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It has long been proven that early childhood memory and a sustained attention span are good predictors of academic growth and the direction a child grows in.

Good memory skills are vital to a child's development and future. A child who is able to apply memory strategy instruction has huge potential and this is yet to be uncovered by formal schooling.
How often do you see children as little as one year old being entertained by an electronic device in their pram, in the car or even at the dinner table? Not to mention, adults walking down the street with their heads down and eyes fixed on their smart devices.
Nicholas Carr wrote a book called 'The Shallows - What the Internet is doing to our brains'. Carr explained how the internet impacts the way we learn, recall information and solve problems.

We are using the internet as a form of cognitive offloading. We are no longer devoting our cognitive real estate to remember anything that can easily be found on the internet. We do not try to remember phone numbers anymore since it can be stored on our digital devices. We are not required to remember data or facts , as long as we have access to the internet. With information readily accessible, we do not even need to remember directions as long as we have Google Maps.

As Carr posits, "Google is making us stupid" and the way we think has taken a 'staccato quality'. We often skim through sentences and paragraphs. The need to memorise important facts as we read feels redundant as the information can be retrieved again for us to go through.

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How memory impacts a child's future
Adults are considered digital immigrants. We were born and brought up before the widespread use of digital technology and devices, whilst our children, the digital natives, were born in an era where technology is omnipresent in our daily life. Given that we, the digital immigrants, are outsourcing our memory to the internet or Google, it would be careless of us not to consider some vital questions:

What will happen to our children and future generations growing up in this era as digital natives?

How will it affect children especially in their sensitive years of development?

Is memory an important component in the learning process for children?

Can memory be protected or trained from childhood to prevent it from being lost due to the advancement in technology?

What part does cognition play in a child's learning?

Cognition is the process of acquiring knowledge through our thoughts, experiences and senses. Similarly, the learning process involves acquiring knowledge through experience, study and exposure. Cognition and learning are both essential to acquiring the cognitive skills we need in life. We need our brain to think, read, learn, remember, reason and pay attention.

Our working memory is part of our cognitive system. It acts as a temporary storage for information that we need to process. It helps with our critical thinking, decision-making and reasoning. Our working memory allows us to hold onto information so that we can use it - thus, the working part.

Our pre-frontal cortex is responsible for the development of our basic cognitive functions. In the early developmental years, the growth in the pre-frontal cortex is greater; which explains why there is such a strong correlation between memory and academic learning.

You only have a limited window of time to powerfully change your child's future

At approximately two and a half years, children begin to demonstrate increases in their ability to sustain focused attention and use their working memory to solve problems. During the preschool years, brain growth occurs at an unparalleled rate. This results in structural changes that chart a developmental course for the capacity to store and manipulate information, pay attention and exercise cognitive control. Indeed, the importance of both attention and memory skills for academic success is supported by both theory and research. Many theorists have shown that both short-term and working memory are required for the complex cognitive operations involved in learning mathematics and reading.

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Working memory is one of the cognitive mechanisms that underpins children's learning. Research has shown that performance on working memory measures is highly predictive of several scholastic skills during childhood. There is evidence that a good working memory at the start of formal education is a more powerful predictor of subsequent academic success than IQ. This has significant implications for education, specifically with early intervention.
Do something now. Intervene now to save you and your child's years of challenges ahead
Working memory can be improved though training. This would alleviate learning difficulties at school. If children are well-equipped and given the know-how in their early years, it helps to pre-empt and minimise the need for intervention in the later years.

How does Shichida change your child's future

The Shichida program focuses on the development of memory in young children. In fact, the Shichida method stands in contrast to what is happening to digital technology. At Shichida, efforts are being made to enhance the memory of children as young as one-year-old. It is a small step that parents around the world have adopted to help develop and stimulate their child's cognitive abilities.
Shichida's children - bringing out their extraordinary potential
Some of the exciting outcomes of children going through the Shichida program include children recalling up to 1000 items and up to 200 decimal places of Pi. Because Shichida children love learning and are intrinsically motivated to learn, they go to school ready to excel beyond numeracy and literacy.

With the skills that they acquire at Shichida, learning becomes easy. The children are exposed to learning from an early age, creating a positive relationship with learning and equating it with having fun.

Lynne Kelly, author of the book 'The Memory Code', identified the powerful memory technique used by indigenous people around the world. Indigenous elders used story-telling techniques to name and remember all animals, plants and stars in their surroundings. This is a stark contrast to us today when we struggle to recall a friend's phone number.

Similarly, children who have gone through the Shichida training are taught various mnemonic techniques and memory strategies. Mnemonics are systems designed to help one remember information. This technique is unfortunately not taught at kinder and schools but is very helpful when learning and organising information.

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Some examples of what Shichida children can do:

This is an example of an eidetic image activity for a 5-year-old child. This picture of a mandala is shown to the children for 5 seconds, after which they close their eyes for another 5 seconds while replicating the picture in their mind. This is repeated a second time before the children are given an uncoloured mandala for them to replicate.

Eidetic image activity completed by a 5-year-old in the first and second week which she was shown the mandala above.

William, 5, took matters in his own hands and decided to write the letter below to the Government to address the dangers of a railway crossing near his house. William had the chance to meet the Premier Daniel Andrew to present his letter directly to him, and his letter went a long way to initiating positive changes.

At four years old, Remi loves numbers and decided to create his own grid for multiplication at home. This was beyond what was done in class as he was looking for more challenges. Below, there is a copy of his work with questions set and answered by himself.

Jamin, who is five years old wrote this little piece at school in his Prep year. This task was given to the class to write about a video they had just watched about fruit bats. His school teacher was amazed at the details that Jamin recalled and that he was able to write it down so eloquently.

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What Is Technology Really Doing To Your Children's Brain Function? | Shichida Early Learning Centre | March 9, 2017

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Good memory skills are vital to a child's development and future. A child who is able to apply memory strategy instruction has huge potential and this is yet to be uncovered by formal schooling. How often do you see children as little as one year old being entertained by an electronic device in their pram, in the car or even at the dinner table?

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It's impossible to ignore the fact that the coming generations will be growing up with more and more technology. It's everywhere and impossible to hide from. But that means that you need to set boundaries and make rules for your children, to allow them to safely explore. While some parents try to ban all technology, others are giving their children free rein. Neither extreme is safe for your children. You need to do the hard work to keep your family safe and well-informed in the digital age.

Keep yourself informed. You don't want your children to outpace you in regards to technology. Though many parents find it difficult to keep up with the new trends, apps and devices, it's important that you try. There are so many more dangers than you ever grew up with and the world is both a bigger and smaller place for your children to grow up in. You'll need to stay on top of the technology that your children are being exposed to so that you can set appropriate rules and have a good understanding of what they're facing.

Set boundaries for your children when it comes to what devices you want to allow. Use parental controls and privacy passwords. If you have young children, allow them access to devices for limited amounts of time and always with supervision. As they get older, and begin to have devices of their own, set parental controls which eventually can give way to an understanding between you and your children about what they can access, what's appropriate for their age and what sort of monitoring and privacy they can expect with their devices.

Keep an open discussion about technology with your family. Help them to be aware of the dangers out there because you won't be able to watch them constantly and you can't know every scenario they might find themselves up against. Foster openness between your children and yourself so that they'll feel comfortable coming to you with anything they see or find on the internet that they might be concerned or confused about. Privacy is even more important in the digital age, so teach your children to respect their own and others' privacy. Not everything needs to be shared online.

Technology is a touchy subject for a lot of families. Children often have a better grasp of it than their parents, something that you should work to rectify. You want to know what your children are seeing, what apps are popular, and what their peers are doing on the internet so that you can better understand their world and the boundaries that you'll need to put in place. Remember that you're parent and it's your responsibility to look after your child's safety, especially on the internet.

