How Young is Too Young?

How Young is Too Young? Introducing Young Children to Information Technology Author: Angela Gerber Editor: Dr. Han Liu Introduction Few things are more prevalent than technology in today's society. Technology instruction is now being introduced to children at a young age. This has caused much concern for many parents and early childhood educators. They wonder whether or not technology instruction is appropriate to very young children. They tend to ask the following questions: How young is too young to expose children to technology? How should young children be introduced to technology? What is considered developmentally appropriate technology for young children? Differing Viewpoints Many researchers have differing viewpoints on when to introduce young children to media and technology. Some even feel that children should be exposed to technology from infancy. Researcher Gaye Hinchliff discovered that 72 percent of parents with children ages 0-6 believe computers help their children learn (Hinchliff, 2008). She continues explaining this consensus as not being harmful and that technology is a part of the children s daily lives. Parents should be encouraged to set media-related rules. Competitive and aggressive games should be discouraged while software allowing children to paint and draw, design things, create picture stories, or think logically are considered appropriate for ages 0-6 (Hinchliff, 2008). As long as the right software is being used and the children have regulations, she thinks that technology can be quite beneficial to young children. Media specialist and librarian Madeline Walton-Hadlock is not as sold on the idea. Through her experiences in the library setting, she believes babies and toddlers thrive on contact with other human Volume 1 Number 1 Spring 2009 1

beings. (Walton-Hadlock, 2008). She is against television or computer screen exposure for this age, but does talk about the benefits of electronic games and toys. Electronic games and toys are fine if they are used to facilitate direct interaction and play between children and their caregivers (Walton-Hadlock, 2008). She continues by saying that these toys will not make them any smarter than old-fashioned ones, but that parents may be more interested in having interactions with their babies and toddlers, using these electronic versions. Others are completely against introducing young children to technology. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a statement on the media and pediatrician s roles. They believe children under the age of two should not have media exposure. "Media exposure at a young age (birth to age two) often substitutes for important parent/caregiver/child activities that encourage early brain development, such as playing, singing and reading" (AAP, 1997). The AAP s ideals are similar to that of Walton-Hadlock, whereas they feel that positive human interaction is much more important for these young children than watching television. They also think that media images and messages are the contributing factor to a variety of public health concerns (AAP, 1997). According to the research done by Susan Haugland, children under three years old are not recommended to use computers. She states, "Computers simply do not match their learning style. Children younger than three learn through their bodies: their eyes, ears, mouths, hands and legs" (Haughland, 2000). Children under three learn through constant movement, continuously changing their focus. Computers are not a good choice for the developmental skills these children are learning to master: crawling, walking, talking, and making friends (Haughland, 2000). Denise Mitchell and Carol Dunbar have researched educationalists who are very much against exposing young children to technology and computers. These researchers think that even at the age of three and four computers are inappropriate learning devices (Mitchell& Dunbar, 2006). They think that the freedom to play imaginatively, and enjoy and experience the art and the physical world in an active way, is more essential to childhood (Mitchell & Dunbar, 2006). Computers are seen as ways to hamper and slow young children s development. They see this front as being a way to push children into becoming skilled little technicians. There is such a wide range of opinions among all of these researchers on which age to introduce technology to children. Being a kindergarten teacher, I have had students who come into my classroom with very developed computer skills, as well as ones who have never even interacted with a computer before. These students, who have not been exposed to technology, generally fall behind from the others. They struggle with using the mouse and navigating through the software so much that it takes time away from actually learning through the game. I agree the most with the viewpoints of Hinchliff and Volume 1 Number 1 Spring 2009 2

Walton-Hadlock. I feel it is okay to introduce babies and toddlers to technology, but that does not mean that I encourage sitting a young child in front of a computer or toy and leaving them there. Parents and caregivers should be interacting with their child during these times. Also, I think these young children should be exposed to the technology for only a short while because their attention span is a lot shorter at this age. Developmentally Appropriate Technology Now the question is that if technology is going to be used with young children, what is considered developmentally appropriate today? Because there are so many toys, games and software to choose from, parents and educators need to be aware of what is available and how to decide among what will reach their children s needs. According to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), children are drawn to computers because of their sounds, graphics and animations. Developmentally appropriate software engages children in creative play, mastery learning, problem solving, and conversation (NAEYC, 1996). They continue by explaining that the children need to be able to navigate through the software on their own through visual and verbal prompts. Also, they feel the software should grow to match the needs and development of the child. Well designed early childhood software grows in dimension with the child, enabling her to find new challenges as she becomes more proficient (NAEYC, 1996). Linda Tsantis and other researchers also feel that certain criteria must be met for young children s computer software. She begins by explaining that many educators and parents can be fooled by colorful graphics and cute animations to thinking that software is developmentally appropriate. She feels that the number one question that needs to be asked is, Does this software program help create learning opportunities that did not exist without it? (Tsantis et al., 2003). After answering this question and finding the right software, many find that early childhood software programs are specifically designed to elicit, encourage, and extend young children s communication and collaboration (Tsantis et al., 2003). Joiner, Stanton and Luckin are researchers who have read many papers and studies regarding the topic of what is developmentally appropriate. Regarding the use of computers for young children, they discovered that a child s computer experience can actually be enhanced by interacting with another child or adult: When children shared a mouse they demonstrated varied behaviors ranging from highly collaborative work to extreme domination by one partner. Pairs in the twomouse condition would often divide the task up and work in parallel with little reciprocity and little co-elaboration (Joiner et al., 2003). Children, especially in the classroom setting, are encouraged to collaborate with a classmate, each having their own computer mouse. Volume 1 Number 1 Spring 2009 3

