November 2009 Archives

After receiving my proposal back I am reflecting on the comments made by Dr. Sherwood and how i feel i can create a better foundation for my rough draft.  I can explain in greater detail the reason why i am addressing the topic and elaborate on why i feel it is relevant to actual write a ten page paper about. I've also decided to change my fieldwork to simply getting a webkinz and creating an account. 

Abstract

            My Abstract has gone through many revisions over the past few weeks. Originally, I intended to research the effects of technology on the development of children as laid down by theorists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. After some research on this rather broad topic I found that it was difficult to pinpoint a specific question that I wanted to address. I came to my new topic of 'Children's play and technology' by analyzing the nature of these two theorists. The basis of children's growth and learning in the early stages of life is play, in which they discover their world and build schemes of their environment. Therefore I felt that the perfect aspect of child development and technology to cover would be that of play. Technology is affecting so many aspects of modern life, but the preschool age is when people are first introduced to it in the form of online games, digitally interactive toys, etc. This evidence made me wonder- Could this influence of technology be affecting children's cognitive development? Are children losing their imagination and ability to pretend when a digital world such as 'webkinz' is blatantly placed in front of them? I address these conversations and my new perspectives in my revised abstract. We, as adults who produce and foster children, have the responsibility of thinking about these concepts and doing what is the most beneficial to the upcoming generations for their complete well-being.

Technology is everywhere. In today's older generations, technology was something new and exciting, a science that was not present in their day to day lives until they moved into adolescence. Video games and electronic toys are a relatively new form of play and expression for children that are just as popular as there non-technological counterparts. Many children today reach a level of mastery at computers and video games along with learning the motor skills required to play in other forms, such as with building blocks. A prime example of this is the emergence and popularity of 'webkinz,' which turn the classic stuffed animal into a gateway to the technological world. By looking at the popularity of such technological toys, we can then ask: How is play changing for children? Will the emergence of new forms of play be detrimental to children's cognitive growth or foster new learning? Are children losing their imagination and ability to pretend when they no longer are tangibly playing with puzzles but clicking them into place with a mouse in online gaming? By finding the appropriate balance in exposure to technology we can assure that children reap the benefits that technology has to offer without the negative effects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footballs vs. Furbies: is technology hurting our children?

Ms. Kristen Marie Revello

                                                                                                                                    ENGL 202

                                                                        12:30-1:45

                                                                          Fall 2009

                                                                              Dr. Kenneth Sherwood   

                                     

 

Intro

            Imagine an elementary classroom. It is after lunch and time for activity inside. This is a typical room, with a desk for every student, a blackboard in the front- a standard school setting that has been in place for decades. But something exists in this generations classroom that would be new for many adults who have gone through the educational institution. Computers. Electronic toys that act out for you by pushing buttons. Building blocks and stuffed animals that lie untouched in the corner while the children frantically line up to get their turn to play in a virtual world. Imagine this same classroom letting out for the day and Billy, one of the students, goes home where he spends the evening playing his v-smile, watching t.v., or onlne gaming. Compared to generations past, this sounds like a science-fiction story, in which all leisure activity is revolved around technology. Unfortunately, in many cases, this scenario is true.

            Children aged 2-5 spend at least 32 hours a week in front of the television. Forty percent of American homes own some sort of gaming system. The percent of children aged 3 to 11 that use webkinz or some other form of 'virtual world' is predicted to rise from thirty-seven percent to fifty-four percent over the next four years. Perhaps this scenario is not a science fiction but a science reality. If so, what are the consequences? Are children's minds being affected by all of this technological exposure? By looking at existing theories of child development laid down by Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, do we see a clash with technology or does it fit in with their developmentally appropriate practices?

 

 

 

Sources

As of now, the majority of my current sources are journal articles and websites. I've found that the highest quality of research on this subject can be found in scholarly journals where researchers and professors have applied their knowledge of theory in case studies. As for the popularity of technology aspect, websites for products such as webkinz and empirical observation of children and technology are helpful. So far I am finding most of my sources to be balanced on the issue of how technology affects children. In other words, many of them do not take one 'side' of the conversation but rather they are a balanced perspective on how technology can be helpful or detrimental depending on how it is used. I hope to find a few more sources that present statistics that strongly defend either technology use or no use. Also, I am finding many books that discuss the two theorists Piaget and Vygotsky, and am in the process of deciding which ones will give me the right kind of information I need.  I will also include my personal fieldwork into these sources.

Vandewater EA; Rideout VJ; Wartella EA; Huang X; Lee JH; Shim MS. "Digital childhood: electronic media and technology use among infants, toddlers, and preschoolers."  Pediatrics 2007 May; Vol. 119 (5), pp. e1006-15. Journal Article

Davis, Lisa. "Interactive Toys like Webkinz are drawing young kids, worrying some parents" Fort Worth Star-Telegram 28 September 2007: Article.

"Technology has mixed effects on Child Development, Research Suggests." infopackets.com John Lister Web. 30 January 2009

Dr. Mary Ann Coe, Dr. Martha Burger, Dr. Michael Land, Dr. Bambi Bailey, Dr. Stan Hartzler,Dr. Robert Redmon. Vygotskian Viewpoint: Technology and Constructivism." Midwestern State University, April 2004. Web.

