As parents of Zuri (aka 'Bear') who is around 27 months old we have actively taken the approach of a near zero use of technology with him. We simply want him exposed to traditional forms of learning via playing with traditional toys, exploring (trees, plants, animals, eating bugs, video recorders, cables, etc) and developing his creative side. There are no TV's, iPad's, computers etc., in his life until he will be well into his two's and beyond and even then very little, limiting to educational use only. Of course, this approach will not suit everyone and we have given this a great deal of thought. He will learn to use technology very quickly anyway....kids with no knowledge of computers, internet etc., have taught themselves even in the middle of a remote village in India with little or no assistance. See video below (or link: http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud). Is Zuri at a disadvantage with this approach?
99 Comments
Serena
5/30/2014 08:18:42 am
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Serena
5/30/2014 08:24:46 am
.......(continued) "The Future of Children.") I believe that Zuri is not at a disadvantage with your approach because it is crucial at his age to be exposed to the natural world. He should be developing his social skills and being exposed to nature and children. Your approach will allow him to express himself and stimulate parts of his brain that technology would not be able to provide. As seen in Professor Mitra’s studies, it takes such a short period of time for children with no knowledge of technology to be able to navigate through a computer. Young children between the ages of six and ten were able to fully operate a computer in less than 24 hours in all of his attempts. ("Sugata Mitra: Build a School in the Cloud." YouTube) There is no reason to expose children to technology at a young age because the child will be able to learn how to use technology so quickly. After a certain age, children should be exposed to technology for educational purposes only, as Professor Mitra has proven that “broadband” is one of the three crucial factors, along with “collaboration” and “encouragement” to guarantee sufficient learning.
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Kelani Mueller
6/2/2014 02:54:57 pm
You make a very good point in saying that "it is crucial at his age to be exposed to the natural world", and saying that kids who are exposed to technology at an early age can be effected by health and social skills. There was an interesting side conversation going on in homeroom between Alia and Kenny regarding the TedTalk video, and whether or not Sugata Mitra went to an extreme in looking into teaching kids about neuroscience, and being ahead of their age. Is a self organised environment necessary a good thing? How would you prevent students from using facebook, twitter, or any other social media sites? would you have to block those particular sites during school hours? How would it be possible expose students to technology for educational purposes only?
Ethan Holmer
6/3/2014 03:42:14 am
Dear Serena,
Omer
6/2/2014 05:04:54 pm
I agree with most of your argument but one point stands out. I noticed how you said violent computer games negatively influence kids to do bad things. I disagree with this because I have played a lot of video games when I was a kid. If I had done the things I did in real life I would be in jail waiting to be executed. But with all the violent games I have not shown violent behaviour. I have played a lot of violent and sexual games for many hours and I am not that messed up, I also have not shot anyone. I agree that large influence from a young age harms the child's creativity and how social they are.
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Kelani Mueller
6/1/2014 05:48:48 am
Personally, I am in agreement with the approach that is being taken with Zuri, using limited amount of technology, and exposing him with “traditional forms of learning”, playing with toys, and exploring instead of constantly being fixated with iPads, computers, and any other kind of electronic device. Kids tend to catch on quickly with practically anything that they do, as shown in the Tedtalk video with the kids that Sugata Mitra has experimented on. They managed to figure out how to use the computer by themselves and teach other people how to use it with very limited assistance. Zuri is not really at a disadvantage, as evident in the Tedtalk by Sugata Mitra (someone who used to teach people how to write computer programs in New Deli).
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Caroline Rou
6/1/2014 09:52:55 am
I am in absolute agreement with the approach you are taking with Zuri. The children of today’s generation are being exposed to new types of technology, which keeps growing and evolving. As technology evolves, kids start to become less independent, and more dependent on technology. This causes the child to be isolated from anything that we know as childhood. Growing up, most of us learned easy skills such as the alphabet or counting to 10 from various toys. Nowadays, there are apps and pieces of technology made specifically for learning this. These pieces of technology are what tend to alienate today’s children from learning the traditional way. But we live in a new, modernized world, where we are surrounded by technology no matter where to go. This makes it harder for children to not be influenced by technology on a daily matter. The negative side of children being exposed to technology at a young age, is that if they grow up with iPads and iPhones and laptops, they soon will be unable to comprehend the world without the use of technology. The use of technology is a controversial topic, and the usage and exposure of technology to children is even more controversial, but technology plays the double-edged sword. On one side, children being exposed to technology is the best way to learn, and on the other side, the argument is that children should not be exposed to technology at a young age. So which one is more effective?
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6/2/2014 07:04:17 am
Dear Caroline,
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Roberto Votta
6/2/2014 11:30:54 am
Although I think that the statement "If Zuri would be exposed to technology from now on, within the next few years he would start to drift away from reality, and spending time with his family, and only care about technology and all of his handheld devices" is a bit extreme, in the sense that children will surely be affected by the technological environment they will be in, I doubt it will be that great. However, some of the statistics that you have presented are really concerning, especially the one about 54% of children wanting to watch TV instead of actually hanging out with their father. Also, the fact that children spend only 3-5 minutes a WEEK to spend quality time with their parents is horrible because how is a kid supposed to talk about new things in their lives, grow as a communicator and actually build strong relationships with their parents should they not even talk to them. There is nobody in this world like your parents, as they are people who you can trust and fall back on, but we, as a growing generation, seem to throw that all away to watch TV.
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Micah
6/2/2014 02:34:20 pm
I actually really like this argument. I didn't think of it this way, personally, but instead went for the perks of having knowledge instantly at your fingertips at any given time as opposed to actually finding out things and gaining knowledge yourself (in the case of Zuri). This is well thought out, however I do not completely agree.
