget when we talk about technology !

Here is the link of my course if you want to learn more :
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/education/childhood-the-digital-age/content-section-overview?active-tab=content-tab

We can ask us a question, How young is too young to be a digital child? with that question, some data… One in three children owned their own tablet !!! (increasing with age : 20 per cent of 8–11-year-olds and 65 per cent of 12–15-year-olds).

As adults an parents we are scared because we see that children, even at Young age, know how the computer or mobile phone works. But even if it is scary I Don't think it is bad because we live in a digital world. Parents en children lives evolves and change a lot with technology. They are good way in technology, for example technology replace traditional ways of Learning, they are a lot of Learning contents for childrens in their tablets etc... Of course there are challenges and risks. One of the challenge is to educate children to use technology in a good way. It is difficult for young children to make the difference between fact and fiction, they are in an vulnerable age so we must inform them and take the time to explain them and educate them in the way they can use the digital. For example we (parents, teacher) must avoid the no thinking content on children tablets for example, the passive content. he should have guideslines on how to deal with technology fot very youg children !

Clémence Giraud wrote:I've learned basis of my lesson and I want to share it with you some interesting informations.

First of all, I've learned that childhood technology is not only computer, tablet devices and mobile phones but also DVDs, websites, games, and interactive stories. So these are the physical hardware but you have to know that there are others ways of technology such as the different funcionalities of the physical hardware :  communicating (texting, instant messaging), sharing (blogs), searching (Google), reporting (camera use) and socialising (social networking sites) that we forget when we talk about technology !

Some of us teachers remember and create the possibility to use these technologies in class, don't we?

Today I learned about Why do children find digital technology so absorbing? and what skills they have with the use of technology?

Children are often very engaged by digital technology, but why ?
First, technology is fun. Then technology is child-centred, it designed to be as entertaining and captivating as possible.
Also children see their parents, siblings etc... using it, and a major part of childhood is ‘modelling’ the behaviour of those around them, particularly parents that is, children learn from observing and imitating others around them.

Children’s use of technology allows to have skills :
- relatedness : children connecting with others and feeling close to other people using online networking
- autonomy : children being in control of their lives and making rational choices about how they use technology and for what purpose.

Today I've learn new terms. We talk about "digital native" about people born after the 80's who are very used to technology because they are born with and "digital immigrant" when we talk about people born before the 80's who are learning to live with new technologies.
Studies demonstrate that young children’s brains now are developing differently to the way adults’ brains have developed, as children are growing up surrounded by new technologies.. ! So we have to think that today our children are not thinking in the same way, so should we accept that and change our teaching model or try to educate our children with our way of thinking ?
For my part I think we should adapt us to the future generation because they will change whatever we do.. but remember them what was the world before new technologies and that we could lived without before.

I studied this as part of my Masters (many years ago). It's interesting to see that nothing much has changed.

Admin wrote:I studied this as part of my Masters (many years ago). It's interesting to see that nothing much has changed.

What were your studies John ? Studies in order to become a teacher or Something different ?

Clémence Giraud wrote:

Admin wrote:I studied this as part of my Masters (many years ago). It's interesting to see that nothing much has changed.

What were your studies John ? Studies in order to become a teacher or Something different ?

My masters was in Education. It focussed on the use of new technologies particularly for distance learning and teaching to all ages, this was combined with linguistics modules from a very well known English university. It was a long time ago.

Hi there, last week I talked with Joachim about my english subject. I asked him if he had children, if we would let them with digital things (tablets, phones..) etc at a young age. He said that maybe he would but then he said that the GAFA's children are not allowed to play with tablets, so in this way we can ask why ? Well, they relized that it was such a danger, cause it's stop the creativity development !! What do you think ?

I think young kids should be exposed to and use digital devices, in fact I think it is very advantageous to them, but like anything an extreme use is not good. Balance, Education and understanding. Digital, analogue and human.

Hello Clémence !

I will react about what Joachim said to you.

Indeed, a speaker in class told us that people working on new technologies in the Silicon Valley are usually banning screens to their children. Maybe because their are working in this field so their are aware about all the issues that the use of screens can cause to young people.

I not agree to say that that tablets stop the creativity. Ok, it is important to force a child to do manual activities to develop his motor function. But I think we can develop a lot of skills on tablets using educative applications. As John said you just have to make the balance between education and distraction and use screens conscientiously.

Hello Clem !

Do you know that there are this type of connected objects for children ???





Personally it shocks me, I really wonder what parents think when they buy that. Some are really unaware of the risks to the development of the child's abilities. What do you think about screens under the age of three ?