| Computers Among Children: Blessing or Curse |
|
|
| By Prerna Masand | ||||||
| Saturday, 29 October 2005 | ||||||
|
“Wow! Computers are so wonderful”. “You know, my son is an expert in playing games”. Nowadays we hear these types of compliments about computers. Millions is spent in schools and homes to give computer access to children. Computer technology is transforming society in profound ways. The increasing pervasiveness of computers is a reality that no one can ignore. Countries are also making it a priority to provide computers at every school so children can meet high standards of learning and maintain a technologically literate citizenry and international workforce, because today’s child is a future father of the nation. Children all over the world are using computers and internet. Even in Finland the number of computer users is increasing rapidly. A study by Juha Suoranta & Hanna Lehtimäki 2004, shows that 8 to 10 year-old Finnish children have smoothly adopted different information and communication technology devices as part of their everyday life. According to preliminary information by IDC, sales of portable computers for homes have increased by 74% in Finland. Most of the parents indicate that computers and the Internet have a positive effect on their lives, and the result is that a number of parents provide computers for their children at home with Internet access. Computers have some good effects on children’s cognitive and academic performance. Cognitive skills are associated with thinking and problem solving. Children who play games on computers can improve their visual and verbal intelligence skills. Media researcher Sonja Kangas of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) has studied how children could be encouraged to do physical exercise through computer games. According to Alfred Bork, who is a pioneer in computer use ‘the home computer may well become the primary influence upon the educational system in the future’. Today most children are using computers in academic areas such as maths, science, language and writing. Children also use the Internet for communicating with friends by sending e-mails and visiting chat rooms. In this way they can contact their friends and distant family members. The vast information available on the Internet keeps children aware of what is happening around the world. They provide a lot of information without a trip to the library; they convey personal messages in place of letters or telephoning in less time and at no cost. Nowadays they have left behind the radio, TV, newspapers and magazines. Does the use of computers and the Internet only have positive effects on children? Well, the answer is NO. Children need physical activity, social interaction, and the love and guidance of caring adults so that they can live happily. They make contact but the source is through E-mails and chat-lines. They don’t communicate face to face and the result is that they lack social skills like cooperation, mutual understanding, and a helpful attitude, sharing and so on which is important for child development. It is also known that most children like to play games on computers and this has a negative impact on children’s friends and family relationships because time spent on a computer displaces other activities. A behaviors survey was conducted and its results show that children aged 3-15 with a home computer spend an average of 4-5 hours per day in front of a computer monitor and computer games remain the most frequent home activity for children of almost all ages. Playing games on computer may arise aggressiveness and violent attitude in children. Tarja Salokoski (M.A University of Jyväskylä) carried out a study and concluded that computer games may have an even more powerful influence on children’s violent attitudes and behavior. Children at home with a computer spend less time doing schoolwork, reading newspapers or magazines. According to The Evolution of The Information Society, an information society in Finland, the percentage of children using computers for school work is 50% while those using it for e-mails and surfing is 75%. This may result in an increased risk of obesity, seizures, hand injuries and weak eyesight. Children often use computers when they are in solitude and it robs them of time for other social activities. It also interferes with the maintenance of friendships. Playing games also increase children’s aggressive behavior in other situations. Multi-identity chat rooms and multi-party games are linked to increases in loneliness and depression. In chat rooms children can assume multiple identities and interact with strangers. They can not make a distinction between real life and simulation and these chat rooms have negative social and psychological effects. Children also use computers for web surfing and it can lead children towards anti-social behavior. So, what’s the conclusion? Computers: Blessing or Curse? There is no straightforward answer to this question. Overall access to computers by children is increasing day by day and computers change children. This change depends upon the type of computer activities in which children are engaged. So it is necessary for the parents and teachers to limit a child’s time spent on a computer, they should watch them from time to time. Teachers can also give some training on how computers can be best used by children.
|
||||||
| < Prev |
|---|