Resources on the Web:

Media and Chilren Communication Tool Kit (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Safe Kids (Digital citizenship, online civility and safety)

About Pam Myers, BSEd

Pam Myers received a BsEd in Education and her teaching credential from USC and was a 6th grade teacher for 13 years for the Ocean View School District in Huntington Beach, CA. She and Dr Bob met at USC and were married in 1971. Pam is the proud mother of two grown children, Lauren, who is a Special Education teacher in the La Habra School District and a son, Greg, who is a TV and Film editor. She retired from the public schools to raise her family and has continued to work with children and families through various activities including serving as a PTA president, working with OC Philharmonic Association to bring music education to children and is serving in the youth ministry at her church. Pam and Bob worked as a team on his radio shows and she provided management support in his private practice. Painting and live theater are her passions as well as the protection of children and animals.

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Learn How to Tackle Technology with Children in the Digital Age -

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It's impossible to ignore the fact that the coming generations will be growing up with more and more technology. It's everywhere and impossible to hide from. But that means that you need to set boundaries and make rules for your children, to allow them to safely explore.

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The modern classroom has taken several steps forward in its evolution of the learning environment in the past 25 years. Many of the benefits that we have seen in this setting are due to the introduction of new technology options for students. Instead of having a single computer for a class to use or a laboratory environment for the entire school placed in one room, we can now help students learn at their table or desk with items issued to them directly.

Our development of the Internet since 1989 has helped us to include more technological access to information in the modern classroom as well. If you grew up as an 80's kid, then you had the A/V cart come into your class to watch educational videos and maybe have a snack. Now students get to play interactive learning games, compete against other students, and have their educational statistics tracked in real-time data to know where their point of focus should be.

Introducing technology to students in a classroom setting can certainly help the educational environment, but it also requires equal access for all students to ensure that everyone receives the same opportunities to success. That is why each school district, teacher, and parent should periodically review the advantages and disadvantages of technology in education settings.

List of the Advantages of Technology in Education

1. Technology helps children to stay motivated during the learning process.
Most students don't like to go to school if they feel like they are wasting their time. When there is technology allowed in the classroom, then teachers have an opportunity to let kids work at a pace which suits them the best without disturbing others. They can look up additional information about a subject they are learning about that day, play educational games that reinforce the lesson, or work on advanced material using a program like Zearn.

Because many of today's technology options allow students to see how well they are doing compared to the average of all users, it gives them a chance to push harder for themselves and their education. Many of the programs that encourage learning also issue rewards or award certificates, which helps to make the lessons fun as well.

2. It encourages more communication between teachers and parents.
When there is technology in the classroom, then there are more opportunities for parents and teachers to connect with each other. Using a blog for the classroom can help parents get to see what their children are learning each day. Apps and software options allow teachers to instantly report on a child's behavior to let parents know in real-time what is happening throughout the day. There are options for chat boxes, instant messaging, and other forms of communication as well.

Let's not forget about email here either. Since the 1990s when this technology option came into the classroom, it created more reliability in messaging between teachers and parents should there be a need to talk.

3. Technology options in the classroom are very affordable.
Although the cost of having technology in the classroom can be significant if you are introducing new options to an entire district, the cost of student computers, tablets, and class essentials is minimal. Most student computers cost less than $200 each, and there are several grants available on local, state, and national levels that help to offset these costs to local taxpayers.

"The Internet is the first technology since the printing press which could lower the cost of a great education and, in doing so, make the cost-benefit analysis much easier for most students," said John Katzman. "It could allow American schools to serve twice as many students as they do now, and in ways that are both effective and cost-effective."

4. It creates new ways to learn for today's student.
There are three critical forms of intelligence that we see in children today: emotional, creative, and instructional. The traditional classroom environment, which typically encourages lecture-based lessons, focuses more on the latter option. Standardized tests and similar ranking tools do the same. When kids have access to technology today, then those who excel outside of the standard learning setup can still achieve their full potential.

Technology allows children to embrace their curiosity in multiple ways. They can try new things without embarrassment because their tech access gives them a level of anonymity. This process allows kids to work, through trial-and error if they wish, to see if a different strategy helps them to learn more effectively.

5. Technology allows us to give students access to data from a single location.
Do you remember when a research project meant a visit to the library so that you could pull 4-5 books to read, have access to an encyclopedia, and even microfilm to view so that you had enough resources to finish your assignment? Technology allows a student to access every item they need for a project from a central resource. Instead of spending all of that time searching for something specific or waiting for your library to order it, you can run a few queries on Google and find what you need.

6. It gives us better access to behavioral data on students.
The various apps, software choices, and technological platforms collect data on students that can show attendance patterns, learning issues in specific subjects, and how they react in particular situations. This information leads to the creation of a profile where teachers, schools, and parents can work together to identify places where additional learning may be necessary. Technology can even help a school district find their highly capable students to keep pushing them toward more challenging work so that they remain engaged with the learning environment.

7. Technology helps to prepare students for their future world.
Even if there are warnings from medical providers about the amount of screen time that students receive in their classroom environment, the reality of the modern educational system is that we must have technology exposure now to prepare our children for the world they will face as adults. This sector will continue to evolve. If they are not prepared to use these items today, then tomorrow could be a struggle for them.

That means some traditional subjects might not be as important to teach for some schools or teachers. Is it more important to have a student learn how to write in cursive or know how to type without using the two-finger chicken-pecking method? Is coding more of a critical skill than learning how to cook? Should kids know how to put a chair together in woodshop or have the ability to put together their own computer?

These are the questions we need to be asking when looking at the advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom.

8. The introduction of technology allows for the teaching of needed vocational skills.
Although there are regions of extreme poverty and isolation which do not have Internet access in the United States right now, over 90% of Americans have a home connection to online resources. By introducing technology to students from an early age, we can teach them the critical vocational skills that are necessary for success in a digital world. That is why writing continues to be a top priority in the K-4 grades, formatting guidelines and software use after, and knowing how to research efficiently is approached as an essential skill.

9. Technology in the classroom encourages collaboration.
Students retain very little of the information they receive when a teacher lectures from a textbook. When there are interactive lessons on a chalkboard or whiteboard, kids can remember about 20% of what they were taught. If a teacher encourages a small group discussion, that percentage can quadruple.

Technology gives us an easy way to develop collaboration skills for students using online tools that encourage them to work together in safe ways. If kids can then practice what they were taught immediately, there is very little that they will forget.

10. It encourages students to stay engaged with their learning environment.
Kids get bored very easily when they feel like they already know what is being taught in their classroom. Some children will transform into mentors or leaders in this situation to help their fellow students, but there are many more who disengage because they lack stimulation. By introducing technology to the classroom, there are fewer places where repetitive learning must take place. Teachers can introduce new subjects, try new techniques, or use different projects to encourage ongoing learning, which creates more overall engagement.

11. Teachers have more credibility when they use technology in the classroom.
Teachers are sometimes hesitant to use technology in the classroom because they are unsure of what a student might have at home. Giving homework assignments that require computer access to a student without that technology at home would be a waste of time. There can also be pushback from parents who are uncomfortable giving their kids additional screen time for learning. When you can introduce these elements to the classroom and have children learn there, then you can overcome the socioeconomic barriers that are sometimes in place for low-income families.

List of the Disadvantages of Technology in Education

1. The presence of technology can be distracting to students.
When kids play video games, they can find themselves reacting with addiction-like behaviors. Their focus is on the entertainment they receive more than anything else. If the educational environment uses reward-based games to encourage learning, then the child might be more concerned with what they receive through the software or app instead of what they are learning.

Although correct answers can be an indication of knowledge, there might not be as much information retention as hoped. Teachers must set and enforce healthy boundaries when using technology in the classroom to ensure healthy results are possible.

2. Technology can make it easier to cheat.
Remember the TV shows and movies where kids would break into a teacher's classroom, steal the answer key to a test, and then write down everything on their wrist, shoe, or a slip of paper? Now a student can send themselves a text with that information. They can send that data to anyone else with a phone. Email can relay this info too. There must also be strict rules in place about the use of technology during quizzes or tests when an exact measurement of student knowledge is needed to evaluate their overall progress.

3. Using tech can cause some students to disconnect from the classroom.
Interacting online with others is a different experience than when you collaborate over the Internet with someone. Being behind a screen provides you with a layer of anonymity that you don't receive with a face-to-face conversation. Learning how to work with one another using technology is an essential skill, but it cannot be the other option that teachers introduce to their classroom. We must encourage social interactions that accurately communicate thoughts, feelings, or emotions so that when a child is offline, they can still make a better life for themselves.

