Technology has become essential to our lives due to the digital age. The significance of technology in our lives was stressed in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced authorities across the globe to shut down services, including education, work, transport, and trade, among others. Due to the stringent policies, people conducted many things online, stressing technology’s importance. Despite technology’s significance across different spheres of life, there is continued debate over its potentially harmful effects. One of the contentious topics is technology’s influence on children’s development. This debate primarily focuses on learning and development, whereby the proponents assert that technology enhances a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. At the same time, the detractors raise concerns over its potential adverse effects. Regardless, technology must be used in moderation to avoid a negative impact on a child’s overall growth and development.
Firstly, one of the areas of concern in this debate is cognitive development. Technology’s use elicits different reactions concerning its impact on a child’s cognitive development (Hirata 437). Technology enables children to access numerous information and educational resources, potentially enhancing their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills (Hirata 437). In recent decades, there has been an ongoing trend whereby different countries’ educational systems have integrated technology into their educational systems, which has had mixed results. Some scholars have established that technology integration has had a limited impact on student achievement. In contrast, others found that certain aspects of technology have significantly influenced some academic domains, especially mathematics (Hirata 437). Interactive applications and educational games that are used in most cases have the potential to improve the engagement and enjoyment of the learning process. Despite its benefits, too much screen time and reliance on technology can impede a child’s ability to engage in independent and creative thinking. It is, therefore, essential to balance the time spent on screens while engaging the learners in other learning activities free of technology.
Additionally, it is believed that integrating technology in educational settings directly impacts a child’s overall development. However, this assertion has been challenged because many researchers adopt a comprehensive rather than use empirical evidence (McCarrick and Li 75). As such, insufficient empirical evidence shows technology’s impact on a child’s overall development. Notably, these inconsistencies pose a significant challenge in evaluating the effects of technology utilization on a child’s development outcomes. Hirata asserts that the discrepancies in the field explain the mixed results obtained on this crucial topic (Hirata 440).
Even so, most research tends to focus on the immediate effects of technology, thus ignoring the overall impact of technology on a child’s development (Hirata 457). Evidence shows that technology use is beneficial in acquiring mathematic skills, thus positively influencing a child’s cognitive development (Hirata 457). Despite its potential benefits for a child’s cognitive development, as previously mentioned, too much screen time and overreliance on technology may impede a child’s ability to reason. By so doing, technology adversely affects a child’s cognitive development. The adverse effects of technology do not eliminate the fact that some technological aspects are essential and enhance a child’s academic performance. Therefore, technology should be used cautiously as overreliance on technology may hinder a child’s cognitive development and impede their ability to engage in independent thinking.
Secondly, this debate is argued regarding a child’s social development. Childhood through to young adolescence is an integral part of human development as it is during this time that people actively seek friendship. Almuaigel et al. posit that technology enables children to establish global ties, enabling them to promote cultural comprehension and improve their communication abilities. This communication is facilitated by social media, which also gives the children a sense of belonging and support. On the other hand, too much screen time can lead to minimal in-person interactions, which could hinder social aptitude and emotional intelligence. Limiting time spent on screen and fostering face-to-face interactions is essential to foster robust social growth. Acquiring social skills necessitates consistent and deliberate efforts whereby one regularly associates with peers. However, children who spend much time on screen might need help to acquire essential skills for navigating interpersonal relationships (Almuaigel et al.). As a result, one is likely to experience a decline in their social skills as children who spend most of their time online rarely interact with others.
Accordingly, children use technology regularly for learning, entertainment, and socializing. Technology use extends to preschool children who use it primarily for enjoyment and curiosity, yet caregivers hardly allocate attention to the children’s technological engagements. Overreliance on social media and other social networks is associated with excessive technology use (Ventouris et al.). As such, there has been a decline in traditional forms of social interactions, more so face-to-face communication. Many people spend much time online, particularly on social media platforms where they actively engage with their social acquaintances. There is a downside to this emerging trend; Ventouris et al. posit that overreliance on social media and the Internet affects one’s interpersonal communication. It is, therefore, evident that unrestricted use of social media platforms and other technologies adversely affects an individual’s social development. It is, therefore, essential to balance in-person interactions and digital communication to enable children to cultivate their social skills, thus fostering their social development.
