Children and technology: Issues, challenges, and opportunities

Childhood Education, Fall 2001 by Wright, Carol

Educators face compelling questions regarding the integration of technology into the instructional environment. Although the use of technology by young children is particularly controversial, successful integration of technology is an issue at all levels.

The "Net Generation"

As technological developments accelerate, a new demographic group of students can be identified-the "net generation." They are techno-- literate and often exceed the abilities of their parents and teachers; they and their parents have high expectations concerning the availability of technology in school; they expect learning to be fun and entertaining; and they expect customization, flexibility, and immediacy (Hay, 2000). Interactive learning, made possible by technology, brings significant changes to teaching and learning. Linear learning gives way to hypermedia-based learning, instruction becomes construction and discovery, teacher-centered instruction cedes to learner-centered instruction, the teacher transforms from transmitter into facilitator, and an emphasis on absorbing material shifts to one on navigating information (Tapscott, 1999).

Which Children Are Using Computers and How?

A 1999 survey reports that 71 percent of U.S. households with children ages 8-17 have computers, and 67 percent of those computers connect to the Internet (Annenberg Public Policy Center, 2000). A separate study of "on-line households" with children ages 6 through 12 showed that 81.2 percent of the parents or guardians had post-graduate degrees, 75 percent had college degrees, and 42 percent had high school degrees. Seventy-one percent had incomes of more than $50,000; only 14.8 percent had incomes below $15,000 (Holton, 2000). In one survey of 291 parents with children in kindergarten through 6th grade, the parents reported that games and educational software were used most often by boys, and that word processing and creativity software were most likely to be used by girls. Internet use most frequently entailed information retrieval and net surfing, followed by E-mail and chat rooms; girls' use of those Internet functions was lower than boys' in all but the chat room area (Kafai, 1999).

In addition, a pre-Internet, longitudinal study of 7th- through 12th-- graders showed that computer ownership, parental interest, and student gender were the most important predictors of heavy computer use. Frequent users were found to have high degrees of self-- satisfaction and confidence, a strong social network, and were proficient academically. This finding contradicts studies suggesting that frequent computers users are socially isolated and withdrawn (Rocheleau, 1995).

Further evidence exists to quell fears that computers isolate children and diminish social relationships. Rather, it can be argued that children's interpersonal lives and computer activities reflexively amplify and reinforce each other. Rather than isolating children, computing may provide an adaptive social environment. Boys, however, are much more likely to socialize in relation to computers than girls are. The female culture that attaches minimal importance to a computer-- focused social world has significant implications as computer expertise becomes the standard for achievement (Orleans, 2000).

One revealing factor to examine is whether other activities are displaced by the Internet. Not surprisingly, the advertising industry is studying this question, since the results have implications for the allocation of advertising dollars. Thirty-nine percent of one group of 4th-grade children said they were willing to give up a favorite activity in favor of exploring the Internet. Within this group, the activities surrendered were: playing with friends or siblings (89 percent), watching TV (67 percent), and reading or playing a musical instrument (33-38 percent) (Henke, 1999). Research also demonstrates that children are susceptible to advertising and promotional efforts. Children as old as 9 have difficulty identifying the intent of advertising on a Web site (Henke, 1999), however, whereas previous research indicates that even young children can identify the persuasive intent of age-appropriate television advertising (Donohue, Henke, & Donohue, 1980). While children and teens may share their parents' concerns about on-line privacy, many are enticed by offers of free gifts into revealing personal or family information such as brand preferences, the nature of free time activities, allowance amounts, political positions, drinking patterns, place of worship, and more (Annenberg Public Policy Center, 2000).

Conclusions about Internet addiction in the adult population are conflicting, due to problematic research methodologies. While "addiction" may be too politicized a term, some criteria applicable to impulse control disorders may be insightful. These include: regarding the habit as the most important activity, feeling good when using it, needing to use more to achieve the same result, and feeling symptoms of withdrawal when not using it (Griffiths, 1998). While Internet addiction in children has not been studied, studies done on adolescents regarding video game addiction identify a parallel to a gambling addiction in terms of meeting the above criteria for impulse control disorders (Fisher, 1994). These addictive behaviors among youth suggest that careful monitoring of, and future research on, Internet use are warranted.