4. Some students may not know the difference between reliable and unreliable resources.
There is a lot of information on the Internet today that is fake or exaggerated in some way, but it masquerades as being real. According to research published by New York Magazine, less than 60% of web traffic today is actually human-based searches or content interaction. Up to half of the traffic on YouTube each year are bots that masquerade as people. Not only is the content sometimes fake, but then also the users might not be real too. Teachers must show students how to access real information, show them how to verify its validity, and then encourage them to use it appropriately.

5. Technology is a resource that not all families can afford.
Whether technology is in the classroom or at home, there is the issue of affordability to worry about in today's world. Some households cannot afford to purchase computers for their kids to manage their school work. There are school districts that don't have enough money to pay their salaries each year, much less add new tech components for learning.

When we emphasize having technology in the classroom, then we place those at the lowest end of the wage scale at a significant disadvantage. Students with greater access can learn more and have access to lessons more often, which means they have additional information exposure that can increase their opportunities to succeed.

6. Some technologies could replace the teacher in some classrooms.
Interactive learning lessons are so effective today that the software or app can become the teacher instead of having someone present to help a student. One of the best examples of this potential disadvantage is ABC Mouse, which provides clear instructions to students as young as 3 so that they can start learning when they are ready.

Instead of being in a hands-on role, technology makes the teacher more of an observer. New tech automates the learning process while adapting to changing student needs.

7. There are privacy concerns to consider with technology in the classroom.
Over 15 million people each year experience identity theft in some way. It is a criminal empire that costs the economy over $16 billion per year. Since 2011, over $100 billion in losses have happened because of this issue. One of the reasons why it is becoming more prevalent is because more people have greater access to technology today.

When we introduce technology to the classroom, we are placing the identity of our children at risk every day. Even when apps, computers, mobile devices, and operating systems have advanced privacy filters that reduce the threat of identity loss, there is no way to guarantee that all risks are gone unless the equipment never goes online. If we take this step, then we end up losing many of the advantages of having technology in the classroom in the first place.

8. Technology in the classroom could create medical problems for some kids.
Eye strain occurs when you look at a computer screen for too long. Symptoms of this issue include back pain, eye pain, neck pain, feelings of tiredness, blurred vision, and problems with focus. Continuous heavy computer usage may lead to issues with early myopia, with a prevalence rate of more than 60% for those older than the age of 12. For some people, the impact of this health issue is cumulative, which means the time they spend in front of a phone, tablet, and television can contribute to eye health issues as well.

9. Kids often lose track of time when using technology in the classroom.
Although kids can adapt to changing environments without much of a second thought, their idea of normal is often defined by what they experience in the classroom. Teachers and schools have as much, if not more, time with children than their parents throughout the day, which means the classroom becomes an influential part of life for each student. Encouraging the use of tech might help to create more learning opportunities, but it can also lead to a lifestyle that is more sedentary.

When children sit for too long during the day, then they face the same health challenges that adults do when not getting enough exercise. There can be problems with obesity, hyperactivity, muscle fatigue, sleeping problems, and metabolism issues with prolonged sitting. That is why any school that introduces technology to the classroom should also encourage at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity whenever possible.

10. Many classrooms place limits on technology access.
Because of the awareness that schools have with the potential disadvantages that technology can cause in the classroom, there are limits placed on the use of items under the guise of child protection. Although firewalls and site blockers can prevent most dangerous content from reaching the eyes of children, it is not unusual to see this issue taken a step further by restricting computer work to word processing and basic research. Students come home with assignments to use tech of their own, at a library, or through a loan program to place this responsibility on the parents instead.

If we force limits on children instead of teaching them how to make wise choices, then is that really giving them a learning environment?

11. Technology can create dependencies for information recall.
If you cannot recall a piece of information instantly, then what is your next step to find an answer? Most people would say that they would look online for the data they want or ask a virtual assistant, like Alexa, to give them the answer. Having access to a treasure-trove of resources is wonderful, but it can also create a dependency because of its presence. If we do not teach students how to recall info by themselves without the use of a smart device or computer, then the next generation of students may be unable to function unless there is technology for them to access.

Verdict on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in the Classroom

These advantages and disadvantages of technology in the classroom indicate that students and teachers can be more effective in their roles with its presence. Although there can be varying levels of comfort based on the amount of exposure each person has to computers, electronic whiteboards, and other items, an introduction of new tech is an investment that can offer ongoing dividends.

There are times when technology can provide new experiences to a student. Teachers can use apps and software to reach kids that might normally disconnect from the classroom.

Technology in the classroom opens more doors, introduces new experiences, and creates more opportunities for self-discovery. The positive aspects that occur with school integration typically outweigh any of the issues that a district might encounter.

Author Biography
Keith Miller has over 25 years of experience as a CEO and serial entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, he has founded several multi-million dollar companies. As a writer, Keith's work has been mentioned in CIO Magazine, Workable, BizTech, and The Charlotte Observer. If you have any questions about the content of this blog post, then please send our content editing team a message here.

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22 Advantages and Disadvantages of Technology in Education

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The modern classroom has taken several steps forward in its evolution of the learning environment in the past 25 years. Many of the benefits that we have seen in this setting are due to the introduction of new technology options for students.

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These 10 free or low-cost apps turn learning math into a game.

© Shutterstock.com/wavebreakmedia

From content consumption to content creation, there are many ways to use mobile devices with students. They can create how-to videos for authentic audiences, explain their thinking through screencasting, or use scannable technology in the math classroom, for example. Mobile devices can also be used to help students practice foundational math skills and build their math fluency. You might decide to use an app on this list as part of an intervention plan or add it to a newsletter for families.

In order for students to tackle the multistep word problems they'll be asked to solve as early as elementary school, they need to have mastered addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts. If they can answer 4 + 12, 15 - 5, 9 x 7, and 18 ÷ 3 quickly and accurately, students can focus on reading word problems to figure out what those questions are asking them to do and apply their knowledge to real-world situations. There are tons of fun apps that help children build their math fluency through games and manipulatives. Check out some of these fantastic math tools available as mobile apps (for iOS or Android) and web apps (for any web browser).

Operation Math ( iOS $2.99, Android $1.99) This app turns your students into spies who travel around the world on different missions. Kids can choose which operations they want to practice as they make their way through the app.

Number Frames (free for iOS, Chrome, and other web browsers) The Math Learning Center has lots of great resources for students, including interactive math tools to help students practice skills. With this tool, students explore the relationships between numbers as they represent each operation with virtual manipulatives. This free app gives kids the space to build a foundation that makes math fluency practice most meaningful.

Sushi Monster ( iOS free) Scholastic's app offers children multiplication and addition problems. They have to reach a target number by picking the correct factors and addends listed on different pieces of sushi.

Quick Math - Arithmetic & Times Tables ( iOS $1.99) With this app, kids answer traditional skill-and-drill questions-but they don't have to enter answers using a keypad. Instead, they can write the answer anywhere on the screen of their device, and the app reads their handwriting and records their response.

Number Line (free for iOS, Chrome, and other web browsers) This mobile and web app is perfect for helping students model their thinking as they explore different operations.

Pet Bingo by Duck Duck Moose ( iOS $1.99, Android $1.99) In this game, children answer addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division questions and place their answers on a bingo board. The app is full of colorful cartoon characters and offers visual models to help students understand each problem.

Meerkat Math HD ( iOS $1.99) This adventure app asks students to complete different races using math facts. In order to make their meerkat avatar run and jump fast enough to be a winner, they have to answer each question quickly and correctly.

10monkeys Multiplication ( iOS $1.99, Android free) Kids can practice multiplication facts with this animated app. The goal is to help monkeys trapped in a tree escape by answering a set of questions correctly. This app is broken down into different times tables and includes a reference chart so kids can review facts.

Math Vs Zombies ( iOS $4.99, Android free) This silly app asks children to add, subtract, multiply, or divide one- and two-digit numbers. Students need to answer each question correctly in order to zap the zombies back into humans.

YodelOh Math Mountain ( iOS $2.99, Android $1.99) A virtual take on a traditional carnival game, this app helps children practice all four operations. They have to work quickly so that the yodeler doesn't fall from the top of the mountain.