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Iman Mirza
6/1/2014 05:15:00 pm
It seems that everywhere you look, in today’s age and society, rants about this very topic, technology for children, are taking place. It also seems that everyone is against the fact that technology should be taking over children’s’ lives, especially toddlers like Zuri. But the question is, if so many people are against it, why are so many schools so dependent on technology, leaving the children unable to function without it?
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Iman Mirza
6/1/2014 05:15:59 pm
(continued). After worrying about all the disadvantages and drawbacks technology can, and does have, there is one more reason that is discussed on a more emotional level, than a factual one. And that reason is that when a child is constantly with, or using technology, they are not caught up with their own, real life. Life doesn’t have reset buttons, like most computer games do, and it is important that children learn that. I recently watched a video with a poem about this very topic, and I found it extremely interesting. It is about how technology is taking over our lives, and we’re nearing the point where we won’t be able to do anything about it. This video does have a sense of hypocrisy to it, as it is against technology, yet no one would have gotten this message, or been able to view the video without the use of technology. But, the video does make some good points, and have good ideas. The main idea behind this video is that it is trying to make the world understand how we are now slaves to the technology that we mastered. The video addresses the fact that being alone isn’t the problem, because when you “read a book, pain a picture, or do some exercise, you’re being productive and present, no reserved and recluse” as you would be if you were constantly using technology. The most relevant, and interesting point that this video makes is “It’s not very likely you’ll make world’s greatest dad, if you can’t entertain a child without using an iPad.” (Gary Turk: “Look up.” YouTube).
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Hye-eun Jeong
6/2/2014 01:09:58 pm
I think you have really good points that are supported by solid evidence. I agree with a lot of the points you said, but I disagree with some of them. Technology can definitely isolate people and harm human relationships, but with proper guidance, it can really help Zuri learn. I think the severance of relationships occur when students/toddlers are attached to devices the whole time. When they start spending every minute attached to technology, that is when it becomes a problem. However, when Zuri's parents provide careful guidance on how and when Zuri uses technology, it will help her explore and learn a lot more compared to traditional toys. I think you can interact just as much with people using technology, and technology can actually help build social relationships. By sharing the things you create with people, there can be active discussions and feedback. Of course, this won't be the case with Zuri because she is still very young, but she will still be able to interact with her family using technology. In my opinion, using technology appropriately at a young age will actually help Zuri to have a more creative approach to things later on in life.
Iman Mirza
6/2/2014 01:51:54 pm
Hye-eun, I completely agree with your opinion on how technology CAN act as a better learning tool than traditional learning, but it also acts as a huge distraction.
Iman Mirza
6/2/2014 01:52:39 pm
Hye-eun, I completely agree with your opinion on how technology CAN act as a better learning tool than traditional learning, but it also acts as a huge distraction.
Hye-eun Jeong
6/2/2014 02:24:31 pm
Sorry if I wasn't clear on my ideas. What I meant was that technology can offer many opportunities for exploration. For instance, if a student is interested in dinosaurs, he/she might use an app about dinosaurs. In the app, the student might be able to see all the different kinds of species, how they react with one another, their characteristics, etc. The great thing about this is that there will be a lot of visuals, sounds, and animations that engage the student. With these kinds of resources, the student will be able to explore more in depth compared to simply reading a book about dinosaurs. This will allow the student to think more outside the box, since technology helped him/her to experience the dinosaur era more realistically. I agree that many students depend on technology, which hinders their independent thinking abilities. However, I believe that this can be prevented by having a balance. It is ineffective to solely depend on technology for learning, and there should be a good balance of technology and other resources. With appropriate balance, a student will be able to think critically, while technology help the student explore his/her ideas freely.
Valentina Prisco
6/2/2014 02:49:45 am
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Alpay Birdinc
6/3/2014 01:59:10 pm
I agree with your point of view on the children using technology such as computers at young ages being shocking and how eye-opening this TED video really is. Yes the "grandmother theory" you meant to say, was a interesting idea, and there are teachers that use it. Encouragement is always key to learning as you mentioned. I am in agreement with the future going downhill as more children are getting "screen addiction". To sum it up, i agree with your response and you had an interesting response.
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Roberto Votta
6/2/2014 04:47:28 am
I whole-heartedly agree with the approach you are taking with Zuri. The traditional method of teaching kids through their personal experimentation and through their personal experimentation has always worked and it teaches kids things that are more important than simple math facts or how to speak a second language. Through the use of the traditional method, kids learn to play, interact, and communicate with one another, as well as learning how to interact with the world around them. Not using technology helps create a sense of empathy in kids. In the words of Louis C.K. when he appeared on Conan, an interview which was also presented on CNN “It’s this thing, it’s bad. They don’t look at other people when they talk, they can’t create empathy. They are mean because they’re trying it out. They look at a kid and say ‘You’re fat’ and they see the other kid’s face scrunch up and they say ‘Oh, that doesn’t feel well.” Although this is more of a comical approach, it is true. Kids learn what to do and what not to do through trial and error, and once more, it’s how they learn about empathy. Giving technology to kids at a young age would stop them from doing so because once they send an instant message to a person saying the same thing, they don’t see the reaction and they can as well as think it’s fine to do so.
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Hiroki
6/2/2014 06:53:52 am
I'm agreement about use of technology toward children is not a benefit to society. I watched Mr. Zuri lecture and I was sympathy about it. Because he told us about children that as technology evolves, kids start to become less independent, and more dependent on technology.We learned easy skills such as word, counting number and eating from book or our parents. So means we usually try to solve some question by myself if we get the unknown formula. However recent children are using technology if they get the unknown word. But there are apps and pieces of technology made specifically for learning this. For example they use portable tablet, cell phone laptops and movie. I think this is also good, but if they keep the method they go far off from traditional way(Using text book and ask teacher). And finally they would not use the textbook never. There is a good one side, but there is also a bad one side. So computer technology alienates any child from this, especially when they are exposed to it at child. It has a lot of advantages to it. However when it comes to raising young people and exposing it to technology, it could be very controversial.
