The Positive and negative effects of technology on child development are well defined and uncovered. Almost everything in today’s world is connected to technology, including children.
From an early age, children are exposed to the fast-paced use of digital technology. As soon as they are able to speak, they become familiar with digital devices such as phones and tablets.
In today’s busy world, parents also want their kids to engage with a phone or other digital device so they can work uninterrupted, which is why today’s children are zealous users of digital devices.
Parents introduce children to devices for learning ABCs and poems, and parents want their children to have digital literacy in order to keep up with the modern digital world.
It is becoming more and more a part of children’s daily lives to have access to technology. Children are attracted to mobile phones, tablets, televisions, digital toys, and all forms of entertainment related to digital technology, and as time passes, they demand more of it.
A study from Common Sense Media reports that 42% of young children have a tablet, up from 7% in 2013 and less than 1% in 2011. The report shows a hike in percentage in just six years.
Our discussion of technology’s positive and negative effects on child development will be detailed in this article.
Positive Effects of Technology on Child Development:
As children grow up, they are becoming more and more dependent on the internet and digital technology for learning and recreation. Children gain knowledge of the modern world, grooming, and development through this program.
The positive effects of technology on child development can be seen in all the digital technologies that assist children in learning and developing different mental and cognitive skills.
This technology can be used by kids on their own or by parents to make the children learn and develop.
Take a look at each of these positive impacts of technology on child development:
Technology increased the intelligence level of children:
Technological marvels marked the 21st century as they brought about some direct and indirect dramatic changes and fulfilled their intended purposes.
Additionally, they indirectly benefit the new generation with their high level of intelligence.
Has it ever occurred to you that children today are more intelligent than they were in the past? How will they be able to understand the technical aspects of mobile phones before they are able to speak properly?
In my opinion, seeing a toddler play with a phone deep down reminds me that children ate mud at that age in our time.
It is due to the effects of technology on early childhood development that children develop high-level intelligence.
From infancy, children hear the voice of TVs, phones, and computers, and from the moment they open their eyes, they watch TV, cartoons, and mobile phones on the lap of their mothers.
Children’s intelligence has been enhanced by the continuous bombardment of digital content in the form of cartoons, movies, videos, etc.
The technology they use gets ingrained in them from an early age. The use of these complex and technical devices stimulates the brain and increases an individual’s intelligence level.
Technology promotes creativity in children:
Due to the constantly changing world, innovation and creativity are crucial skills to live a fulfilling life. Technology enables children to visualize their ideas more creatively through ideas and platforms provided by technology.
Through mobile apps, they have access to an unlimited amount of information through different ideas.
All that information is processed according to their mental abilities and own ideas. The technology provided children with tools to create virtual model pieces and apply their ideas.
In every home, technology is used to play games, watch videos, and listen to music.
Games as creativity generators:
Games provide a platform for innovation and creativity. Children’s imaginative skills are developed through the ideas and stories in games. Games and stories help children learn through characters.
Additionally, educational games enable children to learn math problems, poems, and story writing games to help parents initiate their children’s learning skills.
Researchers at Michigan State University found that children who play video games are more creative.
- Children can improve their learning skills through games. As a result, children become more creative and their brains are exercised.
- On devices, games are children’s top priority. At the same time, they develop their creativity and increase their brainpower by understanding things as they play.
Audio and Video as a source of wisdom:
Our lives are surrounded by digital screens of all shapes and sizes, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and televisions.
As a result of their curiosity about the outside world, children are more inclined to watch television and videos on mobile devices, laptops, etc. than adults.
Video and audio provide them with information about what is happening around them and what is going on in the world. Audio and video can be very useful to them for learning.
- In preschool, all poems and stories are usually taught through audio and video recordings.
- Cartoons provide children with a window into the world and allow them to learn different aspects of it.
- Using audio and video in schools promotes creativity and imagination in children, and teaching them through video tutorials is easier for them to comprehend.
Technology is promoting and enhancing education:
A big source of information and educational content is technology, or you can call it the biggest and largest library. Apparently, you know well I’m quoting the internet because of the above sentence.
It would be great if the other kid could see what the first kid is reading about in the book. Who will be able to comprehend everything thoroughly? The answer is the one who is able to see what he reads.
It is possible for children to learn and read anything they want on the internet. Besides learning the names of cities and countries, they can also learn the names of animals.
Additionally, they can read additional information besides books and watch academic-related videos on Youtube.
Several educational apps are being developed, including books and topics that can be accessed on mobile phones and tablets.
With the advent of e-learning through technology, education and learning became more interesting and easier. In a fun and easy way, children can learn different aspects of the topic they read in school.
Technology providing safety to children:
In emergency situations, technology can be a lifesaver for children and parents alike. Real-time communication with children is made possible by quick communication technology.
With a mobile phone, you can easily reach your kid if he/she is in trouble or is sick at school.
It is important for children to learn different emergency contact numbers that they can call in case of emergency. The police or ambulance can be called in different emergency situations.
A lost child is one of the scariest events for parents, but thanks to technology, this is no longer a problem.