Whether I'm leading a professional development session or having a casual conversation with a fellow educator, I often use the phrase "tasks before apps." As you explore the tools on this list, make sure you've identified your learning objectives and think about which tools will help students achieve those goals.

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Using Math Apps to Increase Understanding | Edutopia

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These 10 free or low-cost apps turn learning math into a game. © Shutterstock.com/wavebreakmedia From content consumption to content creation, there are many ways to use mobile devices with students. They can create how-to videos for authentic audiences, explain their thinking through screencasting, or use scannable technology in the math classroom, for example.

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Sports Science Institute of South Africa

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In this age of technology, it is probably difficult for kids of all ages to imagine life without smart phones and tablets. But the parents of these kids can probably remember surviving without all of these things, and they also recall the sound that dial-up internet used to make.

The Huffington Post published an article titled 10 reasons why handheld devices should be banned for children under the age of 12. Although this article came out at the end of 2015, the evidence for a screen-free childhood remains sobering.

The guidelines for screen time have been updated in the last year (particularly for kids 2 years and under), and are currently as follows:

GUIDELINES FOR SCREEN TIME

Children under 18 months old: No exposure to screens, other than video-chatting, e.g. spending time on Skype or FaceTime with family living far away.

Children 18 months - 2 years old: Only exposure to good quality content or apps if they are doing it with an adult, who is engaging with them to help them understand what they are seeing.

Children 2-5 years old: Less than 1 hour of screen time per day, although less is better.

Children and adolescents 5-18 years old: Not more than 2 hours of recreational screen time per day; lower levels are more beneficial for health and well-being.

The author of the Huffington Post article provides a compelling argument for no hand-held screens for under 12's, and here are her reasons (backed up by research):

10 NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME FOR CHILDREN

1. Over-exposure to screens in 0-2 year olds messes with some aspects of cognitive development at a crucial time of brain development.

2. Technology restricts movement, and moving less has a detrimental effect on learning (and physical health).

3. Kids who have a device in their bedroom are 30% more likely to be obese, as found in countries like the US and Canada.

4. Screen time, when not supervised by parents, can steal precious time from sleep. Sleep is essential for a growing and developing child.

5. Excessive screen time has been linked to a range of mental health conditions in children. This includes (but is not limited to) depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, and bipolar disorder.

6. Violent media content has been associated with aggression in children. In the US, media violence is now listed as a Public Health Risk.

7. Attention, concentration and memory are negatively impacted by high-speed media content. This doesn't set children up well for learning.

8. Busy parents who detach from their children run the risk of having their children attach to devices. This can contribute to addiction.

9. There is greater concern about the radiation emission of cell phones. Children are particularly sensitive to these risks, more so than adults.

10. Children are our future, but there is no future for children who overuse technology.

To read the full article, head this way.

By Dr Catherine Draper

Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, University of Cape Town at the Sports Science Institute of SA

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Negative Effects of Excessive Screen Time For Children | SSISA

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In this age of technology, it is probably difficult for kids of all ages to imagine life without smart phones and tablets. But the parents of these kids can probably remember surviving without all of these things, and they also recall the sound that dial-up internet used to make.

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WASHINGTON - While smartphones, video games, TV and other "screen media" can benefit children and teens, they carry a wide range of negative impacts, according to a new supplemental issue of the journal Pediatrics.

And experts won't truly know the full weight of these impacts anytime soon.

During a discussion on Wednesday at the National Press Club, a panel of pediatric media experts, researchers and policymakers agreed that the issue warrants more research and possible policy solutions.

One hundred and thirty authors contributed to the Pediatrics supplement, titled "Children, Adolescents and Screens: What We Know and What We Need to Learn." Its 22 articles cover such topics as cognitive impacts, sleep, privacy, cyberbullying and parenting.

This age of exponentially evolving technology carries not only dazzling promise but also great risk, said Dr. Pam Hurst-Della Pietra, the founder of the nonprofit group Children and Screens.

"Its scope and profound effects carry with it some adult-size consequences that increasingly fall on children themselves - the magnitude of which is just beginning to be appreciated," she said.

Researchers' findings include:

TV and interactive-screen media distract parents and impair parent-infant interaction.

"Heavier media multitaskers" show differences in cognition, psychosocial behavior and brain structure.

Language and attention development are negatively associated with screen media exposure before the age of 2.

Screen media exposure (and TV in particular) distracts infants and disrupts their behavior.

Among youths, digital and social media use is associated with lower life satisfaction, increased anxiety and depression, decreased empathy and disrupted person-to-person interaction.

Ubiquity and utility - coupled with social media appeal

Screen media concerns are similar to those that had surrounded older technologies such as film, radio and television, but "we are in a different age," said Dr. Ellen Wartella of Northwestern University.

The smartphone, Wartella said, is "everywhere all the time" and used for so many things.

"It's not just for entertainment," she said. "It's for interaction. It's for communication. It's for a multiplicity of factors, which makes it even more important that you keep your cellphone on you."

Another factor: social media business models that encourage activity "as often as possible," said Dr. Kathryn Montgomery, a communication professor at American University.

As attorneys for screen media giants Facebook, Google and Twitter testified on Capitol Hill about cyber-manipulation during last year's election, she pointed out the topic's relevance.

"We see the press, policymakers, hopefully parents and the public beginning to understand the way [such companies] function: the way data are monetized, the way these companies can track and follow everybody, including our children," Montgomery said.

Parents have a role to play in monitoring and controlling consumption, she said, but "they can't be expected to carry the entire burden." Corporate responsibility would help, she said, as would stronger regulation, as in Europe.

Effecting such policy in the U.S., however, is a challenging prospect. "We are up against enormous opposition," Montgomery said.

Tips for parents

Researchers recommend a few things that parents can do to ensure healthy screen-time consumption:

Turn off devices during schoolwork or learning.

Discourage their eating while watching TV or movies or while playing video games.

Limit their exposure to scary or intense media.

Create media-free zones, such as the bedroom or at the dining table.

Carefully monitor their exposure to advertising online or on TV.

Limit your own use of TV and digital technology around kids.

Maintain a dialogue with them about sexting and online porn.

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Researchers start uncovering the effects of 'screen time' on kids

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WASHINGTON - While smartphones, video games, TV and other "screen media" can benefit children and teens, they carry a wide range of negative impacts, according to a new supplemental issue of the journal Pediatrics. And experts won't truly know the full weight of these impacts anytime soon.

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Assistive technology (AT) is available to help individuals with many types of disabilities — from cognitive problems to physical impairment. This article will focus specifically on AT for individuals with learning disabilities (LD).

The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. Additionally, students with LD often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both of these practices.

What is assistive technology for LD?

AT for kids with LD is defined as any device, piece of equipment or system that helps bypass, work around or compensate for an individual's specific learning deficits. Over the past decade, a number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of AT for individuals with LD. ¹ AT doesn't cure or eliminate learning difficulties, but it can help your child reach her potential because it allows her to capitalize on her strengths and bypass areas of difficulty. For example, a student who struggles with reading but who has good listening skills might benefit from listening to audiobooks.

In general, AT compensates for a student's skills deficits or area(s) of disability. However, utilizing AT does not mean that a child can't also receive remedial instruction aimed at alleviating deficits (such as software designed to improve poor phonic skills). A student could use remedial reading software as well as listen to audiobooks. In fact, research has shown that AT can improve certain skill deficits (e.g., reading and spelling).2,3

AT can increase a child's self-reliance and sense of independence. Kids who struggle in school are often overly dependent on parents, siblings, friends and teachers for help with assignments. By using AT, kids can experience success with working independently.

What types of learning problems does assistive technology address?

AT can address many types of learning difficulties. A student who has difficulty writing can compose a school report by dictating it and having it converted to text by special software. A child who struggles with math can use a hand-held calculator to keep score while playing a game with a friend. And a teenager with dyslexia may benefit from AT that will read aloud his employer's online training manual. There are AT tools to help students who struggle with:

Listening

Certain assistive technology (AT) tools can help people who have difficulty processing and remembering spoken language. Such devices can be used in various settings (e.g., a class lecture, or a meeting with multiple speakers).