Warren Buckleitner, an evaluator of children s technology and software, has found that parents and educators need to be watchful of the Internet as well while letting their child use the computer. He conducted a study where children as young as 2 ½ explored popular children s websites. He found that Web sites frequently tantalize children, presenting enticing options and even threats that their online creations will become inaccessible unless a purchase is made (Buckleitner, 2008). Even the most kid-friendly sights appeared to be appropriate, but he encourages parents and teachers to fully look over websites and read all information before clicking on anything. The National Reading Panel has evaluated computer technology in comparison to reading instruction. They wanted to investigate if computers were appropriate for teaching young children how to read. Certain components, such as speech recognition, must be available. Thus, computer technology must be examined for its ability to deliver instruction, for example, in vocabulary or in phonemic awareness (NRP, 2000). They also feel that multimedia presentation functions look promising for reading instruction. Many of the researchers had excellent advice on what is developmentally appropriate for young children. Through the many software and online games that I have viewed, I have found many that appear to be cute and colorful, but at times, are not educational or appropriate for young children. As a kindergarten teacher, I always search the website or software completely before letting my students explore with it. Not only is it good to see if it matches my students needs, but it also helps me become familiar with it so that I may be of assistance if a child becomes stuck on a certain feature. Conclusion As far as deciding which age is appropriate to first introduce technology, there is a general consensus among most of the studies. Most researchers felt that babies and toddlers needed plenty of exposure to human interaction and time to develop their physical motor skills. Once children reach preschool age, technology can be a valuable learning tool, as long as it is considered developmentally appropriate. What is developmentally appropriate technology for youngsters? Overall, it is important for parents and educators to evaluate the technology before introducing it to children. Selecting appropriate software is critical to supporting children s active learning. Before purchasing edutainment software teachers must be sure to examine underlying educational content, format and features (Tsantis et al., 2003). Although there are differing viewpoints in the subject, I feel that with the right instruction and care, technology can be used quite appropriately. Most experts agree that a child s exposure to technology should be meaningful, involve collaboration with other people, include time limits, and moreover should not be a substitute for outside play, exposure to print, and personal interactions (Walton-Hadlock, 2008). Volume 1 Number 1 Spring 2009 4

Reference American Academy of Pediatrics (1997). Media education in the practice setting: An overview of media and the pediatrician's role. Media Matters: A National Media Education Campaign, 1-4. Add volume and issue? Buckleitner, W. (2008). Like taking candy from a baby: How young children interact with online environments. Consumer Reports WebWatch, Add volume and issue?1-58. Haughland, S. (2000). Computers and young children. Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, 1-2. Add volume and issue? Hinchliff, G. (2008). Toddling toward technology: Computer use by very young children. Children and Libraries, 47-49. Add volume and issue? Joiner, R., Stanton, D., & Luckin, R. (2003). Guest editorial: Children and new technology. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 19, 145-148. Mitchell, D. R., & Dunbar, C. A. (2006). Learning and development in the nursery setting: The value of promoting emergent information and communications technology skills. Child Care in Practice, 12(3), 241-257. NAEYC (1996). Technology and young children ages 3 through 8. National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1-6. Add volume and issue? NRP (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Report of the National Reading Panel, 1-33. Add volume and issue? Tsantis, L. A., Bewick, C. J., & Thouvenelle, S. (2003). Examining some common myths about computer use in the early years. Young Children on the Web, 1-9. Add volume and issue? Walton-Hadlock, M. (2008). Tots to tweens: Age-appropriate programming for kids. Children and Libraries, 52-55. Add volume and issue? Authors: Angela Gerber is a graduate student in Curriculum and Instruction at Shippensburg University Volume 1 Number 1 Spring 2009 5