How the iPad affects young children, and what we can do about it: Lisa Guernsey at TEDxMidAtlantic

Key Aspects Of Learning The Key Aspects of Learning, integral to the Primary National Strategy, are twelve essential ‘learning to learn’ skills. They include the Social and Emotional Aspects of Leaerning (SEAL): empathy, managing feelings, motivation, self-awareness and social skills. The other seven are: communication, creative thinking, enquiry, evaluation, information processing, problem-solving and reasoning. ThinQ Education promotes the Key Aspects of Learning as essential skills for learning, leadership and life: essential not just for school but in preparing children for the rest of their lives. Five days at outdoor education camp without screens improves preteen skills with nonverbal emotion cues 1. Introduction For several millennia, humans’ primary method for social learning and communication has been face to face. In the 21st century, as mobile technology and the Internet became available to most of the world’s population (Internet world stats, 2013), digital media have become an increasingly prevalent factor in the informal learning environment (Greenfield, 2009).

Screentime Is Making Kids Moody, Crazy and Lazy Source: pathdoc/fotolia Children or teens who are “revved up” and prone to rages or—alternatively—who are depressed and apathetic have become disturbingly commonplace. Chronically irritable children are often in a state of abnormally high arousal, and may seem “wired and tired.” That is, they’re agitated but exhausted. Because chronically high arousal levels impact memory and the ability to relate, these kids are also likely to struggle academically and socially. article continues after advertisement

Heavy screen time appears to impact children's brains: Study - CNA WASHINGTON: Researchers have found "different patterns" in brain scans among children who record heavy smart device and video game use, according to initial data from a major ongoing US study. The first wave of information from the US$300 million National Institute of Health (NIH) study is showing that those nine and 10-year-old kids spending more than seven hours a day using such devices show signs of premature thinning of the cortex, the brain's outermost layer that processes sensory information. "We don't know if it's being caused by the screen time. We don't know yet if it's a bad thing," said Gaya Dowling, an NIH doctor working on the project, explaining the preliminary findings in an interview with the CBS news program 60 Minutes.

Banning kids from using technology is counter-productive Taiwan recently made the unprecedented move of banning children two years and younger from using any form of digital technology. Older children and teenagers will also be severely restricted, with new laws stating children aged 18 years or less will only be permitted to use electronic devices for a “reasonable” length of time. What is “reasonable”, however, is yet to be defined. As with the use of any illegal substance or product, severe fines (in the vicinity of A$1,500) are in place for parents should their child break these new laws. This new ruling is a measure to limit children from potentially spending long hours in front of a screen. In neighbouring China, online addiction among young people has reached epidemic proportions. Overload of Screen Time ‘Causes Depression in Children’ British children who spend most time in front of televisions and computer screens have lower self-esteem and greater emotional problems, according to a study published today by Public Health England. The report found that excessive “screen time” – more than four hours a day – was linked to anxiety and depression and was responsible for limiting a child’s opportunity for social interaction and physical activity. “The greater the time spent in front of the screen, the greater the negative impact on both behavioural and emotional issues relating to the child’s development,” said Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at PHE. Professor Fenton said that too much screen time limited a child’s opportunities for physical activity and face-to-face social interaction with friends and family, which are key factors in reducing childhood anxiety.

Dangers of too much screen time, Singapore News Baby John Tan loves spending time with his friends Dave and Ava, but his parents are concerned about his choice of company. Although Dave and Ava help the 16-month-old learn English through nursery rhymes, they live behind an electronic tablet screen. John is allowed to watch them on YouTube at his grandparents' house when his parents are at work. But John's parents, Mr Tan Wei Yi, 32, and his wife Stacy, 33, keep him away from a screen at home. The dilemma they face is increasingly common in Singapore. I WANT MY iPAD! Are our kids getting addicted to technology? Are toddlers really becoming addicted to technology? There’s certainly a lot of media hype to suggest that they are. And there’s no question the footage of small children breaking down when their tablet is taken away is unsettling:

Too Much Screen Time May Be Damaging Children’s Eyesight There is new evidence that spending too much time using digital devices could hurt children's eyesight. A study published in the journal PLOS One finds school-aged children who spent seven hours or more a week using computers or mobile video games tripled their risk for myopia, or nearsightedness. Rates of myopia have increased worldwide in recent years. Speaking with: Joanne Orlando on children and technology Is technology bad for kids? As more devices and software applications are made specifically for an increasingly younger audience, there is concern about the appropriateness of children using technology – and debate over when it should be introduced into their lives. Yet at the same time, personal devices and touch screens are everywhere. Kids love them for the same reasons we do, and many argue that learning to use them will likely be important to their education and employment prospects later in life. Tamson Pietsch speaks with Joanne Orlando, an expert on educational technology at the University of Western Sydney, about the increased use of technology by children and the potential impact on child development.

The Harmful Effects of Too Much Screen Time for Kids Today’s children have grown up with a vast array of electronic devices at their fingertips. They can't imagine a world without smartphones, tablets, and the internet. The advances in technology mean today's parents are the first generation who have to figure out how to limit screen time for children. While digital devices can provide endless hours of entertainment and they can offer educational content, unlimited screen time can be harmful.1 The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents place a reasonable limit on entertainment media. Despite those recommendations, children between the ages of 8 and 18 average 7½ hours of entertainment media per day, according to a 2010 study by the Henry J.

Technology in early childhood education: Learning from screen media Introduction Subject Infants and toddlers attend to screen media and are responsive to its sensory and perceptual features (movement, pace, bright color, music, and sound effects).6 Imitating their parents and older children, they will pick up a tablet or smartphone and tap and swipe to navigate the screen. However, this does not mean that they understand or learn from the content.7 Although infants and toddlers are remarkably capable learners in direct social interaction,8 their language and story comprehension skills are limited and they are unlikely to follow the narrative content, story line, or content to be learned from a video or app.6 This contrasts with the potential of screen media to facilitate older children’s learning when the content is age appropriate, engaging, and educational.9 Problems When infants and toddlers view screen media, their understanding of what they see is limited.