As the parent of a toddler I'm ever aware of limiting screen time and the effects it can have especially in children under the age of two. And while gradually increasing screen time exposure is appropriate, should we still remain aware of this with our elementary students and even beyond?
Teaching with technology, without doubt, has benefits. Letting our students get their hands on technology also opens up many doors in their educational world. It allows them access to resources, engages different learning styles, and gives teachers many different avenues to assess. As educators, we are looking for the most effective way to bring technology into our classrooms, and it becomes easier and easier for our netbooks to be integrated into every subject area. But as computers become a staple on students' desks, and they are open and on for increased amounts every day, what negative side affects, if any, should we consider?
A quick Google search on "Screen time" resulted in this article by the Mayo Clinic: Children and TV: Limiting your Child's Screen Time. The article addresses all screen time exposure including computers, video games, and smart phones. The article sites that too much screen time has been linked to: obesity, irregular sleep, behavior problems, impaired academic performance, violence, and less time for play. Some of these we can easily refute. Technology in the classroom is not replacing an alternative activity; our students would most likely be sitting at their desks doing work with or without computers so that eliminates the obesity and less time for play argument. Our educational technology never promotes violence, so there goes that one.
The one I found most interesting was "Behavior Problems" which stated, "Elementary students who spend more than two hours a day watching TV or using a computer are more likely to have emotional, social and attention problems." Hmmm...
Even if screen time is content appropriate, engaging for our kids, and great teaching practice, do we still need to remain aware of screen time overload?
How much screen time a day would you estimate your students get in school?