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Yasemin Ãœskan
6/2/2014 10:24:49 am
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Valentina Prisco
6/2/2014 01:29:42 pm
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Yasemin Anani
6/2/2014 02:10:55 pm
I do completely agree with your opinion, Yasemin. I also do believe that education systems should not change into a system where all is required is a laptop and internet to learn. We have been discussing the disadvantages of technology, and the negative impacts it has on our brains and social lives and emotional impact aswell. Most of us soo far agree upon the approach taken with Zuri, and the no-technology life he has at the moment. We have been discussing why he should not be using technology at this age and start at an appropriate age.
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Kenny
6/2/2014 03:44:00 pm
Dear Yasemin,
Bilge
6/3/2014 08:23:03 am
Yasemin,
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Hye-eun Jeong
6/2/2014 11:11:42 am
I disagree with the approach that is being taken with Zuri. Limiting technology and sticking solely to traditional toys will not cause any harm to Zuri, although it will not do much good either. There is a common misconception that technology is something that isolates people from conversations and relationships. However, this is only the case when technology is misused. When one solely depends on technology for everything, this is when the real life connections get severed. Technology can be just as, if not more, engaging and interactive than traditional toys. In fact, one of the major strengths of technology is how people can engage deeply while learning. Toddlers like Zuri should be given the opportunity to explore anything they’re curious about. With traditional toys, there is a limitation to this. For instance, if Zuri is fascinated about melodies and different kinds of tunes, he can only do so much with traditional toys as to tap on some instruments and listen to music. In comparison, technology can offer so much more for him. He can download an interactive app that allows him to create music himself. Although Zuri doesn’t have any prior knowledge about composing music, he can hum into the device, and it can explore many options and possibilities of the tune that he hummed. This way, Zuri will be able to explore and experience music in much more depth compared to using traditional toys. This could expand Zuri’s creativity tremendously, and he can be capable of thinking outside the box as he grows since he was given opportunities as a toddler to explore as far as he wanted to. Zuri’s parents can also listen to what Zuri came up with and interact with him. According to Sarah Evans, “We're interacting [with the device] much like we interact when we’re reading a book. We’re touching things. We’re talking about them.” Thus, by having access to technology from infancy, Zuri will be able to think outside the box and explore any area that he is curious about while he also gets to interact with others.
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Iman Mirza
6/2/2014 01:46:52 pm
Dear Hye-eun,
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Iman Mirza
6/2/2014 01:47:50 pm
Dear Hye-eun,
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Iman Mirza
6/2/2014 01:48:08 pm
Comment deleted
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Hye-eun Jeong
6/2/2014 02:42:32 pm
I think children like Zuri should still have access to technology outside of school, but it should be regulated to educational use. Younger students are very susceptible to getting addicted to social media, because they don't have a clear idea of how it's affecting their lives. Thus, toddlers and children should be restricted to educational use (exploring, interacting, discussing) of technology so that they don't grow to be dependent and addicted to technology.
Melda Alaluf
6/2/2014 02:18:24 pm
Dear Hye-eun Jeong,
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Hye-eun Jeong
6/2/2014 02:35:00 pm
I agree with a lot of your points, and I also believe that toddlers are more susceptible to getting 'hooked' onto technology since technology is very new and eye-catching to them. I think this is when the guidance of parents become very important. It will definitely be harmful to the growth of toddlers when they have full access to technology. There should be an adult that regulates Zuri's use of technology, and the types of resources that he uses. Unguided use of technology will definitely hinder social relationships like you mentioned. It can isolate people from the rest of the world, by concentrating only on their devices. But I think if Zuri's parents select interactive and motivating resources for Zuri, and use technology with her, it will help her learn, even with socialisation.
Melda Alaluf
6/2/2014 02:18:29 pm
Dear Hye-eun Jeong,
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Melda Alaluf
6/2/2014 02:19:02 pm
Dear Hye-eun Jeong,
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Yeone Seo
6/2/2014 04:36:20 pm
Dear Hye eun,
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Leah
6/3/2014 01:45:57 pm
I see your point and I can understand that these electronic devices open up a diverse web of things to explore for both children and adults. It definitely provides an easy way for people to share, document and find things out for themselves. However, we live in an enormous world. There are plenty of things around us to discover, and that children should be deprived of this I think is quite sad. Should they not be taught to be more open to the little environment we still have left in this world, should they not make real, crafted music by themselves? Give a child a drumstick, a few pots and a pan and soon you will see talent oozing out of it by itself. They don’t need technology to find their ambitions. There have been a thousand people before us who have mastered the most difficult and beautiful things with their bare hands. Why should we teach children to take the easy way out?
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Melda Alaluf
6/2/2014 12:12:20 pm
Currently, we, as mankind, are living in an era, where technology has become an instrumental part of our everyday lives. It is as basic to our generation as talking or writing would have been in the past. Naturally, many schools and educational facilities have been implementing and interposed technology into their school curriculum, as a means by which to teach young children or toddlers how to use technology. Likewise, technology is also found in every aspect of our home lives, and therefore, children or toddlers are being exposed to it from a very young age. However, many people, including some of the greatest technologically centered businessmen, refuse to expose their children to technology. In my opinion, this is a very sensible approach. Since technology has now become such a fundamental part of our lives, children do not necessarily have to be exposed to it at a very young age. Nowadays, it has become so simple and easy to use, that just about anyone can understand how to use technology.
