Response to Families and Technology

David Elkind, in his article "Societal Change and the Growing Divide between Knowing and Understanding," from the special 200th issue of Exchange states,

"...What technology has done, particularly for young people, is to widen the gap between what they know and what they can understand....

"Today, children fly radio-controlled planes, or sail radio-controlled boats, which they know how to operate but do not really understand how radio controls work....  And this is true not only for children’s toys, but for all facets of children’s worlds, from television to computers, to cell phones, microwaves, and much more.

"There are, I believe several possible negative consequences to this growing divide between what children know and what they understand.  One of these consequences is that it can discourage, if not kill, curiosity.  When it is really impossible to understand how something works, this discourages any sense of wonder at what is happening or any questioning of why it is happening....

"A second related concern is children’s willingness to accept things on faith and without questioning them.  Jean Piaget once wrote that the aim of education was to create children 'who think for themselves and do not accept the first idea that is presented to them.'

"Yet children today have to accept that much of their world, which is in large measure technological, is beyond their understanding. They know how to watch television, use a computer, and play on a computer or talk and text on a cell phone.  Yet they have little, if any, understanding of the technology that makes what they are doing possible.  This is bad enough for those of us who have not grown up with this technology, but it poses a threat of intellectual passivity in those who have."

Technology and Early Childhood Education

I was asked earlier in the semester by one of my Educational Technology students how learning about technology applied to toddlers and really young children. I provide a picture of me nephew--age 3--as case in point. Truitt has been exposed to the computer and the Internet essentially from birth. It is a part of is daily life.

As technology becomes easier to use, educational software online educational programs will proliferate. Therefore, it is the responsibility of early childhood educators and parents as well to critically examine the impact of technology on children and be prepared to use technology to benefit children. Research has shown that used appropriately, technology can enhance children's cognitive and social abilities. As educators, we must be prepared to integrate technology into our teaching practices, providing equitable access by all children. We must be aware of research-based practices that will support children's learning. For example, research has shown that when working on a computer, young children prefer working with one or two partners over working alone. They seek help from each other and seem to prefer seeking help from their peers over seeking help from the teacher. They engage in different forms and levels of communication and interaction when using the computer as opposed to traditional activities such as blocks and puzzles. They display greater cooperation and turn-taking at the computer. Beyond the primary grades, the computer extends the classroom environment beyond the four walls of the school. Children have the opportunity to collaborate with children in other classrooms, cities, states, and even countries. They may even have a chance to converse with a favorite author.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is currently revising its position statement on Technology and Young Children--Ages 3 through 8; however, here is the link to the current statement.