Should Young Children Be Exposed to Television and Computer? Research Paper Example

Introduction

While children are growing into their more mature years of childhood, it is evident that they shall first undergo the formative years of their lives. Most often than not, the scope of this time in the lives of the young children involve intense curiosity of knowing how things work around them. Part of satisfying that curiosity includes exploration and experimentation. It is innate among kids to find fun if not crazy ways of getting to understand how things work. Trying to be independent as they could, these young learners hope to discover matters on their own. This is the proper nature of early education. Simple exploration activities that involve outdoor interaction with the things that they are interested in specifically stimulates the brain to function. It is then essential that youngsters be involved in such practices hence creating a more conducive environment of learning for them as they grow into a more complex world of structured later in the years that shall follow their maturity. True, children deserve to learn the best way that they could and in the manner that their brains could perceive the best of its function.

This is the reason why it is very important that parents and early childhood educators see to it that they are able to provide the brain stimulation that these young learners need. It is essential that they create a more convincing process that would entice the young ones explore further thus creating a better environment for discovery among these young thinkers. Could it be that television and computer be the primary additional elements that could improve the attention and interest of these youngsters? The debate over this matter continues to be questioned between researchers and child education experts. This is the reason why for this discussion, a focus upon the core understanding that poses how much impact computer and television really have on the thinking of young children aged two to three years as well as preschool learners aged four to six. Exploring how they respond to the said elements of electronic-based programming, this paper hopes to convince parents as well as educators to establish a balanced and practical view of these elements of modern media and how much they are supposed to be involved in creating a more refined environment of learning for young children.

Reason of Exposition

While there are some who truly understand the pros of television programming as well as computer-defined learning creations played by young children, very few give attention to the cons of the matter. Considerably, the reason behind this is the fact that many among the parents who are born to the most recent generations believe in the power of technology and its capability to stimulate interest. Given that there are several advancements in the society at present involving technological inventions [of which includes both television and computers] they find it not harmful at all to involve young ones into the system at an early age, after all, it is the makeup of the society that these modern children are to grow into.

Notably though, experts say differently about the matter. In fact, as Calvert (2003) points it out, television programming [whether educational or not] presents so much visual stimulation (34) that does not only exercise the mind but also provides a sense of understanding to the youngster regarding the images that he sees on screen. Nevertheless, too much visual stimulation through images blocks the capability of the mind to create its own picture out of what a child understands through imagination. This then stagnates the possibility of improving the creative aspect of thinking of a young learner.

What of computers? There are some computer-programs that are created to provide learning to children as young as two years of age. Complete with easy-to-follow instructions and colourful presentations, these programs often create a homey experience for a young individual to learn. Nevertheless, as noted earlier, it is believed [and confirmed] that young children learn more from unstructured education. This means that they get more from being explorative and curious of the things they see around them. Why even just holding soil at the palm of their hands create so much stimulation that helps them use their mind or their thinking ability to identify what they are dealing with. Could this be provided through newly created computer-based programs? Practically, no. Shapiro and Nager (1999) introduce a more refined definition on how computers directly impact the thinking ability of young children aged two to three. They impose in their study that it has been found through evidential research that children who are exposed to utilization of computer programs at an early age are pushed to follow and obey instructions rather than explore on their own. As a result, these children develop to be simply waiting for what is to be served in front of them [even in education] hence creating a dependent way of learning that often does not help in the process of a child’s development. Understandably, it is pointed out that while computer aims to aid, it usually entails the creation of issues that convey problems on the learning process of the young ones as they undergo the process of development. Believably, it could be noted through this section of literary proofs that experts impose on the idea that computer and television use at the right age with the right limit would help in refining the thinking capabilities of children, however without the application of proper control and discernment of the parents, such an approach to improved learning shall become a hindrance towards the proper development of the young learner.

Rebuttals and Arguments

What some parents impose is the fact that if these children do not get involved in computer and television programming at an early age, would then not be shocked with the culture of the world that they are to be growing into? Would they not be late in acquiring the skills they need to embrace modernity and the aspects of digital development as part of their lives? True, these questions could be considerably disturbing to parents trying to rear children in a highly digitalized world. However, it should be realized by these parents too t that the first aspect of the human life that is supposed to be honed is their capability to think on their own. The stimulation of the mind at an early age through practical ways of learning shall be more beneficial in the process of gradually introducing them into a world of digital automation.

Understandably, the concern over the stimulation of the brain to work properly during the first stages of learning among children should be the primary focus of parents and educators as they handle the need to provide learning assistance to young children. With the utilization of direct and actual hands-on learning with the aid of the natural environment, the children learn to explore, imagine, discover and understand matters based on their own experiences. Structured learning stimulated through visual presentations could be introduced later on in the children’s later years. Relatively, the programs created for children that are presented both through television and the computer systems are all age-specific (Fisch, 2005). It is then argued that when these programs are presented to the young generation for use at the right age, then they are surely to become beneficial to the educational development of the children. Nonetheless, control and limitation is again being suggested. Letting the children control their playing or watching habits on their own usually ensnares them to embracing the process in a more addictive manner. This then imposes that the worth of television and computer programming as utilized by young individuals would actually depend on the willingness of the parents to see to it that everything is balanced from the point of incurring ample physical activities to the point of incurring just the right amount of brain boosting programming from both the television and the computer.

Conclusion

The need to supervise the condition of their children’s growth still lies strongly on the hand of the parents. The discernment of the parents as they present different forms of media to their children for the sake of improved learning would greatly affect how the children are to grow into maturity. The advice of experts on remaining dependent to the traditional ways of learning which includes imagination, exploration and discovery aided through physical activities should be held closely important by parents. Heeding this advice shall help them make good decisions in helping their children hone their actual skills that shall later on be aided further through the use of modern media. Introducing television and/or computer with the right reason and right timing makes the entire process more convincing and valuable for the children who are at their developmental stages.

References

Calvert, S. (2003). Lessons from children’s television: The impact of the Children’s Television Act on children’s learning. Applied Developmental Psychology. http://cdmc.georgetown.edu/papers/lessons_from_children’s_television.pdf. (Retrieved on February 16, 2012)..

Fisch, S. (2005). Children’s learning from television. http://www.br-online.de/jugend/izi/english/publication/televizion/18_2005_E/fisch.pdf. (Retrieved on February 16, 2012).

Shapiro, E., & Nager, N. (1999). The Developmental-Interaction Approach to Education: Retrospect and Prospect. Occasional Paper Series. New York: Bank Street College of Education.