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Yasemin Anani
6/2/2014 01:53:55 pm
I am in great agreement with your approach of no technology interaction for Zuri. I believe that children should be limited from technology as much as possible, and they should follow traditional forms of learning and developing ideas through interaction with the real world, nature and toys. Most younger children today are exposed to several varieties of technology and interact with them on a daily basis. Most parents allow their children to use technology as much as hours a day. It has been conducted by PBS reports that %70 of parents allow their toddlers and young kids to use IPads and touch screens (Toddlers and Tablets Unite, Webroot). Touchscreens are great sources of distraction for children, and is commonly used by parents because it allows children to “relax” and gives less of a headache to parents. IPads are told to be higher childproof than laptops, there is no keyboard to spill food and get dirty, there are no mechanical parts to snap off, and it is basically a easy use touch screen toy, making it a great attraction for parents. Yes, children after a certain age should be exposed to technology for all the benefits technology offers. However it should still be an appropriate exposer, at the right age.
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Yasemin Anani
6/2/2014 02:02:40 pm
....(continued) technology dont use. As Professor Mitra has explained, he will be able to learn how to use technology and be able to learn using technology. There will be harm if he starts to use technology today, but there will be advantage if he does not start to use technology today.
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Yasemin Ãœskan
6/3/2014 04:13:56 am
Dear Yasemin,
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Micah Mackinnon
6/2/2014 02:23:35 pm
I can honestly say that this TED talk is probably what I've dreamt of for a long time. Although I've already seen this one, I am just now realizing the full extent of how right this man is. But back to the point of Zuri: I believe that as long as Zuri is exposed to an unlimited amount of information and the possibilities of his knowledge growing are ever increasing with the curiosity that he has he is fine. However, that is just not realistic. The Internet, technology, modern modes of education are just more realistic and easier to use than the former methods of use. There is no reason why the child should be taken from anything that includes the technological side of things. That is just unfair to him because he is taken away from this format, this clean slate on which creativity can be infinitely used (technology), and he is given a method of teaching, which doesn't absolutely have to be used. He is at a disadvantage simply because without technology it is near impossible to be in constant access of all of the things that are accessible through the internet or simply technology.
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Kelani Mueller
6/2/2014 03:12:39 pm
I think that you make some good points Micah, creativity can be infinitely used, and technology has sort of butchered up that ability to freely express creativity. But when being exposed to too much technology, that is when it sometimes gets out of hand, due to certain consequences that may lead up to; screen addiction, psychological problems, and anything else that may isolate him from "the outside world". "Computer games may be interactive, but typically only between the user and the screen, but they need to interact with other people, especially for building up social skills. (whattoexpect.com)
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Silvio
6/2/2014 03:17:24 pm
Dear Micah,
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Stanislaus Messner
6/3/2014 01:07:05 am
Hey Micah,
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Stanislaus Messner
6/2/2014 03:03:55 pm
I agree with you, Mr. Esmail that you have decided to restrict your child from technology, because overall, I think that technology has a negative impact on toddlers.
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Kenny
6/2/2014 03:37:19 pm
Dear Stani,
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Stanislaus Messner
6/3/2014 01:19:30 am
Thank you Kenny for your respond!
Kenny
6/2/2014 03:37:25 pm
Dear Stani,
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Silvio
6/2/2014 03:15:49 pm
I strongly agree recently technology is the easiest way to communicate and socialize. Although it has some positive and negative consequences that teens and children's are getting affected from this. There is no doubt that technology is an easy way to learn and check out something very fast from internet although this shouldn't be the only learning way. I am strongly supporting that young adults should learn by following the traditional learning methods to achieve their goals. Obviously we would then think about why do we use technological gadgets at school all the time to asisst us? That would be because in real world recently everything works by technological equipments thats why the reason for that is school is trying to give us the oppurtunity and make us ready for these situations. By starting to use technological devices all the time at home the percentage of young adults that participate extra physical education acitivities are decreasing.This leads me to the point that students who grow up using computers from a young age can have lower EQs, as was shown by an experiment by Purdue University. Their findings suggested that students who preferred computer-based tasks and who preferred to learn through the computer often associated with low EQ (Greenan, James P., Ph.D., and Carl Behnke, Ph.D.). This can hurt your child’s future in the long run, as employers now focus more on how socially skilled a potential employee is, not how intelligent they are, although that does play a part in their decision. This might not sound very important although it is because this picture shows us the real future and it doesnt really seems very clear because the students should be tested by both Passive and Active learning ways that are both important for them. As the professor emphasizes " SOLA" that gives the meaning of he is thinking that electronic environment wouldnt be the best option to direct young adultsBy now, it is a well known that there are a lot of health risks and drawbacks to technology use. But there are also other reasons about why society is so against technology at a young age, especially these days. There are four main reasons, which are family life, laziness, academics, and obesity. Firstly, let’s discuss family life. A group of young children, aged 4-6, were asked to choose between technology (T.V.), and their family (quality time with their fathers). They answer was extremely shocking, as more than half of these children (54%) chose the first option. Have we reached the point where technology is more important to someone than his or her own family? The same survey reported that the average parent has a meaningful conversation with their child only once a week, and that too, is only around 3 minutes. There is a simple reason about why more conversations are not happening, and that is because of the According to a New York Times article, the average child, ages 4-18, spends over 5 ½ hours a day using technology gadgets. These statistics could just be mere numbers; but they could also be a reflection of where society is headed gap technology has created. This brings me to my second point: laziness. That is causing what i just said that are health problems.