Math

Assistive technology (AT) tools for math are designed to help people who struggle with computing, organizing, aligning, and copying math problems down on paper. With the help of visual and/or audio support, users can better set up and calculate basic math problems.

Organization and memory

Assistive technology (AT) tools can help a person plan, organize, and keep track of his calendar, schedule, task list, contact information, and miscellaneous notes. These tools allow him to manage, store, and retrieve such information with the help of special software and hand-held devices.

Reading

There is a wide range of assistive technology (AT) tools available to help individuals who struggle with reading. While each type of tool works a little differently, all of these tools help by presenting text as speech. These tools help facilitate decoding, reading fluency, and comprehension.

Writing

There is a wide range of assistive technology (AT) tools available to help students who struggle with writing. Some of these tools help students circumvent the actual physical task of writing, while others facilitate proper spelling, punctuation, grammar, word usage, and organization.

What kinds of assistive technology tools are available?

The term "assistive technology" has usually been applied to computer hardware and software and electronic devices. However, many AT tools are now available on the Internet. AT tools that support kids with LD include:

Abbreviation expanders

Used with word processing, these software programs allow a user to create, store, and re-use abbreviations for frequently-used words or phrases. This can save the user keystrokes and ensure proper spelling of words and phrases he has coded as abbreviations.

Alternative keyboards

These programmable keyboards have special overlays that customize the appearance and function of a standard keyboard. Students who have LD or have trouble typing may benefit from customization that reduces input choices, groups keys by color/location, and adds graphics to aid comprehension.

Audiobooks and publications

Recorded books allow users to listen to text and are available in a variety of formats, such as audiocassettes, CDs, and MP3 downloads. Special playback units allow users to and search and bookmark pages and chapters. Subscription services offer extensive electronic library collections.

Electronic math work sheets

Electronic math worksheets are software programs that can help a user organize, align, and work through math problems on a computer screen. Numbers that appear onscreen can also be read aloud via a speech synthesizer. This may be helpful to people who have trouble aligning math problems with pencil and paper.

Freeform database software

Used in conjunction with word processing or other software, this tool allows the user to create and store electronic notes by "jotting down" relevant information of any length and on any subject. He can later retrieve the information by typing any fragment of the original note.

Graphic organizers and outlining

Graphic organizers and outlining programs help users who have trouble organizing and outlining information as they begin a writing project. This type of program lets a user "dump" information in an unstructured manner and later helps him organize the information into appropriate categories and order.

Information/data managers

This type of tool helps a person plan, organize, store, and retrieve his calendar, task list, contact data, and other information in electronic form. Personal data managers may be portable, hand-held devices, computer software, or a combination of those tools working together by "sharing" data.

Optical character recognition

This technology allows a user to scan printed material into a computer or handheld unit. The scanned text is then read aloud via a speech synthesis/screen reading system. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is available as stand-alone units, computer software, and as portable, pocket-sized devices.

Personal FM listening systems

A personal FM listening system transmits a speaker's voice directly to the user's ear. This may help the listener focus on what the speaker is saying. The unit consists of a wireless transmitter (with microphone) worn by the speaker and a receiver (with earphone) worn by the listener.

Portable word processors

A portable word processor is lightweight device that is easy to transport (e.g., from classroom to home). It can be helpful to kids who may have trouble writing by hand and prefer to use a keyboard. Word processing allows the user to edit and correct his written work more efficiently than doing so by hand.

Proofreading programs

Students who struggle with writing (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation, word usage, and sentence structure) may benefit from software programs (included in many word processing systems) that scan word processing documents and alert the user to possible errors.

Speech-recognition programs

A speech recognition program works in conjunction with a word processor. The user "dictates" into a microphone, and his spoken words appear on the computer screen as text. This can help a user whose oral language ability is better than his writing skills.

Speech synthesizers/screen readers

These systems can display and read aloud text on a computer screen, including text that has been typed by the user, scanned in from printed pages (e.g., books, letters), or text appearing on the Internet.

Talking calculators

A talking calculator has a built-in speech synthesizer that reads aloud each number, symbol, or operation key a user presses; it also vocalizes the answer to the problem. This auditory feedback may help him check the accuracy of the keys he presses and verify the answer before he transfers it to paper.

Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries

Talking spell checkers and electronic dictionaries can help a poor speller select or identify appropriate words and correct spelling errors during the process of writing and proofreading. Talking devices "read aloud" and display the selected words onscreen, so the user can see and hear the words.

Variable-speed tape recorders

Tape recorders/players allow a user to listen to pre-recorded text or to capture spoken information (e.g., a classroom lecture) and play it back later. Variable speed control (VSC) tape recorders speed up or slow down the playback rate without distorting the "speaker's" voice.

Word-prediction programs

Word prediction software can help a user during word processing by "predicting" a word the user intends to type. Predictions are based on spelling, syntax, and frequent/recent use. This prompts kids who struggle with writing to use proper spelling, grammar, and word choices, with fewer keystrokes.

Your child's profile

Here are several factors to consider when evaluating AT products for your child:

What are her specific needs and challenges? In what academic skill areas does she struggle?

What are her strengths? AT should utilize your child's abilities to help compensate for her disability.

What is her interest, skill and experience in using technology? In what settings and situations will she use the AT tool? AT can help a child with LD function better at school as well as in other settings such as home, work, social gatherings and recreational events.

Other technology tools for learning

There are other forms of technology designed to help all students, including those with LD, improve their academic performance. These technologies differ somewhat from AT but are worth mentioning.

Instructional software is used to teach specific academic skills (like reading and writing) or subject matter content (such as history and science). It differs from AT in that it provides instruction rather than bypassing areas of difficulty.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a philosophy that encompasses learning models, methods and products to enhance the educational experience of diverse learners (whether or not they have learning disabilities). In this approach, AT is often built into educational materials and can be customized to help students with disabilities be successful with the general curriculum.

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Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities: An Overview

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If your child has a learning disability, he or she may benefit from assistive technology tools that play to their strengths and work around their challenges.

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Over the last decade, the number of people taking online courses and therefore using technology as a tool to enhance their education has increased dramatically. You can now master a foreign language or complete a whole degree without leaving the comfort of your sofa. You can decide not only when you want to learn but also how you want to learn. Meanwhile, the range of technology used inside the classroom has also boomed, with the rise of smartboards, digital textbooks and, most notably, the tools offered on the Internet. But what does this continuing growth in education technology mean for teachers?

While many teachers are excited by technology and interested in the ways in which they can use it to enhance their teaching, others are concerned by its rapid development and wonder whether they themselves could eventually be replaced. At Kognity, this is a question we are frequently asked and recently one of my colleagues brought to my attention an article in the Guardian about just that: Can technology replace teachers? As an employee of an "Edtech" company, I often think about this question, and reading the Guardian article made me reflect on my own teaching experiences and wonder whether teaching and technology are mutually exclusive.

What does technology do for us?

Walking into a classroom in Thailand for the first time with 50 students staring at me while I realised I only had myself and a chalkboard to keep them engaged was intimidating. Think about having no access to a computer, no videos, no projector, not being able to make copies, having to enter all your students grades by hand ... The list goes on. In a geography lesson, we can now transport students to explore another country, while in an English class we can take them back in time to experience Shakespeare's plays as they were performed during his lifetime. Students are able to watch videos at home that explain how to use algebra or allow them to see first-hand the life cycle of a plant. Technology doesn't discriminate based on a student's ability or skill, but instead provides an opportunity to engage students using a medium that they recognise. Lest we forget, technology is growing not just within our classrooms but also in our everyday lives, so it is therefore natural that we should increasingly incorporate it into classrooms.
Great technology requires great teachers!
Crucially, as the Guardian article points out, the use of technology in the classroom doesn't lessen the need for great teachers. In fact, it is great teachers who make using technology so significant in students' education. Whilst technology is able to take on a whole host of tasks, it does have its shortcomings - most prominently its inability to interact with humans. Technology can therefore facilitate the learning process but it cannot replace the role of the teacher. As Vivienne Collinson points out in a for the College of Education at Michigan State University, "Computers do not teach children to question, to discriminate among sources of information, to weigh perspectives, to think about consequences, to bring contextual meaning to a situation, to be creative, or to make careful judgments." Teachers impart students with life skills, valuable life lessons and inspire them to reach their potential. A teacher is so much more than a facilitator: they are also a guide and a mentor. Without a great teacher, technology merely becomes an automated tool and stops inspiring and engaging students. Ultimately, it isn't about teachers being replaced by technology but how teachers can adapt to incorporate technology in their lessons.

