Smartphones: The Extensive Usage of Technology
As per the data from Britain it had indicated that around 70% in the age group of eleven to twelve tend to utilise Smartphones which seems to close to 90% by the age of 14. It had been reported in a recent journal that around 56% of the kids in the age group of 10 to 13 are in possession of smartphones.
Though it may seem shocking, it is estimated that about 25% of the kids in the age of two and five tend to have smartphones. Smartphones and tablets have now taken the place of basketballs and baby dolls on the wish list of a child. At elementary school level, kids have now been asking or demanding for this sort of Smartphones devices before venturing much into the education world.
Learning – Mental Process – Adjusts Conceptions – Biology/Experiences
All this had led to queries on how mobile technology particularly with regards to smartphones could be affecting the brain development of children. This subject of discussion had created plenty of debate among parents, researchers and educators.
Smartphones unfortunately are comparatively new and plenty of the evidence collected is uncertain or unreliable. This would mean that it is essential for parents to contemplate the possible effects that smartphones could have on the psychology and the development, during childhood.
Plenty of study has been done in comprehending how children tend to learn and there are several theories being rolled out. However Jean Piaget could be the most respected person in the field of education.
His reasoning development theory tends to explain how learning could be a mental process which adjusts the conceptions based on biology and experiences. He reasoned that kids tend to learn the same way and their brains grow and operate in the same patterns moving through four general stages of growth.
Various Types of Techniques employed in Smartphones– Stream of Learning
Mentors have been implementing various types of techniques as well as methods in their stream of learning which is built on the principles of Piaget. It is essential for kids to experience the world around them in order to accommodate fresh ideas on what they seem to know and discover.
Face to face interaction in the case of children seems to be the most important way of gaining knowledge and learning. Dr Jenny Radesky of Boston Medical Centre had been concerned when she observed the lack of communication between the parents and children. Her observation is that the smartphones together with handheld devices have been creating hindrances to relationship and parental care.
She also stated further that the children tend to learn language, learn about their own emotions, and how to regulate them. Moreover they also learn by observing the adults how to engage in a conversation, how to read the facial expressions of people. If these incidents are not taking place, children are prone to miss out on important elements in the development milestones.
Radio Frequencies Emanated from Smartphones– Damage Developing Brain
Doctors as well as educators have been concerned on the over exposure of touch-screen technology which tends to affect the developing mind. Screen time tends to reduce the capability of learning and exploring physically the world which can be done through interactions and play that has been reduced with the possession of the smartphones.
The main concern is radiation from cell-phones and how the smartphones could impact the brain. But the theory of radiation has not yet been confirmed and several of the professionals have claimed that the cell-phone do not tend to expose us to adequate radiation which could be harmful which could give some relief to parents.
However it seems that the radio frequencies emanated from smartphones could essentially cause damage to a developing brain. In the case of a teen, the temporal as well as the frontal lobes of the brain are in the developing process and are the nearest to the ear area where the teens are inclined to hold their device.
Research had indicated that both the temporal and frontal are developing actively during the adolescence and are said to be involved in phases of progressive cognitive functioning. Researchers are considering how smartphones together with the Internet could impede or augment the brain function, besides exposing the developing brains to radio waves or dangerous radiation.
Smartphones Screen Time – Circuits in Brain Neglected
The head of UCLA’ memory and aging research centre, Dr Gary Small had implemented an experiment which had displayed how the brains of people changed in response to Internet use. He utilised two groups, those comprising of plenty of computer savvy and the other with minimal technology experience.
Through brain scans, he observed that the two teams seemed to have identical brain functions while reading the text from a book but the tech team displayed `broad brain activity in the left-front area of the brain which is known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
The learners on the other hand portrayed little, if any, activity in this part. With the invasion of technology and screen time, the brains have been revamped and it seems that with the increased screen time, the circuits in the brain that tends to control more traditional methods of learning, has been neglected.
These are naturally utilised for reading, writing and concentration. The communication skills have been affected to a great extent due to smartphones and the Internet together with the emotional development of individuals. They tend to risk and weaken the skills of the individual if they are inclined to depend on electronics in communicating.
Dr Small has recommended that kids could become isolated from the feelings of others. Health officials are unable to decide on the effect that smartphones and the other identical devices may have on the developing brains. Research tends to contradict each other with new benefits to technology are being revealed frequently.
