Increasing Technology and Its Impact on Children Essay

Increasing Technology and Its Impact on Children - Essay Example exposure to computing environments may lead to "individuals incapable of dealing with the messiness of reality, the needs of community building, and the demands of personal commitments" (Behrman, 2000). Moreover, exposure to violent computer games are associated with increased aggressive behavior (Subrahmanyam et al, 2000). Excessive, unmonitored use of computers can place children at risk on their physical, social, and psychological development, and expose them to inappropriate violent, sexual, as well as commercial content (Behrman, 2000). Cellphones. Another gadget that would give probable negative effects of technology on children is the cell phone. An important report linked heavy use of mobile phones to ear and brain tumours and concluded that risks had been underestimated by most scientists (Coates, Hawkes & Blair, 2005). William Stewart, chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board of United Kingdom said that children are at greater risk of harm when using their mobile phones. Recommending that children under the age of eight not use mobile phones, Stewart's report on Mobile Phones and Health discussed four studies that are of public interest. One of these was a ten-year Sweden study that advised that heavy mobile users are more prone to non-malignant tumors in the ear and brain; whereas a Dutch study had suggested changes in cognitive function. A project supported by the EU had shown evidence of cell damage from fields typical of those of mobile phones, whereas the German study has hinted at an increase in cancer around base stations (Coates et al., 2005). On the other hand, William Thomas (2003) wrote that cell phones harm children even worse than adults. Thomas bared the new findings by the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute. He quoted... This report approves that the age of the child and his or her developmental stage must be taken into account when considering computer use. The same can be said with the ubiquitous cell phone and iPod. Accordingly, for very young children the answers to these questions are usually "no" as their use for most children under age three does not have meaning for the child. To reduce such risks, it is proposed that children's time of use on these technologies be limited and their exposure to different types of content should be supervised. Technology has its bad side. In children's interactions with parents and other adult authority figures, the traditional parent–child relationship is reversed, with the computer-savvy child becoming teacher to the parent, eroding authority structures, and resulting in children as less accepting of parental authority. Children learn to form "electronic friendships" with computers instead of friendships with their peers and this might hinder them in developing their interpersonal skills. The Alliance for Childhood thinks technology is not helpful but doing the opposite - worsening academic performance and increasing drop-out rates. As these studies have shown, when used appropriately, technology can support and extend learning in valuable ways and can increase educational opportunities for children and fulfill their communication needs. The key is just in finding the balance, knowing how to coordinate the components of a healthy childhood with the unequalled potentialities offered by technology.