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Kenny Kobayashi
6/2/2014 03:30:02 pm
As technology progresses, the creativity of a child decreases. Children are having technology shoved down their throats and their level of independence is decreasing. Once upon a time, Students had the freedom to learn as they wished, without having to learn how to use the new ipad. They were simply able to live, and to let their curiosity push them. Once upon a time, they weren't required to prepare for their future jobs at the age of 5. This is the way that humanity is progressing. As technology progresses, we are only spurring the adult within them. These children are being deprived of their “childhood” by suffocating them with technology that they have no need for at that age.
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Caroline Rou
6/2/2014 03:48:51 pm
Dear Kenny,
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Sebastian Eigenmann
6/3/2014 05:43:43 am
I have to agree with you Caroline when you say that "it is of great importance that parent's take the right approach". I think it's good that we are starting to use Technology more and more, but only up to a certain extend, and this is a problem which the young kids don't know yet and over use it. If using technology Parents have to take the responsibility and have to give toddlers special privileges when it comes to using technology such as tablets or computers. If you don't do this early on they could get addicted and grow up with all these computers and it will be very hard to get them off later on.
Can Batuk
6/3/2014 02:14:43 am
Kenny, i feel as if the things that you talked about were valid and i agree with you a lot.
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Rahmon Chapoteau
6/3/2014 12:35:39 pm
"With the introduction with gross amount of technology and the amount of exposure they receive, there is an imbalance created between the child’s time outdoors, doing things spontaneously, simply enjoying compared to their time spent in front of a computer screen." I really agree with your quote, Kenny, for I too believe that children should be very frugal with their time and spend it doing something else rather than stare at a computer screen. The only part I have a doubt about is the future, where technology may-if not already has- precluded our overall opportunities for being able to do other activities. Many children decide to go on social media websites rather than go outside and play ball. "Children and teens between ages eight and 18 spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes daily playing video games, going online and watching TV, and most have no household rules governing how much time they’re allowed to spend doing these things." (Children and Technology-Should you be Concerned,care2.com).
Rahmon Chapoteau
6/3/2014 12:35:45 pm
"With the introduction with gross amount of technology and the amount of exposure they receive, there is an imbalance created between the child’s time outdoors, doing things spontaneously, simply enjoying compared to their time spent in front of a computer screen." I really agree with your quote, Kenny, for I too believe that children should be very frugal with their time and spend it doing something else rather than stare at a computer screen. The only part I have a doubt about is the future, where technology may-if not already has- precluded our overall opportunities for being able to do other activities. Many children decide to go on social media websites rather than go outside and play ball. "Children and teens between ages eight and 18 spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes daily playing video games, going online and watching TV, and most have no household rules governing how much time they’re allowed to spend doing these things." (Children and Technology-Should you be Concerned,care2.com).
Timur Turksoy
6/3/2014 12:55:06 pm
Kenny,
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Yeone Seo
6/2/2014 04:17:14 pm
I completely agree with his statement, I think as world and technology change, education system has to be change. Today’s education started in the British Empire before 300 years ago. They found lots of colonies so they needed many people to take care of it. There wasn’t such thing like computer, so workers have to know how to read, write and calculate. Education was essential to make workers to have same ability of the knowledge. Workers could work in another country right away because there weren’t any creative work for them. They succeed, it was effective to take care of the Empire. This education system is continuing today, more than 300 years old. I think now, it’s time to change the education system.
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Sebastian Eigenmann
6/2/2014 04:52:08 pm
Sugata Mitra is mentioning that the learning techniques, which we use are not good anymore, they are outdated. This is so what true, but people are used to this. Many Generations were raised like this and are used to it. Paper and Ink was used, advanced to pencil little changes can be made, but changing to Technology from Paper is a very big change in society. There are many advantages of changing to tablets or computers to teach someone something/ But of course every good idea has those few disadvantages in this case it would be that according to scientificamerican.com, "Evidence from laboratory experiments, polls and consumer reports indicates that modern screens and e-readers fail to adequately recreate certain tactile experiences of reading on paper." Computers have the advantage to get to easy, good, and fast information online. Apple products are made form almost everybody, their software is very easy to understand and use. This means that if you give someone in a very poor village a computer, which Sugata Mitra did they can teach themselves and get to information very easily. The project that Sugata Mitra did was a very good idea, I think and it shows how even young children can teach themselves how to use a computer. This can of course in the future give more opportunities for education for many more people, when computers might get cheaper.
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Omer
6/2/2014 04:58:21 pm
There are many different ways to approach how Zuri will be affected by this choice. I personally believe that it is a good choice. Children these days are given an Ipad so they are distracted and will not annoy others especially their parents. Today I believe people of all ages are becoming less social because of this technology. People are looking down at their screens for hours. I believe the same can happen to Zuri. If he gets too used to technology he could just want to spend all of his time on computers when he grows up. Not only would he be really weird but he would also be much less creative. In his early years of life he is becoming familiar with the world around him and the people. He would not able to absorb all of natures experiences if he is constantly surrounded with technology. The world is the playground for children but, if they spend their time on technology the whole time they would not experience the world to the fullest. their creative thinking skills would be affected and they would not be able to think more critically.
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Omer
6/3/2014 01:54:58 am
(continued) Tim Taylor from the university of San Francisco says that having your child spend too much time on technology can disrupt their imagination and make them less prepared. Taylor specifically states, "Too much screen time and not enough other activities, such as reading, playing games, and good old unstructured and imaginative play, will result in your children having their brains wired in ways that may make them less, not more, prepared to thrive in this crazy new world of technology. (Taylor, Jim. 'Power of Prime)"
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Omer
6/3/2014 01:55:47 am
Citation
Alia Ragab
6/2/2014 05:33:54 pm
I do completely agree with the approach you are taking with Zuri. Developing his curiosity, emotions and interest in the natural world is very important at his young age, and he will grow to appreciate this when he is older. Since schools that are being technologically developed tend to overload students with the use of technology, I would also heavily consider limiting technology way past the age of two, since that is a time where the brain is being crucially developed. Exposing the children to that much technology at all time will end up brainwashing them into believing that the world revolves around these devices, limiting the children from fully experiencing their childhood.
