Computers are woven into every aspect of our lives. From the microwave oven that small children can learn to use to heat up a hot dog, to the computers under the hoods of our cars, we interact with computers whether we realise it or not. (Campbell, 1999). But when it comes to the education of our children, the use of computers becomes a controversial issue. Of course, as stated above, computers are an everyday tool in the education of children, but the question being asked is, what effect do these computers really have on our children? Are computers being used in age-appropriate ways? Do program designers take into account the developmental needs of children? Are teachers receiving sufficient technology training? Is "learning software" really what it purports to be, or is it simply "edutainment" that reinforces impulsive point-and-click behaviour in the pursuit of a trivial goal? (Healy 1998) Many people are beginning to wonder about these questions, and are coming to the conclusion that computers may be very harmful to the development of our children. Academically, physically, socially and emotionally.
There are many negative issues surrounding the use of computers as educational tools. These range from ineffective learning, impacts on children’s health, creativity, brain development and social and emotional growth. Also, besides the issue of computers affecting children’s development, there is the ongoing issue of costs of this new and constantly updating technology. These issues, combined with many others, are beginning to emerge, and we can see why many people are reconsidering the validity of computers in education, especially that of young, primary school-aged children.
In relation to the issue of the negative effects computers have on the physical development of children, Jane Healy has presented the following fact:
The American Academy of Paediatrics has expressed concern about the amount of time children spend in front of various types of screens, and several experts in eye development have stated that computer use is creating problems in children developing visual systems. (Healy 1998, p.18)
Healy also cites literature that suggests that during the first six years of life, misuses of technology may adversely affect brain maturation and development.
Computers do have physical effects on those who use them, and these effects can be serious and long lasting, even permanent. Moreover, they contribute to a wide range of disorders – to muscle, joint and tendon damage, to headaches and eyestrain, to seizures and skin problems.
In the movie Mulan ,it shows that women are not held at the same level as men, and that women are only fit for breeding. But, at the same time they show mulan being independent .This film strays away in many other ways as well. Like when the “Huns” attack. Huns weren’t the problem, in this point in time. Xiongnu were the people having trouble with that
However, computers do have some downsides. Basic arithmetic and correcting spelling and grammar are less important to students that have software that virtually does these tasks for you. “…Drilling addition and subtraction in an age of calculators is a waste of time...If we do, then drilling reading in an age of multimedia is a waste of time can’t be far behind” (David Gelernter, p. 187). Children are less likely to read as much. If you see a Shakespeare book next to a laptop, most kids these days are going to choose to pickup the laptop without second guessing it. Computers can also be
Disney proclaims that the adaptations of the Chinese story of Mulan is to transform ethnic materials into a “timeless” or “universal” classic (Kurtti 1998). Peter Schneider, Disney Feature Animation President, avers that “the search for who we are, the search for self, it an ever-ongoing process and universal theme” (Kurtti 1998, 189). Guided by this principle, Disney appropriated the Mulan story into its typical formula of a hero’s journey of self-discovery. The film features Mulan as a tomboyish girl who could not fit in the traditional gender role in China. She dressed like a man and went to fight the war against the Huns in her father’s place. Only in the military – a men’s world traditionally – Mulan could “be true to herself” and prove herself. Eventually Mulan single-handedly won the war, saved the Chinese kingdom, and lived happily ever after (Brown, 64-66). This, in my opinion is an interesting message to the world, that reflect how women can achieve anything in this world given the strength, courage and bravery that she could attain in a man’s dominated world. Mulan represents a women of substance, who achieved great heights due to her courage. This is a very insightful and thought-provoking message that highly justifies the idea behind the story.
There is a growing body of research that technology can be both beneficial and harmful to different ways in which children think. Children are born ready to learn. They cultivate eighty-five percent of their intellect, personality and skills by age five. The first months and years of life set the stage for lifelong development. It actually takes up to twelve years for the brain to become fully organized, with parts of the cortex still to become organized through the later teen years. This being said, children should not be exposed to computer technology until late in the education process because computers often distract young learners from acquiring basic information and skills.
David Gelernter author of the essay, “Unplugged: The Myth of Computers in the Classroom,” used some rhetorical appeals but not many in his essay, whilst trying to logically persuade his audience that computers could be utilized in the classroom, but under certain stipulations. Gelernter has great credibility for speaking on education and technology, as he is a professor of computer science at Yale University, so he more than anyone should know the outcomes of using a computer as a tool while teaching. However, when it comes to technology a lot of older generations usually are pretty biased when discussing technologies advancements, Gelernter still had some very good points! Using computers while teaching our young children can be useful but with strict moderations; when, where, and why, because if not heavily monitored, computers could be extremely detrimental to the learning experience and processes for many students.
