What are the real affects of technology on children? The media hype suggests that technology and the internet are childhood killers, but could they actually be making your child smarter? The answer is a conditional yes; a moderate amount of screen time is beneficial to your child’s cognitive development. This article explores the affects of technology on children age preschool to 5th grade.

With the use of technology constantly on the rise, more children have access to the internet and internet-capable devices. With this increased access come new concerns, which have raised a number of questions. Will children begin to spend more time inside and miss out on traditional active play? Will their social and cognitive development be affected by increased screen time? How much screen time is good for children? All of these and many more questions plague the public and parents of young children.

What Are the Worries?

As an aunt of three young girls, I was baffled when one day while I was working on my computer I received a video call from my youngest niece. She was four years old at the time. I keep in contact with my relatives via Skype and Oovoo and all three of my nieces have been present while on calls. But what startled me most was that she made the call by herself. She had to know how to log onto the computer, open the webcam, find my contact name, realize that I was online and call me, all at the age of four. I was immediately concerned that she had this much knowledge of the workings of a computer. When I visited her and her sisters, they would be playing video games or using their mom’s tablet. I worried that she would not grow up with outdoor adventures and reading the way I did. I then began to do some research and found that many other people were worried about children’s access to technology. Thankfully, there were ample studies and articles that eased my mind.

The concerns of modern day parents are not unique; indeed, similar concerns arise every time a new form of media is introduced into society. The introduction of radio programming and later television caused adults and scholars to question whether use by children would expose them at too young an age to violent and sexual content (Wartella). Today, these same apprehensions arise from children’s use of technology. However, most of the attention comes from media articles. A survey given to parents intended to find how they really feel about it. In general, most parents did not feel that their child’s use of technology was damaging to physical and mental health nor to the child’s relationship with the family. Ninety-one percent of parents responded that they believed use of technology and the internet would play an important role in their child’s education.

Health concerns are relevant in a time of increasing childhood obesity, with nearly eighteen percent of children age six to eleven now classified as obese. That is about one in every five children. However, studies have not pointed to technology as the cause for the alarming rise of overweight children. The cause is a decrease in physical activity and an increase in consumption of high-fat foods. Therefore, use of technology does not warrant concern for a child’s physical health. According to Plowman et al, statements about the harmful effects of technology are not supported by evidence and are merely a response to fears about cultural change. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Plowman et al, children do not rank using technology in their top favorite activities, but rather “traditional play” during which they are active. Children need time to exercise and play in order to grow properly both physically and mentally. In today’s day and age, technology is becoming part of play.

…Statements about the harmful effects of technology are not supported by evidence and are merely a response to fears about cultural change.

In a study conducted in West Virginia, surveys were sent out to families of children attending a local preschool to see how much time the children spent on computers outside the classroom. The study aimed to find correlations between use of computers and children’s scores on two different cognitive tests, including one measuring school readiness. Interestingly, children who had access to a computer at home performed better on both tests. This would suggest that the introduction of technology to young children in fact improves cognitive development. There are bodies of research that claim the introduction of technology to young children is not beneficial to their cognitive development, but this difference in results is attributed to different methods of obtaining and collecting data. Research highlights that early learning directly impacts a child’s ability to learn and do well in school. Higher scores on school readiness tests indicate that young children are positively affected by technology.

Technology is frequently used in elementary school classrooms to do classwork and projects. Apple estimates that about ten million iPads are in use in schools today. Not only do children gain skills navigating a computer or tablet, they also learn something! There are thousands of apps and websites designed for children to learn as they play. Researchers developed a lesson plan using the internet and computer software to teach third and fourth graders mathematical concepts. The technology replaced the physical models used in traditional lessons, which allowed the students more freedom to manipulate and explore. When imputing answers into the website and software, students receive immediate feedback, helping to prevent misconceptions. The students’ response to the lesson plan showed improved problem solving, reasoning and connection of concepts. The article also raised the idea that technology can aid English Language Learners in their fundamental education because apps and websites are translatable.

