The main peculiarity of literature on connections between digital technologies and education is that it gives mixed results when it comes to generalized conclusions. In practice, it always depends on the context because even a significant number of hours in front of the screen may not affect the mental health of children and their daily tasks (“Digital Media and Addiction” 1:10). Anderson and Subrahmanyam note that educational programming on TV may be a great source of informal learning beyond school (58). However, some claim that parents still should limit even educational use of technologies (“How Media & Technology Affects Children” 0:44). Thus, the general implication from the literature is that through evaluating the short and long-term impacts of technologies, one should make a decision.
Early childhood teachers need to pay attention to technology because it is becoming an important factor in children’s daily lives. Researchers indicate that children between the ages of two and eight spend about two hours a day in front of screens, and in some extreme cases, this time can increase up to eight hours (Hawkey 1). Some parents may not be aware of the problem, although excessive media use in early childhood can significantly affect communication and concentration skills in the future (“How Media & Technology Affects Children” 0:49). Therefore, it is the task of early childhood teachers to identify the problem and report or solve it.
In general, the literature is diverse and sometimes contradicts each other. One side argues that the challenges of modernity require significantly reducing the use of technologies, while others see great benefits of technology-based education. Such hot debates do not give feasible answers on how technologies may be used to teach young children. Nevertheless, the prevailing idea is that in the context of early childhood education, children have a rare opportunity to meet together face to face. Therefore, it seems that the use of technology in early childhood education should be limited in order to give preference to offline communication.
Works Cited
Anderson, Daniel R. and Kaveri Subrahmanyam. “Digital Screen Media and Cognitive Development.” Pediatrics, vol. 140, no. 2, 2017, pp. 57-61, Web.
“Digital Media and Addiction in Children and Adolescents.” YouTube, uploaded by Mitch Prinstein, Web.
Hawkey, Elizabeth. “Media Use in Childhood: Evidence-Based Recommendations for Caregivers.” CYF News, Web.
“How Media & Technology Affects Children | Child Development.” YouTube, uploaded by Howcast, Web.