Frank Baker.Media Literacy Clearing House. http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm  Web. 1 Nov, 2009.

"25 most influencial People in Children's Lives" www.childrenshealthmag.com Robert Love

http://www.childrenshealthmag.com/big-kids/The_25_Most_Influential_People_in_Our_Children_s_Lives.php

                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fieldwork Statement

The nature of my topic slightly hinders me from doing the types of research that I would like; Including going into a classroom and observing children's technological use and interviewing them individually to ask about there preferences when it comes to technology vs. 'standard' toys. I do not yet have the Pennsylvania required clearances to enter a classroom and do this kind of work or the appropriate connections. But, I feel that if I find willing parent-child volunteers I could administer a survey/interview that asks different questions to them:

For parents

1.      How much time does your son/daughter spend watching t.v. everyday?

2.      Does your child use Webkinz? If so, do you know the pets name and details about there online world? What kind of activities does your child participate in in the Webkinz world? Do you play with your child online or offline with the pet?

3.      How are your children's grades?

These are a few of the topics I would like to ask some parents of young children. The reasoning behind these questions is to see not only the quantity of time there kids spend online, but if they are aware of what they are doing in terms of technology.

 

For Children

1.      Do you have a webkinz? Explain what you do with it online/offline.

2.      What are your favorite toys to play with?

Overall, I want to get a general understanding of how children and parents view their use of technology and apply it to the research I have already done/will do.

 

 

 

this idea may be a little advanced for the level of fieldwork were doing just for this paper- but it can't hurt just to brainstorm.

Scenario 1: find children who have webkinz and interview them. have the actual stuffed animal by the computer and there webkinz site pulled up beside it. Ask them if they want to play with my webkinz and see if the child is more interested in the actual animals or the computer.

more realistic?:

*Scenario 2: talk to different age groups that play with webkinz and ask what there favorite thing to do with the webkinz is (the actual animal or the online world)

     I think that fieldwork would be extremely beneficial to my topic. The most appropriate way to gain information would be to survey a large group of children and ask them questions about what there favorite things to play with are. I could also ask them to explain how often they spend time on a computer playing games and playing with interactive toys like webkinz, etc.. I could go about this by getting in contact with a local elementary school teacher and asking permission to come in and give the survey to there class. Another approach would be to interview professionals who work with different age groups of children and question them on there day to day observations of there students use of technology. 

Abstract

     Technology is everywhere. In today's older generations, technology was something new and exciting, a science that was not present in their day to day lives until they moved into adolescence. Video games and electronic toys are a relatively new form of play and expression for children that are just as popular as there non-technological counterparts. Many children today reach a level of mastery at computers and video games along with learning the motor skills required to play in other forms, such as with building blocks. A prime example of this is the emergence and popularity of 'webkinz,' which turn the classic stuffed animal into a gateway to the technological world. By looking at the popularity in such technological toys, we can then ask: How is play changing for children? Will the emergence of new forms of play be detrimental to children's cognitive growth or foster new learning? By finding the appropriate balance in exposure to technology we can assure that children reap the benefits that technology has to offer without the negative effects. 

 

I have been narrowing my question and converstation for the rsearch paper to the effects of technology on the studies of Piaget and Vygotsky. More specifically, I was covering the use of technology in classrooms and how it affects childrens cognitive development, and, how these technological advancments might clash with the teachings and research of Piaget and Vygotsky. In the research I have conducted so far, my results have been pulling me in many different directions and I am finding it difficult to really pinpoint what it is I am looking for in terms of a main question to cover in my topic. I have decided to narrow down to a more specific question or sub category of what I have already been blogging about for my paper. Instead of covering every aspect of these two theorists, technology, and classrooms, I am going to cover technology and play.In preschool and kindergarten classrooms-play is an important tool in getting children to learn about their world and is the basis for more advanced learning. Play is also the basis of these two theorists in terms of self-discovery and learning, and is an extremely important part of child development that is being affected by technology. I am going to repost my abstract and other posts with a few changes to make them more appropriate for the rest of my research.

1. What approaches to the conversations I have chosen will allow me to expose readers to an unfamiliar or overlooked dimension of my digital topic?
-it will appeal to educators, parents, and those interested in child growth and technology- finding the effects of technology

2. What approaches to the conversations I have chosen will allow me to act as an interpreter or inquirer?

3. How can one could tap into these conversations? (Is it represented in journals, in the media? Will it require interviews, observation, a survey?)

4. Complete these questions:

Who , in terms of age groups, is this technological play affecting the most? (preschool? kindergarten?)
What can chil
Why is technological play more appealing to children?
When is the age that children are getting actively involved in technology?
Where are children spending the most with technology (home? school?)
Could play technology be affecting the cognitive growth of preschool children?
Would
Should parents encourage there children to take part in play that does not involve technology?

4. Based on the list above, choose or revise a single question that seems most promising:

Could/Is the combination of technology and play for young children limiting there potential for cognitive growth?