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Olivia Lal Alatan
6/2/2014 07:59:00 pm
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Olivia Lal Alatan
6/2/2014 08:00:10 pm
...retinal damage and could lead to a serious eye condition known as age-related macular degeneration. (Essilorusa.com, Children and Technology: The Good, The Bad, and The ugly) Since technology has addictive qualities children become isolated in that digital universe, it shuts them off from other opportunities.
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Yasemin Ãœskan
6/3/2014 04:07:05 am
Dear Lal,
Ethan Holmer
6/3/2014 09:37:36 am
Dear Lal,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:37:50 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:37:59 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:38:19 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:38:50 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:39:39 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:39:54 pm
Dear Olivia Lal Alatan,
Jules Joris
6/3/2014 01:27:39 am
In the video, Sugata Mitra Shows facts that proof that child can learn by themselves with computers about topics they have never seen before. It is a fact but with a real teacher they surely could learn faster. Because Sugata says that they learn in a few months and when he came back to propose them a test, they got 30%.
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Olivia Lal Alatan
6/3/2014 02:07:34 am
Dear Jules,
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Adam Fadul
6/3/2014 01:24:34 pm
Dear Jules,
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Ethan Holmer
6/3/2014 01:30:10 am
I absolutely agree with your approach with Zuri, I think that it is crucial for him to be exposed the classic way of learning especially at such a young age. It is necessary for kids to learn in the traditional form at a young age, and technology should not be a part of their early years. Kids need the stimulation, and experiences of the real world to be able to be independent individuals if they choose so. I can personally say that kids nowadays (even at ages as low as 4) are way more dependent on technology, due to its accessibility and easy to use. I even have a recent encounter with a small child who was unfortunately, dependent on technology. It was a small girl who rode on my bus, she seemed very lively and pleasant, and she was always on her Ipad. Everyday she would get on the bus sit-down wherever, and then played on her Ipad. Then one day everything changed she was screaming and slapping her mother and refused to get into the bus, she continued to scream, slap, and cry until her mother suppressed her. I personally thought her mother punched her, but it turns out she stayed up her bedtime using technology and therefore her Ipad was taken away for a day. This just showed me how dependent kids nowadays are on technology, and this is why I think it is crucial for kids not to be exposed to technology until a certain age. Also, in the TED talk it shows just how fast kids can pick up technology. In Sugata’s Ted talk it is shown that even in an area where kids have very, very limited access to technology, they still can pick it up and even demonstrated in the TED talk be taught to someone else. One thing that Sugata did after the hole in the wall was to try and teach them about very complex science and not even in their own language. Even with all these obstacles the kids, who didn’t even speak English could get something right. And they got even better scores with encouragement. This just shows how easy it is to pick up on technology at a young age, even when it’s in a different language and about a complicated concept. If its that easy with so many obstacles to overcome, imagine how easy it is for one to learn technology with help, and in their own language. There are other reasons why I strongly agree with your approach with Zuri.
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Alia Ragab
6/3/2014 02:30:27 am
I do agree with you about how the use of technology should be restricted. There are many examples in our day to day lives about how children have grown up being addicted to technology and not knowing what to do without it. However sad this may be, according to the daily mail, 48 per cent of children between 2-5 in the UK knew their own home address and only a third were able to write their first and last names. However, two thirds of those children knew how to turn a computer on and 73 per cent said they could use a computer mouse. I agree with you on the point about how it was wrong for the girl to be defendant on technology to that extent, but I would definitely consider this as technology misuse, as she is completely abusing the device she has. Regarding your points about Mitra’s TED Talk, do you think that this rapid development was related to the fact that those children were poorer, thereby they had more reason to appreciate the device compared to, for example, middle class students who are privileged, and given the ability to have more technology? Would you say that giving children less technology or devices would make them more grateful for what they have, going back to the example of the young girl you mentioned above.
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Ethan Holmer
6/3/2014 02:45:47 am
Alia, thanks you for your kind reply. I do not think the kids in the video were effective because of their backgrounds. I think it is because of traditional learning, and them experiencing the real world. As you said about Jim Taylor, natural ways of learning help the minds develop, and I think because of this they were successful.I do not think giving kids less technology would work to be honest. I feel that they are too dependent on technology nowadays, to have any sense of gratitude for what they have. I only feel that once children have technology they just want more, no matter if they have a lot of it already, or if they have almost none.
Hye-eun Jeong
6/3/2014 12:31:26 pm
I think you've made some really good points in your post, and it's very unfortunate that the girl has grown to be extremely dependent on her iPad. I think that is what happens when technology was simply given to her, rather than an adult working with her using technology. I think your blogpost emphasises the importance of guidance while using technology, especially for young kids. I do disagree when you say, 'It is crucial for young kids to develop their creativity, passion, and other human traits, which cannot be done with technology'. I think technology can be even more effective for developing creativity, because using interactive resources to explore an area will help students think outside the box. Also, students/young kids can engage in real life relationships using technology, by sharing things that they learned using technology. Nevertheless, I do agree with you on how quickly young people can get addicted to technology without the right supervision and guidance.
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Can Batuk
6/3/2014 01:33:08 am
As I was raised in a different approach I would have to say that it seems a little odd that the child will not be raised without electronics in the society that we live in today. everywhere that i look i see little kids with IPhones walking around the streets having their focus on whatever is on the screen, it is sad to see something like this being a person who when was a baby rarely watched television but played with toys.