Thirdly, the impact of technology utilization extends to a child’s emotional development. Social media and video games can elicit a wide range of emotional responses in children, from positive to negative. As such, parents and caregivers must help children manage their emotions effectively and foster the development of constructive coping strategies (Ventouris et al.). This is particularly important, considering that nefarious online activities, such as cyberbullying, pose significant risks to a child’s emotional well-being. Teaching children about online safety is essential while creating a conducive environment where open communication is essential.
As mentioned earlier, some detrimental effects are associated with technology use. One of the characteristics influenced by technology use is the sleeping pattern, whereby one who uses technology excessively finds it quite hard to have a regular sleeping pattern. Almuiagel et al. assert that regular sleep is essential for a child’s cognitive and emotional development. Sleep substantially impacts a child’s overall health, immune system, physical growth, emotional state, and cognitive development. One of the crucial support systems enabling emotional development in children is the influence of family ties. However, technology eats into children’s perceived family time, implying that these children do not have an integral support system that is integral for their developmental process. As such, it is believed that technology creates an overreliance that harms an individual’s social and behavioral development, which could eat into their emotional development.
Despite its adverse effects, technology is vital for a child’s psychosocial and physical development. Notably, technology can facilitate interpersonal relationships by providing children with the means to maintain communication with family members or friends. Through video gameplay, one can socially interact with their peers, thus facilitating the development of teamwork skills. Also, young children engage in online activities to fulfill their curiosity while enhancing their creativity. While traditional forms of creativity development include painting and participation in dramatic play, digital technology presents an additional platform for people to express their creativity and engage in educational activities. Technology allows children to engage in diverse areas of interest, including creative writing, musical instrument playing, and introductory programs about various academic programs. Technology provides children of different ages with multiple applications through which they can enhance their creativity while also acquiring new skills.
Excessive use and overreliance on technology are detrimental to a child’s development. In young children, excessive use of technology can limit a child’s physical activity, resulting in sedentary behavior whereby children are mostly found indoors and hardly engage in indoor or outdoor playtime. Besides, some children might use technology as a coping mechanism to distract them from distressing situations. Children might resort to various distractions readily available through technology when confronted with challenges (Gür and Yalın).
In conclusion, technology plays a significant role in the development of children. Technology use impacts different spheres of a child’s development, including cognitive abilities, social interactions, and emotional responses. Regardless, it is crucial to strike a balance, guaranteeing a diverse upbringing encompassing offline interactions and direct interpersonal communications. By understanding the potential advantages and limitations of technology use among children, we can establish a conducive environment that facilitates children’s growth and development in today’s digital era.
Works Cited
Almuaigel, Doaa, et al. “Impact of Technology Use on Behavior and Sleep Scores in Preschool Children in Saudi Arabia.” Frontiers in Psychiatry vol. 12 649095. 21 May. 2021, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.649095
Gür, Duygu, and Yalın Kılıç Türel. “Parenting in the digital age: Attitudes, controls, and limitations regarding children’s use of ICT.” Computers & Education 183 (2022): 104504.
Hirata, Guilherme. “Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance.” Journal of Human Capital 16.3 2022: 437–459.
McCarrick, Katy, and Xiaoming Li. “Buried treasure: The impact of computer use on young children’s social, cognitive, language development and motivation.” AACE Review (Formerly AACE Journal) 15.1 2007: 73-95.
Ventouris, Annita, Constantina Panourgia, and Sarah Hodge. “Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of technology on children and young people’s emotions and behaviors.” International Journal of Educational Research Open 2 (2021): 100081.
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