computers and child development presented by david silverman
TRANSCRIPT
COMPUTERS AND CHILD DEVELOPMENTPresented by David Silverman
AGENDA
1. A Brief History of Computers and Child Development
2. Problems for Society caused by Computers and Child Development
3. How I would solve these problems
4. Future of Computers and Child Development
5. References
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1946 - First vacuum tube-based computers developed;
1951 - Little technology used in schools, primarily TV;
1959 - Transistor-based computers in use;
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1965 - Elementary and Secondary Education Act brings new money into schools for technology.
Mainframes and minicomputers are put into place in some schools
But most are used for administration or for school counseling
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1971 - Intel's first microprocessor developed The first microcomputers (PCs) are developed
Mainframes and minicomputers are in wide use in business
A few software companies begin to develop mainframe and minicomputer-based instructional programs
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1976 - The Apple I computer gains popularity in small business.
1979 - 15 Million PCs estimated to be in use worldwide; PC-based spreadsheets developed,
Mainframes and minicomputers still in wide use.
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1983 - Apple II computer finds widespread acceptance in education
1984 - The Apple Macintosh computer is developed
1986 - 25 % of high schools use PCs for college and career guidance
K-8 schools mostly bought Apple II and Macintosh computers
High schools mostly bought DOS-based clones.
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1994 - Most US classrooms now have at least one PC available for instructional delivery.
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
1995 - The Internet and the world wide web began to catch on as businesses, schools, and individuals create web pages
1996 - The Internet is widely discussed as businesses begin to provide services and advertising using web pages
Many schools are rewiring for Internet access
A few schools install web servers and provide faculty with a way to create instructional web page
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Child Development and Computers Time period – 90s Most children have seen computers in the classroom by 1994
In Elementary school, many had hands on experience with computers
Most of the computers used in schools K-8 were Apple Computers
Children of the 90s became the first children to ever interact with the internet, as well the first to interact with truly user friendly computers
Apple Macintosh Classic (Introduced in 1990)One of the first computers that many people of our generation interacted with
HISTORY OF COMPUTERS + CHILD DEVELOPMENT
The Web Experienced widespread popularity in the mid – late 90s
It quickly showed potential for education, making resources available to everyone who had internet access
Many schools taught children how to access the web and use email
Geocities (Introduced in 1994)Allowed users to make their own basic webpages for free, without coding knowledge
Treasure Mountain! (1990)
One of the first mainstream educational games for PCs
Required a whopping 4MB of ram and 20MB of HDD space!
Oregon Trail (Introduced in 1970s – Remade several times)Classic game which attempted to teach kids about history as well as encouraging problem solving and critical thinking
Fast Forward Over the next few years, computers would only become more and
more prevalent and easily accessible to children.
Laptops were made smaller, lighter, and cheaper. They also began appearing in many classrooms by the early 2000s
Touch screen devices While computers become smaller and more mobile, it wasn’t until
touchscreens became prevalent that pre-K computer interaction became mainstream
This is a new frontier, and we don’t know how this will affect the children in the long term (we remain hopeful that it is for the best)
WHICH BRINGS US TO TODAY
Is this a problem?
COMMON CONCERNS
Kids are spending too much time on their devices
COMMON CONCERNS
Use of the Internet may be linked to increases in loneliness and depression [in children]
COMMON CONCERNS
Kids are choosing digital interaction over in-person social interaction
COMMON CONCERNS
Digital devices may be contributing towards childhood obesity
COMMON CONCERNS
The internet, and video games both have addicting potential
HOW WOULD I SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS?
The internet, and computers are both powerful tools Like any powerful tool, they should both be used properly
We need to control how we expose our children to both
Children need a protected environment, but it shouldn’t hinder their learning or ability to use either tool for good
HOW WOULD I SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS?
I would propose government backed guidelines for exposing children to the internet and computers
How to expose kids to internet to the first time, suggesting device to do so
Define what age is appropriate to expose kids to full internet
Provide information for identifying risky internet behavior Tips for tracking kids internet usage (to be used before high school age)
Tips for identifying potential internet / video game addiction
Part of the answer is better, more responsible and involved parenting.
GOING FORWARD
Computers in the classroom are here to stay Investment in technology in the classroom has never been higher
Many classrooms make use of iPads, IIT gives “free” iPads to freshmen
Computers continue to be integral to the educational sector, even this very PowerPoint is an example!
The government will catch up, eventually For now, we are still stuck with many politicians who brag about
never having used email or a cellphone, these will not be the politicians that define proper guidelines for internet and/or computer usage for our children or even us as adults.
REFERENCES
The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development, Princeton University, https://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/10_02_05.pdf
Pros and Cons of Computer Technology in the Classroom, Kathleen Patrice Gulley, http://nau.edu/uploadedFiles/Academic/COE/About/Projects/Pros%20and%20Cons%20of%20Computer%20Technology%20in%20the%20Classroom.pdf
History, the History of Computers, and the History of Computers in Education, California State University, http://web.csulb.edu/~murdock/histofcs.html
Negative Effects of Computers on Children, http://www.livestrong.com/article/85306-negative-effects-computers-children/