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Hakki Cem Kurt
6/3/2014 02:14:57 am
I think can is totally right because technology plays a huge role in our lives and it will be bigger in the future.
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Mayra Eren
6/3/2014 02:15:35 am
Dear Can,
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serra ozarslan
6/3/2014 01:58:34 am
Dear Mr. Esmail,
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Mayra Eren
6/3/2014 02:09:22 am
During his speech Sugata Mitra makes a great point on how people handle technology. When you look at the young generation of our world a majority of people own smart phones, computers, and televisions, and are capable of using them all. Not being able to use technological devises has become to be seen as some sort of personal defect. Even young children now communicate via instant massaging or by using applications such as Twitter and Facebook. Parents who do not have accounts to be able to access social media with now find themselves not being able to follow what is going on in the lives of their children.
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Hakki Cem Kurt
6/3/2014 02:12:58 am
I agree with certain points of the argument. I think that technology plays a huge role in the education system and it is important that kids can use the technology well. The world somewhat depends on technology and its important for the kids to know how to use the technology. Technology definitely can affect learning in young children, and as with most things there are advantages and disadvantages of its use. Ultimately, the decision rests with the parent or caregiver, how often and under what circumstances their children should use video games, computers, and other types of technology tools. One point is consistently made by researchers and child development experts: young children's play with technology should be rich in conversation with peers and adults to help them make sense of the technology and the experiences. Adults who are playing and talking with children can help them make connections between the technology-based experience and other learning experiences.
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Andrew
6/3/2014 02:08:33 pm
Hakki Cem Kurt,
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Melissa Yukseloglu
6/3/2014 02:13:30 am
Are parents today nurturing a generation of passive zombies, weaned onto blinking smiley faces and touch screens? Or are they giving the juniors a jump on the competition by ditching finger painting and block toys in favor of the latest technology?
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Melissa Yukseloglu
6/3/2014 02:27:40 am
(Continued) - Works Cited:
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serra ozarslan
6/3/2014 02:14:19 am
In this speech Prof. Sugata Mitra showed us that real learning consist of three elements which are “broadband” “collaboration” and “encouragement” That means nowadays you have to concentrate more on teaching ethics and skills than on teaching academically stuff schools should also change. They have to encourage the children for new explorations and to find the answers for their question.
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serra ozarslan
6/3/2014 02:17:03 am
Mitra, Sugata. "We Need Schools... Not Factories." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 June 2014.
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Bilge Celebi
6/3/2014 07:56:27 am
First of all, I think that children should spend more time investigating the nature and human life rather than spending their time on the Internet exploring the unreliable world full of bad impacts. Since these kids are very young they blur the lines between the real and the fake so it is the responsibility of their elders/parents to control their children. On the other hand, most parents give their children Ipad’s and such tools to distract, which then the parent can relax and does not have to think about her/his child. Often times parents stick Ipads and tablets in front of their children’s face in waiting rooms, doctors, appointments etc. A reliable example would be my family; my aunt often times gives her or allows her son to play and browse on the Ipad to keep him distracted. Of course, my cousin would not hesitate but directly get started on the Ipad, which this is basically the parent’ fault to do such thing because she allows her child to have access to basically anything on the Internet. An Ipad is for sure not a babysitter or a substitute for attention. As I said before, many parents hardly have time to do their daily chores and spend time quality time with their children and when this happens tablets seem the best alternative to keep the children distracted. Many parents let out a sigh of relief when handing an Ipad to their children believing that their children are spending their time in a productive and educational manner.
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Rahmon Chapoteau
6/3/2014 12:01:35 pm
Dear Mr. Esmail,
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Adam Fadul
6/3/2014 01:13:02 pm
Overall I completely agree with your approach to keeping your song away from technology well until he is two years old. In my opinion there is a large amount of harm that can come from small children being exposed to technology at too early of an age, and there is evidence behind this. According to The American Academy of Pediatrics infants ages 0-2 should not have any exposure to technology at all, and children ages 3-5 should be limited to 1 hour of technology per day (Cris Rowan, Huffington Post). This seems extremely similar to the approach that you have been taking with Zuri, and it makes sense across the board with nearly all evidence pointing to it being beneficial for infants to receive little to no technological exposure. Additionally the Canadian Academy of Pediatrics also recommends the exact same as the American one, leaving two reputable sources claiming that it is harmful to the development of infants to have heavy exposure at a young age. The children of the past did fine without constant exposure to technology, so I feel that it is unnecessary to keep children exposed in today’s world. Much of today’s world revolves around technology and we are only growing more dependent upon it. While you raise the idea that your son Zuri may be at a disadvantage against other children if he is not exposed to technology from an early age, it is clear that this is not the case. Evidence of this not being the case is within the TED talk given by Sugata Mitra (Sugatra Mitra, Build A School in The Cloud). If children in an isolated Indian village can teach themselves how to use technology without any help, then surely your song Zuri is at no disadvantage.