The question of whether technology will replace teachers is an age-old debate and one that is likely to continue as technology evolves further. In the same way that the calculator didn't replace maths teachers, technology will continue aiding teachers to educate well-rounded and engaged students. At Kognity, we realise that promoting the use of technology in the classroom is only possible by coordinating effectively with teachers. As our CEO, Hugo Wernhoff, notes, "We're not only in it to offer flexibility in time and place for students, or lower costs for providers. Our main ambition is instead to deliver better learning." Technology can only assist in delivering better learning when it is used by a great teacher. Teachers' roles within the classroom will inevitably change as the resources at their disposal develop. However, as many before have noted, students will always benefit from the guidance and instruction from a teacher at the front of a classroom.

What do you think about the changing role of teachers in the classroom? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow Kognity on Social Media and see what we are getting up to!
Author: Abigail Bryant

Abi is Head of Support at Kognity, where she works closely with teachers and students getting them set up and ensuring their experience with Kognity is a great one. Previously she worked as an English teacher working with International Schools in South East Asia.

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Technology vs Teachers: Can technology replace teachers?

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Over the last decade, the number of people taking online courses and therefore using technology as a tool to enhance their education has increased dramatically. You can now master a foreign language or complete a whole degree without leaving the comfort of your sofa.

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Sign up to the ELSA newsletter and receive regular updates on the Pilot and articles about STEM in early learning.

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Gary Motteram, editor of the British Council publication Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, explains how the arrival of digital technologies in the classroom has helped learning.
Technology is very much part of language learning throughout the world at all different levels. We are as likely to find it in the primary sector as much as in adult education.

I no longer need to make the case for computers to be provided in education, because computers are there in abundance in all their modern forms.We may see traditional computers in labs, teachers and students walking around with laptops or tablet PCs, and many people will have a mobile phone in their pocket that is capable of doing rather more than the mainframe computers that started computer-assisted language learning in the 1960s. I do recognise that there are many kinds of digital divide, and that this is not true everywhere.
What can put teachers off using technology
What is still sometimes an issue is the reliability of these technologies for classroom use. This can discourage teachers from making use of technology as often as they would want to. It's compounded by the fact that, if these teachers are working in schools, they are faced with classes of learners who may, on the surface at least, appear to be more digitally competent than their teachers are. Learners can therefore challenge their teachers, in ways that put the latter off using the technologies that could potentially make such a difference to what happens in the classroom.
How technology can help learners test their skills
In my recent book for the British Council, Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, I argue that digital technologies are ideally placed to help teachers working with learners, and learners working independently, to do the necessary 'languaging' ( M. Swain) that makes their language development possible. We are talking here about doing things with language rather than just learning about language. Swain argues that learners can't simply develop based on input. We must engage with other people using that language, and try to make meaning together. Whenever I speak or write something, if I don't produce language with someone else in mind, I have no way of knowing whether others can understand what I say or write. Of course, I need to read and listen as well, but unless I progress to this further stage, I can't complete the process.

If we take writing as a starting point, technology in the form of word processors (and the many other ways we now have of producing text) allows us to work at the language. We go through a process of creating and re-creating text until it is fully comprehensible to others and is accurate. We can create a draft, show it to others and, based on feedback, can make changes to improve the text. The tools can also help us by showing that our spelling or grammar needs work, too. Technology makes this much easier, and makes it more likely that learners will engage with the editing process to produce the highest-quality text that they can. This writing can then be displayed for others to look at and comment on.

Trying to find ways for people to do meaningful spoken language practice in a class can be very challenging, particularly if, as a teacher, you lack confidence in your own spoken language skills. Linking your class to other classes around the world, using tools such as video conferencing, can give a reason for a learner to ask a question and then try to understand the response. It might also provide support for the teacher, too. The technology mediates the process, getting language out there and giving feedback that shows whether someone has or hasn't understood what you have said.
The benefits of technology in language learning that is integrated with project work
Another area that technology supports very effectively is project work. We have always tried to encourage learners to learn about things through language. Getting learners to do work about topics that are of interest to them, or topics that are taught in other parts of the curriculum (sometimes called Content and Language Integrated Learning or CLIL) is a great way to improve their skills. Technology makes this possible wherever you are in the world. Teachers and learners can go online to read or listen to material about different areas of interest, and can then write or speak about what they have discovered, telling others in the class or other classes elsewhere in the world.

In the book, there are plenty of examples of case studies of teachers doing these kinds of activities, so you can see how technology can be effectively used to support the language development process.
The publication Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching was presented at a British Council seminar for English language teachers in the UK yesterday. Book your seat at our next seminar in the UK.

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The benefits of new technology in language learning

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Gary Motteram, editor of the British Council publication Innovations in learning technologies for English language teaching, explains how the arrival of digital technologies in the classroom has helped learning. Technology is very much part of language learning throughout the world at all different levels.

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Co-authored by Lakshmi, a Mobicip blogger who is just as passionately opinionated about the juxtaposition of technology, parenting and education.
Logical mathematical intelligence may be formally defined as the capacity to reason, calculate, apply logic, think critically and sometimes abstractly, all of which draw their basic principles from mathematics. Educational communities around the world recognize logical and mathematical reasoning to be essential parts not only of education, but of literacy itself. The American National Literacy Act of 1991 defines literacy as "an individual's ability to read, write and speak in English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society to achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential."

The role of technology in fostering mathematical and logical intelligence is obvious in that technology is built on the same mathematical principles and logic that drive life itself. The ancestors of modern digital gadgets -- Pascal's and Leibniz's mechanical calculating machines, Napier's logarithms, Babbage's difference engine, Newman's Colossus and Turing's Bombe -- have all been built on principles of logic and mathematics and in turn support mathematical developments. Jeanette Wing, in a seminal article, states that solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior in real life can be closely related to the concepts fundamental to computer science and technology and coined the term "computational thinking," which must, in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, be added to every child's education.

Technology can support mathematics education through dynamic software, anchored instruction, networked devices, participatory simulations, games and construction kits. The challenge lies in developing technology that engages students with interesting and stimulating applications of mathematics that are relevant to the real world.

Concrete manipulatives -- objects such as the Abacus, Cuisenaire Rods, Base 10 Blocks and Fraction Circles -- that have traditionally been used in teaching mathematics, can potentially be replaced by virtual manipulatives that are dynamic virtual representations of the concrete manipulatives, but with the added advantage that they can go beyond the capabilities of physical objects. The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM) for example, offers interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives and concept tutorials for mathematics instruction. A comprehensive study by researchers at the Clayton State University on the use of concrete and virtual manipulatives in math education showed that while pre-service teachers found concrete manipulatives to be easier to use, students found both types of manipulatives useful to understand mathematical concepts. This is to be expected, as the teachers typically belong to the digital immigrant generation with a steep learning curve, while the students, in all likelihood, are digital natives, at home with technology. The study concluded that incorporating both types of manipulatives into the instruction of mathematics helps build better conceptual understanding and provides sound pedagogical strategies for use with future students.

Gaming offers a rich ground for mathematical and logical training. However, the use of games and simulations to teach and train in mathematics and logistics cannot follow the carrot-in-stick routine, such as the technique proposed by Michael Grove, the education secretary to the UK Government, where equations are solved "in order to get more ammo to shoot the aliens." Mary Matthews of Blitz Games Studio, UK, aptly responds as "Using games for motivation is only one facet, [...] exploration, experimentation, team building, problem-solving and independent, personalized, differentiated experiences [will tap into] the full potential games can offer for learning."

The NRICH Project, perhaps meets the goals of Matthews. It aims at enriching the mathematical experiences among learners and focuses on strategy games to develop essential problem-solving skills in a stimulating environment. NRICH's strategy games are defined as being low-threshold, high-ceiling tasks where the child can easily access the game at its basic level and play 'randomly' while developing a winning strategy.