Technology companies have developed smartwatches and wrist bends for kids that allow you to track their location by GPS and where they are going.
Having CCTV cameras installed at home allows you to monitor your kids while you are away from home without being physically present.
Technology empowers Youth:
In the future, young people will be the leaders. Some kids and even adults are always creative and intelligent, even in the most advanced societies.
By making technology a creative source of income for them, technology empowers their smart and creative ideas in the real world.
Listed below are examples of young kids who used technology to gain recognition and empowerment.
- Arfa Kareem is known as the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional. A Pakistani child who became a Microsoft Certified Professional at the age of nine.
- Justin Bieber became famous because of his singing on a YouTube channel. As a result, he has become a recognized, international singer
- When Ashley Qualls was 14, she bought a domain for $8 and built a website called whateverlife.com that later became a million-dollar business
- The teen Robert Nay had a knack for coding even at 14 years old. In a few weeks, he became a millionaire by developing a puzzle ball game.
As you can see, there are many examples of young people who are empowered and self-employed, working alongside their academic responsibilities.
Negative Effects of Technology on Child Development:
In the world, there is nothing that is without benefits. It is possible for something with numerous benefits to also have a problematic aspect. There are many benefits to technology for children, but it also has negative effects on their development. Parents can also struggle with different aspects of their children’s development as a result.
The following are some of the negative impacts of technology on child development:
Technology is making children addicted:
We were fortunate to grow up playing in backyards and outdoors. Since we did not have access to digital devices during our time, we were not afflicted by any sort of misery. However, today’s scenario is completely different.
There is still a long way to go before children have access to digital devices. At the age of fewer than ten years, many children already own digital devices.
Many parents are unaware of the negative effects of technology on early childhood development and don’t care what their children do with the latest technology.
Various problems regarding children are arising in society as a result of so much digitization. One of them is digital addiction, which is being discussed by deep thinkers.
It has become a wonderland for children to use their mobile phones and tablets. In addition to watching cartoons and playing games, there is no limit to what they can do.
When children play games, dopamine is released, which excites them and makes them addicted.
The kids don’t want to stop playing or want to play multiple times a day. In addition to creating mental health issues for children, this addiction to digital technology can result in physical health issues as well.
Technology is making children socially disconnected:
The majority of children who play games on their phones and computers are socially isolated. Since they don’t interact with others, excessive technology usage isolates them, which leads to a variety of problems.
It can be difficult for such children to engage in social activities or feel comfortable in a group of friends, which creates barriers to their development and grooming.
The following are some of the effects of technology on children’s development that are related to social disconnection:
- Their insecurity in the real world and lack of social skills prevent them from succeeding.
- As a result, they have little interaction with their friends, family, siblings, and even their parents.
- Their focus is not on other schools and study activities
- These children are not interested in activities and gatherings
- Because they are easily distracted, they do not learn things that are important and necessary
- School performance and exams are poor as a result of poor performance
Technology having unsuitable content for children:
As a result of easy access to inappropriate information, parents are concerned about digital technology’s unsuitable content for children.
It is like an open world when it comes to digital devices and the internet.
It is possible for children to be exposed to inappropriate content. Children who are exposed to unsuitable content may suffer mental health issues.
It is common for advertisements and other pop-ups on the Internet to contain certain content such as photos and scenes that are not suitable for your child, and viewing such content can cause him to feel confused, frightened, and insecure.
These are some examples of the type of content that can be found on the internet
- Violence
- Crime scenes or criminal acts caught on videos
- Scary videos
- Adult content
- Abusive language
- Photos of cartoons and games not for children
- Anger
In the case of internet scenes like these, children may have nightmares if they come across them alone. It is possible for such things to permanently damage a child’s mind.
Technology is causing health problems in children:
Overuse of technology adversely affects the mental and physical health of children, even though it provides great opportunities for them.
As a result of spending hours watching movies, cartoons, and playing games, teenagers suffer from the following physical and health problems:
- Children who use digital devices excessively have problems with sleep patterns and are unable to sleep well. It is the blue light that is emitted from screens that are causing this sleeplessness.
- As a result of hours of eye contact with digital screens and the lights that they emit, children suffer from weak eye vision.
- As a result of using digital technology too often, children and youngsters cannot maintain good posture.
- Using devices in the wrong position leads to headaches, arm pain, and shoulder pain
- As a result of no physical activity due to devices, weight gain and obesity occur
Important PDF Files:
Some visitors asked for pdf files, so I am uploading them here.
Positive and Negative Effects of Technology on Child Development PDF |
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FINAL THOUGHT:
It is clear from the facts and information mentioned above that technology has both positive and negative effects on child development. For children, technology offers a wide range of benefits.
A child cannot have many opportunities without technology, especially in various aspects of the developmental stages he/she is going through, so technology’s positive effects can never be ignored.
In addition, parents need to be aware of the risks and harms of developing technologies and monitor their children closely to prevent them from being adversely affected by them.
In my upcoming articles, I will discuss how technology is being used.
Read and learn with Rehmat Ullah.