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Leah
6/3/2014 01:31:56 pm
I personally agree that children should reside with “traditional” forms of learning and stay away from advanced technology such as iPods, computers and other electronic devices we have all come to love and depend on so much. In my opinion children should have the option to be free of the machines that have come to control much of our lives. They should live out their days in the nature, with their loving parents and extraordinary individuals they surround themselves with. Then, when they have come of age, spent their times being bored discovering their ambitions and desires, they should be exposed to the world of technology. Then they have their ambitions, the things they have grown to love in life, and can then see for themselves the alternative to technology, and if they then decide that their electronic devices are a better alternative than their newfound ambitions they can then substitute all of that for whatever electronic they desire. However, should a child not have the opportunity to learn how to interact with surrounding environments and other people they would become dependent on said device and when the time comes to put it down, be confused with how different life comes to be without the reassuring touch of a screen in hand. I somewhat agree with professor Mitra, who believes that children need thee crucial factors to education, these being collaboration, broadband and encouragement from others around them. With these three points Professor Mitra creates the self- organized learning environment (SOLE), which enables students to learn without the help of a teacher. They would gain their knowledge from using their own and their peers’ minds, working collaboratively with the use of technological devices, and reach their own conclusions without the pressing threat and pressure a teacher would lie upon them. This I believe to be rather impractical, it might work reasonably well using younger, less experienced and exposed students since they would be ignorant to the alternative way of learning and the other things to enjoy in life. Based on the evidence Professor Mitra provided in the video it is clear to me that his organized learning works in theory, however, should this kind of learning be enforced on other children they would most likely either slack off, knowing they have no one supervising them, or find ways of using the electronic devices for less academic reasons such as gaming and socializing over social media. Also, giving children too much freedom at such a young age will fool them in to believing they are entirely entitled to work as they wish when, in the real world, that is not the case. Also, if I might add, exposing such young kids, such as Zuri, to this kind of technology at a very young age could impact their social skills and health alike. Also according to Chris Rowan technology restricts the child from moving, which can result in delayed development. One in three children now enter school developmentally delayed which then as a result of this impacts their literacy and academic achievement. It also has an emotional impact on said child since technology use is considered a casual factor in rising rates of child depression, attachment disorder, anxiety, bipolar disorder and psychosis.
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Alpay Birdinc
6/3/2014 01:48:58 pm
I would have to say that I am 100% agreeing with Zuri growing up to at least the age of 2 without technology. I believe that he needs to develop his creative side playing with toys, exploring (trees, plants, running around, eating bugs). Every child after our generation has grown up to IPad’s, television or IPhones. While they are good to grab the attention of the kids, distract them for a while or even stop their crying,, they are stopping the brain from learning new skills and gaining intelligence. The previous generations learned so much at young ages, for example their first fall, they hurt themselves and learned not to do it again, and their brain learned a new skill. Having technology at a young age is not only stopping brain development but also taking away important lessons that should be learned at those ages. They need to experience in order for brain development. This kind of parenting can result in children always carrying their phones around, not being able to put it down, or antisocial behavior with kids struggling to be social. Furthermore, obesity and lack of studying can be the outcome of technology from young ages. Kids will get use to only watching TV or begin on their phone; they will not play sports either. Obesity can result in, health problems, and so just from technology, all these problems can come up. Based on a survey from NYDailyNews, Common Sense Media reports that 38% of babies under the age of 2 are using tablets or smartphones. This is the sad truth, and many, including myself don’t agree with this. Knowing just from experience, whether it is my cousin’s boy or just looking around at the pre school children waving around IPhone 5’s around on the school bus, this is wrong! These children don’t need brand new expensive tablets or IPhones. They need proper parenting, and nice memories as a family not 24/7 on a tablet or across the TV. These can be rewards for doing well once in a while but not everyday and certainly not at those ages. Kids growing up with technology, have some sort of constant need for holding or doing something with their hands. God knows what they would do if it was taken away and they went camping or something. In Conclusion, kids and technology should mix, and certainly not at the young ages of necessary brain development.
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Maria Khusseyn
6/3/2014 01:56:23 pm
I agree with the fact that toddlers should not be using technology. Technology can really affect a small child it is much better for them to be using traditional learning forms and toys. Although, the child will notice other children using the technology because every parent would not agree with that and they might think that it is totally normal and fine to give a child technology in their early ages. So while the child will notice others playing with technology, they will get really curious and they can just stand there and watch how it works and after they can start asking their parents to get the same “thing” for them. So that cannot always work out. I think that after a couple of years without technology, the child should eventually start using it for education and etc. I agree with Sugata Mitra, how people who can afford to get technology for their children, think that their children have a talent in using technology. That is completely not true at all; it is not even hard to learn how to use any kind of technology, especially for children. Children learn anything really fast when they are toddlers.
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Andrew Akdemir
6/3/2014 02:01:40 pm
Dear Mr. Esmail,
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Jiyoung Shin
6/3/2014 03:15:51 pm
Technology never stands still. If we want to play a part in modern society, we have to become familiar with the systems that operate the world, like computers programs and the internet. At what age we should start to become acquainted with technology is a matter for debate. Some people say that youngsters should be encouraged to use technology as soon as they are physically and mentally able, or as soon as they show interest in doing so. Others vehemently disagree and believe that children should be kept away from technological devices for as long as possible in the hope that they will occupy their time in other ways, such as playing outside with their friends. we can hardly deny that technology has enhanced our world immensely. However, it’s mostly in the hands of older people who operate business technology, not young children of primary ages. They have more time and possibilities to do something without technology in that age group, as this is likely to be beneficial for their present as well as their future. In that case, I'm not prefer to young agers not use technology as adults. If they got addicted by Internet, it might be serious problem to them.
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Irmak Sagmanli
6/3/2014 04:28:54 pm
I do agree with this approach that is being taken with Zuri because young children should not be introduced with technology at the early stages of their lives. Young children should be exposed to the traditional forms of learning, such as playing with traditional toys, exploring the world, and developing their creative sides. There should be zero technology around Zuri because he is just starting to grow up and becoming a toddler. If he grows up with technology, he will not notice what is happening in the world. He should not get used to it at such a young age, because he will be using it a lot in the future as he is growing up. This is also because the world is based off using technology. Schools have been changing their systems to associate with using lots of technology. The world is now a more modernized world. We are all surrounded with lots of technology every place we go to. This is why it will be hard for Zuri to not be introduced to technology.
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