A simple search for online math tools produces hundreds of sites that offer various kinds of math training and education. Sites like A+ Click Math, Math Worksheets Lands, NumberBender , Get the Math and Math Worksheet Generator are some of many that offer supplementary practice problems in primary and secondary level mathematics. Math Pickle, featuring mathematics videos for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, approaches mathematics from the standpoint of a problem solver instead of from the standpoint of a rules follower. These sites are but tip of the iceberg.

The current barriers to the use of technology in furthering mathematical and logical thinking include the general mindset that digital technologies are an add-on to learning mathematics and inadequate guidance on the use of technological tools in both statutory and non-statutory curriculum. According to a recent report by UK's National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, the main concerns among teachers of mathematics on the use of digital technologies are:

lack of confidence with digital technologies;

fears about resolving problems with technology;

insecurity of knowing less than their learners who are digital natives;

access to digital technologies;

inappropriate training;

lack of time for preparation;

lack of awareness of how technology might support learning;

not having technology use clearly embedded into schemes of work.

John Seely Brown, cofounder of the Institute for Research on Learning , and an expert in digital youth culture, digital media, and the application of technology to enable deep learning, states that the Web may be the first medium that honors the notion of multiple intelligences. Among the different types of intelligences classified by Gardner, Brown's notion is best suited for mathematical and logical intelligence. But the sheer volume of "help" available online for mathematical and logical training could potentially render the effort futile. It is up to the instructor and user to use their judgement to choose tools that are relevant to their needs and development.

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Using Technology to Improve Mathematical Intelligence

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Co-authored by Lakshmi, a Mobicip blogger who is just as passionately opinionated about the juxtaposition of technology, parenting and education. Logical mathematical intelligence may be formally defined as the capacity to reason, calculate, apply logic, think critically and sometimes abstractly, all of which draw their basic principles from mathematics.

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Integrating digital instruction with teacher led instruction is the future of education. What are the challenges and solutions?

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There's much more to mathematics than computation, and that's where more contemporary technologies can improve primary mathematics. Shutterstock

Many parents are beginning to demand less technology use in the primary classroom due to the amount of screen time children have at home. This raises questions about whether technology in the classroom helps or hinders learning, and whether it should be used to teach maths.

Blaming the calculator for poor results

We often hear complaints that children have lost the ability to carry out simple computations because of the reliance on calculators in primary schools. This is not the case. In fact, there has been very little research conducted on the use of calculators in classrooms since the 80's and 90's because they are not a significant feature of primary school maths lessons. When calculators are used in primary classrooms, it's usually to help children develop number sense, to investigate number patterns and relationships, or to check the accuracy of mental or written computation.

There is also evidence that children become more flexible in the way they compute through the use of calculators. It allows them to apply their knowledge of place value and other number related concepts rather than using a traditional algorithm.

The Australian Curriculum promotes a strong focus on the development of numeracy, including the development of estimation and mental computation. These are skills that children need in order to use calculators and other technologies efficiently.

The curriculum also promotes the thinking and doing of mathematics (referred to as "proficiencies") rather than just the mechanics. There's much more to mathematics than computation. That's where more contemporary technologies can improve primary mathematics.

The importance of technology in learning maths

The use of digital technologies in the primary mathematics classroom is not an option. The Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority ( ACARA) has made it mandatory for teachers to incorporate technologies in all subject areas. Fortunately, schools have access to more powerful, affordable devices than ever before. Importantly, these are the same devices that many children already have access to at home, providing an opportunity to bridge the gap between the mathematics at school and their lives outside the classroom.

Literature around digital technologies and mathematics suggest new technologies have potentially changed teaching and learning, providing opportunities for a shift of focus from a traditional view to a more problem-solving approach. This notion is supported by research that claims the traditional view of mathematics that was focused on memorisation and rote learning is now replaced with one that has purpose and application.

When used well, technology can improve student engagement with mathematics and assists in improving their understanding of mathematical concepts.

In a recent research evaluation of the Matific digital resources, the findings were positive. The students found that they enjoyed using the digital resource on iPads and computers, and went from thinking about mathematics as something to be tolerated or endured to something that is fun to learn. An added bonus was that the children voluntarily started to use their screen time at home to do maths. Pre- and post-test data also indicated that the use of the technology contributed to improved mathematics results.

How technology is used in the classroom

Many would consider that the use of mobile devices in maths would consist of simple game playing. A search of the App Store reveals tens of thousands of supposedly educational maths games, creating a potential app trap for teachers who might spend hours searching through many low- quality apps. Although playing games can have benefits in terms of building fluency, they don't usually help children learn new concepts. Luckily, there's much that teachers can and are doing with technology.

The following are some of the different ways teachers are using technology:

- Show and tell apps, such as Explain Everything, EduCreations or ShowMe, allow students to show and explain the solution to a mathematical problem using voice and images

- Flipped learning, where teachers use the technology to replace traditional classroom instruction. YouTube videos or apps that provide an explanation of mathematical concepts are accessed by students anywhere and anytime

- Subscription based resource packages such as Matific which provide interactive, game-based learning activities, allow the teacher to set activities for individual students and keep track of student achievement

- Generic apps (camera, Google Earth, Google Maps, Geocaching) that allow students to explore mathematics outside the classroom.

Just as the world has changed, the mathematics classroom has also changed. Although technology is an integral part of our lives, it shouldn't be the only resource used to teach maths. When it comes to technology in the classroom, it's all about balance.

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Technology in the classroom can improve primary mathematics

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Many parents are beginning to demand less technology use in the primary classroom due to the amount of screen time children have at home. This raises questions about whether technology in the classroom helps or hinders learning, and whether it should be used to teach maths.

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Children are increasingly finding it hard to hold pens and pencils because of an excessive use of technology, senior paediatric doctors have warned.

An overuse of touchscreen phones and tablets is preventing children's finger muscles from developing sufficiently to enable them to hold a pencil correctly, they say.

"Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and dexterity they had 10 years ago," said Sally Payne, the head paediatric occupational therapist at the Heart of England foundation NHS Trust. "Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not be able to hold it because they don't have the fundamental movement skills.

"To be able to grip a pencil and move it, you need strong control of the fine muscles in your fingers,. Children need lots of opportunity to develop those skills."

Payne said the nature of play had changed. "It's easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they're not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and hold a pencil."

Six-year-old Patrick has been having weekly sessions with an occupational therapist for six months to help him develop the necessary strength in his index finger to hold a pencil in the correct, tripod grip.

His mother, Laura, blames herself: "In retrospect, I see that I gave Patrick technology to play with, to the virtual exclusion of the more traditional toys. When he got to school, they contacted me with their concerns: he was gripping his pencil like cavemen held sticks. He just couldn't hold it in any other way and so couldn't learn to write because he couldn't move the pencil with any accuracy.

"The therapy sessions are helping a lot and I'm really strict now at home with his access to technology," she said. "I think the school caught the problem early enough for no lasting damage to have been done."

Mellissa Prunty, a paediatric occupational therapist who specialises in handwriting difficulties in children, is concerned that increasing numbers of children may be developing handwriting late because of an overuse of technology.

"One problem is that handwriting is very individual in how it develops in each child," said Prunty, the vice-chair of the National Handwriting Association who runs a research clinic at Brunel University London investigating key skills in childhood, including handwriting.

"Without research, the risk is that we make too many assumptions about why a child isn't able to write at the expected age and don't intervene when there is a technology-related cause," she said.

But Barbie Clarke, a child psychotherapist and founder of the Family Kids and Youth research agency, said even nursery schools were acutely aware of the problem that she said stemmed from excessive use of technology at home.

"We go into a lot of schools and have never gone into one, even one which has embraced teaching through technology, which isn't using pens alongside the tablets and iPads," she said. "Even the nurseries we go into which use technology recognise it should not all be about that."

Although the early years curriculum has handwriting targets for every year, different primary schools focus on handwriting in different ways - with some using tablets alongside pencils, Clarke said.