Raising a child can be an overwhelming situation for any working mother and father, but it is an even more daunting task when there is only one parents to take on this mission. I commend all parents who juggle and multi-task their lives to provide a balance and nurturing life for their children, but I must still remain objective. I can say that I speak with knowledge, having female friends and female family members who are single-handedly taking on this challenge. Being a parent has made me realize that there is no one plan that works for all, but certainly there is one desired result; children who become caring, independent and productive members of society. Due to my observations, I have come the the conclusion that single mothers spoil their children with unearned gifts, give too much freedom to their children, and let their children get away with uncorrected bad behavior.
In the beginning, Mulan is seen as a dishonor to her family, first, she brings dishonor by failing to impress her match maker. As it is seen throughout the movie, it shows that women are not allowed to speak in the presence of men, as well as speaking to them in a way that degrades the men. This is another way that, Mulan brings dishonor to her family. Then, Mulan makes a change in her life by deciding to take her father’s place in the army. At this point in the movie is when Mulan ignores the traditional gender roles and begins to take initiative by proving
Many people have a wide range of opinions on whether technology is having a positive influence on our children or a negative, there is a vast amount of evidence to support both of these arguments. Technology can refer to so many things, but there are three main parts of technology that have the greatest effect on our children: video games, television/media, and computers. The modern technologies we have today are so powerful because they attract our genetic biases, that the human brain has a tremendous love for visually presented information. Video games, television, movies and computer programs are all very visually oriented and therefore they attract and keep the attention of children easily. By far the largest concern of technology today is video games.
In this Journal there was a study performed on early childhood students and their reaction to touch screen computers. The results were more negative rather than positive proving that it was more productive to use the mouse and keyboard for young children.
Mulan pushes gender inequality by reinforcing masculine and feminine stereotypes through the songs that it presents throughout the movie. The roles of what it means to be a man is simply laid out within the influential song, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” This song occurred when the fresh new soldiers appeared to be very weak and unfit, so Captain Shang sang of how they must become strong like real men should be. Captain Shang asks the question, “did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?” (Mulan), implying that women are unfit for the conditions of
The use of technology by young children has been shown to correlate to the disruption of normal brain growth. Typically in the past, young children had plenty of time to play, challenging their imaginations and problem solving skills, which is crucial for their transformation to members of society. Presently, much of that time dedicated to play is now being allocated to ‘screen time’ with technology. According to the Huffington Post, “analysis of the impact of technology on the developing child
Children growing up in the modern world of today would rather stay inside and play on the internet, watch television, or play video games than go outside and play. Serious repetitive strain injuries suffered after spending hours glued to game consoles is up 60% since 2002 (Par. 5 Clarke). Technology and modern society have created lifestyle changes that are detrimental to the well being of children. First, this paper will discuss the effects of technology and modern society on the physical and mental health of the children. Second, the paper will discuss the dangers to children resulting from new technology. Lastly, the paper will discuss the modern lifestyle changes in families and their effects on the children.
There has been a long lasting debate in the resent years on whether or not technology has a positive or negative impact on today’s kids. As the years move on, the negative effects have begun to outnumber the positive. The generations previous spent their childhood making forts, fishing, and using their imaginations, contrary to today’s generations who spend their free time texting, playing video games, and watching videos. Damaging effects such as decreases in school performances, addiction to electronics, and lack of brain development have all been linked to the electronic media stimulation. In order to prevent the future generation from following in the current generations footsteps, one must full comprehend just how much technology impacts
Subrahmanyam, K. (2000). The Impact of Home Computer Use on Children’s Activities and Development: The Future of Children and Computer Technology, 10(2), 123-143. Retrieved from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/Web/People/kraut/RKraut.site.files/articles/subrahmanyam00-Compute%26kids.pdf
As an emerging teacher, it has come to my concern the potential benefits and or harm technology has on young children. By the end of the 1980’s one out of every 4 preschool rooms had a computer, today almost every preschool is equipped with at least one computer. Children over the age of 3 are within Piaget’s preoperational stage. This states that they are concrete learners that are interest in and pick up on newly learned symbolic representation easily (Wardle, 2008). However children at this age ne...