The Developing Brain

Its true, technology is changing the way our brains work. I stayed off my phone for an entire college lecture period (seventy-five minutes) and it was almost torture. It felt like there was an itch that I had to force myself to ignore. Emerging research explains this as an addiction to dopamine, the happy hormone. “New information creates a rush of dopamine to the brain… the promise of new information compels your brain to seek out that dopamine rush.” (Taylor). Your brain gets a dopamine rush from checking your phone for emails, alerts or texts. Children, whose brains are still developing, are greatly affected by the ways in which technology is changing our brains.

As in the way reading as a child trains the mind to focus and imagine, exposure to technology at a young age is affecting the brain. It is making children’s brains more efficient at scanning information quickly and efficiently. “Technology conditions the brain to pay attention to information very differently than reading.” (Taylor). By reading a book, memory is stimulated because creativity is being used, leading to greater retention of information. When browsing or reading on the internet, there are many distractions such as hyperlinks and advertisements, as you will find in this article. Because of technology, children are instead remembering how to find information. This is not a bad thing! Not having to remember detailed information leaves more brain room for “higher order” processes such as computation, critical thinking and problem solving. Because the internet is constantly expanding, this adaptive way of thinking may be beneficial to them.

“New information creates a rush of dopamine to the brain… the promise of new information compels your brain to seek out that dopamine rush.”

Though this new way of thinking may provide some benefits, extended screen time begins to have a negative impact. The recommended duration of screen time for young children is less than two hours per day. Screen time pertains to many electronic devices, everything form tablets to television. Limiting time spent with them leaves a lot of time for other activities. A whole twenty-two hours can be devoted to reading, playing and other essential childhood activities. It is up to parents to monitor their children’s access to technology and the internet. Parents need to be responsible when allowing their child screen time and should not use technology as a “babysitter.”

The Importance of Moderation

The area of greatest importance to children’s use of technology is appropriate placement. Use in a classroom setting, for independent learning or for doing homework are most appropriate for improving cognitive development. For children not yet in school, a very limited amount of time is suggested. Technology should not be a part of family meals and social gatherings, as it can negatively impact social development. Although some parents use their phones or tablets to placate children in restaurants or on long car rides, there needs to be a limit. Preferably, a parent should be present and engaged while the child is interacting with the technology in order to supervise. Because parents have a limited amount of time, usually busy with work or making dinner, etc., the time spent on the computer or device together is sure to be limited. Screen time should be limited for all individuals, especially parents of young children. As mentioned in the Howcast video, children learn by imitation and if they constantly see their parents on their phones, iPads, computers, or other device, they associate that with appropriate behavior and imitate. This should not be encouraged as it also has a negative impact on social development.

One mother in the video above expressed concern with the effectiveness of sensors. Sensors can be put in place on an internet capable device to limit the information children can assess via internet. This is a valid concern because the internet is full of inappropriate content for children. However, sensors are effective. Internet browsers allow parental controls to be set and access to very specific websites or general topics can be blocked entirely. Many school computers employ these sensors to efficiently block social media sites and anything displaying sexual or disturbing content. There is also the option to turn a home internet router off, which my parents did every night while I was in high school. The easiest solution for parents of young children is to simply take the device away. Overall, there is little need for sensors if the parent is present during the child’s use of the technology.

Looking Toward the Future

Technology is the tidal wave of the future and there seems to be no end in sight. It is exciting and a bit nerve racking pondering the ways in which the future will be shaped by technology. It is becoming increasingly important to be up to date on technology. In today’s world, computer literacy is essential to be competitive in the job market and children will have to learn sooner or later how to manipulate it. It is better for them to learn in a controlled environment while they are young and can reap the benefits. Improved cognitive development is just one of the benefits of technology. As technology progresses and more studies are done, society will learn so much more about how it affects people of all ages. Perhaps researchers will find ways to improve other skills learned during childhood via technology.

As for now, we know that having access to technology at a young age is beneficial in small doses. There is evidence that exposure increases cognitive performance and makes the brain perform better at higher order processes. It is essential that children be limited to less than two hours per day in order to spend time doing other things. It is also necessary to avoid parental use as a distraction or a “babysitter.” However, children should not be sheltered from technology entirely! Take the time to teach your child appropriate use of technology and guide them when using the internet.