Karin Bishop, an assistant director at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, also admitted concerns. "It is undeniable that technology has changed the world where our children are growing up," she said. "Whilst there are many positive aspects to the use of technology, there is growing evidence on the impact of more sedentary lifestyles and increasing virtual social interaction, as children spend more time indoors online and less time physically participating in active occupations." she said. ends

This article was amended on 9 March 2018. An earlier version misattributed a quote to Mellissa Prunty, which should have been attributed to Barbie Clarke.

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Children struggle to hold pencils due to too much tech, doctors say

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Children need opportunities to develop hand strength and dexterity needed to hold pencils

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Thinking. The capacity to reflect, reason, and draw conclusions based on our experiences, knowledge, and insights. It's what makes us human and has enabled us to communicate, create, build, advance, and become civilized. Thinking encompasses so many aspects of who our children are and what they do, from observing, learning, remembering, questioning, and judging to innovating, arguing, deciding, and acting.

There is also little doubt that all of the new technologies, led by the Internet, are shaping the way we think in ways obvious and subtle, deliberate and unintentional, and advantageous and detrimental The uncertain reality is that, with this new technological frontier in its infancy and developments emerging at a rapid pace, we have neither the benefit of historical hindsight nor the time to ponder or examine the value and cost of these advancements in terms of how it influences our children's ability to think.

There is, however, a growing body of research that technology can be both beneficial and harmful to different ways in which children think. Moreover, this influence isn't just affecting children on the surface of their thinking. Rather, because their brains are still developing and malleable, frequent exposure by so-called digital natives to technology is actually wiring the brain in ways very different than in previous generations. What is clear is that, as with advances throughout history, the technology that is available determines how our brains develop. For example, as the technology writer Nicholas Carr has observed, the emergence of reading encouraged our brains to be focused and imaginative. In contrast, the rise of the Internet is strengthening our ability to scan information rapidly and efficiently.

The effects of technology on children are complicated, with both benefits and costs. Whether technology helps or hurts in the development of your children's thinking depends on what specific technology is used and how and what frequency it is used. At least early in their lives, the power to dictate your children's relationship with technology and, as a result, its influence on them, from synaptic activity to conscious thought.

Over the next several weeks, I'm going to focus on the areas in which the latest thinking and research has shown technology to have the greatest influence on how children think: attention, information overload, decision making, and memory/learning. Importantly, all of these areas are ones in which you can have a counteracting influence on how technology affects your children.
Attention
You can think of attention as the gateway to thinking. Without it, other aspects of thinking, namely, perception, memory, language, learning, creativity, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision making are greatly diminished or can't occur at all. The ability of your children to learn to focus effectively and consistently lays the foundation for almost all aspects of their growth and is fundamental to their development into successful and happy people.

Attention has been found to be a highly malleable quality and most directly influenced by the environment in which it is used. This selective attention can be found in the animal kingdom in which different species develop attentional skills that help them function and survive. For example, wolves, lions, tigers, and other predators have highly tuned visual attention that enables them to spot and track their prey. In contrast, their prey, including deer and antelope, have well-developed auditory attention that allows them to hear approaching predators. In both cases, animals' attentional abilities have developed based on the environment in which they live.

The same holds true for human development. Whether infant recognition of their parents' faces or students paying attention in class, children's immediate environment determines the kind of attention that they develop. In generations past, for example, children directed considerable amounts of their time to reading, an activity that offered few distractions and required intense and sustained attention, imagination, and memory. The advent of television altered that attention by offering children visual stimuli, fragmented attention, and little need for imagination. Then the Internet was invented and children were thrust into a vastly different environment in which, because distraction is the norm, consistent attention is impossible, imagination is unnecessary, and memory is inhibited.

Technology conditions the brain to pay attention to information very differently than reading. The metaphor that Nicholas Carr uses is the difference between scuba diving and jet skiing. Book reading is like scuba diving in which the diver is submerged in a quiet, visually restricted, slow-paced setting with few distractions and, as a result, is required to focus narrowly and think deeply on the limited information that is available to them. In contrast, using the Internet is like jet skiing, in which the jet skier is skimming along the surface of the water at high speed, exposed to a broad vista, surrounded by many distractions, and only able to focus fleetingly on any one thing.

In fact, studies have shown that reading uninterrupted text results in faster completion and better understanding, recall, and learning than those who read text filled with hyperlinks and ads. Those who read a text-only version of a presentation, as compared to one that included video, found the presentation to be more engaging, informative, and entertaining, a finding contrary to conventional wisdom, to be sure. Additionally, contrary to conventional educational wisdom, students who were allowed Internet access during class didn't recall the lecture nor did they perform as well on a test of the material as those who weren't "wired" during class. Finally, reading develops reflection, critical thinking, problem-solving, and vocabulary better than visual media.

Exposure to technology isn't all bad. Research shows that, for example, video games and other screen media improve visual-spatial capabilities, increase attentional ability, reaction times, and the capacity to identify details among clutter. Also, rather than making children stupid, it may just be making them different. For example, the ubiquitous use of Internet search engines is causing children to become less adept at remembering things and more skilled at remembering where to find things. Given the ease with which information can be found these days, it only stands to reason that knowing where to look is becoming more important for children than actually knowing something. Not having to retain information in our brain may allow it to engage in more "higher-order" processing such as contemplation, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

What does all this mean for raising your children? The bottom line is that too much screen time and not enough other activities, such as reading, playing games, and good old unstructured and imaginative play, will result in your children having their brains wired in ways that may make them less, not more, prepared to thrive in this crazy new world of technology.

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How Technology Is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus

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Thinking. The capacity to reflect, reason, and draw conclusions based on our experiences, knowledge, and insights. It's what makes us human and has enabled us to communicate, create, build, advance, and become civilized. Thinking encompasses so many aspects of who our children are and what they do, from observing, learning, remembering, questioning, and judging to innovating, arguing, deciding, and acting.

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Is Technology Changing How Children Learn and Play?

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Every winter, several Miami University education majors prepare to leave the United States to study abroad in the small nation of Belize. These college students will spend their time working with children in a variety of local classrooms.

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Technological innovations are moving faster than ever. In our own childhoods we had cassettes, video players and rotary home phones - all now obsolete. Indeed, many of us now wonder how we coped without technology we now take for granted, such as laptops, personal media players and Wi-Fi.

Technology also plays a role in the classroom. In the 80s a classroom was extremely lucky to have a computer, now children are learning mouse and keyboard controls during the Early Years Foundation Stage and many primary schools have ICT suites. By the end of primary school, children are also competent users of whiteboards, digital cameras, mobile phones, handheld games consoles and many more electronic devices.

With IT skills increasingly valued in the workplace and software skills a big draw on CVs, it's understandable that parents want their children to learn new technologies in order to compete in the future workplace. It's even been suggested that ICT should join English and maths in a triad of core skills that children need to understand and use. While research into the effectiveness of technology, the web and digital media within schools is in its infancy, both parents and schools are still keen to employ technological techniques. Indeed, with digital technology so widely available in family life, it seems only natural that school life follows.

How is ICT used in the classroom?

ICT is playing an increasingly fundamental part in class based learning. This primarily involves using a computer to learn about keyboard skills, browsing the web and learning with interactive whiteboards. The latter is the modern day take on the blackboard. Instead of scratchy chalk scrawls, the whiteboard works with a projector and computer and can be used for a variety of activities such as software and multi-media demonstrations, presenting information and making digital notes over other information shown. For the teacher, it is easier to present material to pupils, focus the attention of the class, and helps to involve students directly in activities. In other activities, digital cameras and video recorders enable children to record images and movies, helping them to gain awareness of their environment.

What ICT might be used in your child's school?

EFYS: Whiteboards for viewing images and drawing; computers and software for writing and drawing

Year 1: Using a digital camera to photograph the environment around them

Year 2: Creating images on a computer using different tools, such as 'fill' and 'brush'

Year 3: Learning how to send and receive emails and understand digital communication

Year 4: Using a data package to present information such as pie charts

Year 5: Introduction to spreadsheets, using labels and formulae

Year 6: Creating multimedia presentations with complementing images and text

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Is technology changing the way children learn?

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Technological innovations are moving faster than ever. In our own childhoods we had cassettes, video players and rotary home phones - all now obsolete. Indeed, many of us now wonder how we coped without technology we now take for granted, such as laptops, personal media players and Wi-Fi.