RRL- Impact of modern technology on a child's development.

Modern technologies clearly have been an integral part of today's society as people are
becoming more dependent on these technologies over the decade. Which is why it is no surprise
that children of the recent generations have become users as well. As the younger generation
become immersed in these technologies. Children using digital technology has increased rapidly.
Raising questions if the time they spend on these technologies are affecting them in a positive or
a negative way (Winther, 2017).

On the positive side, people claim that technology is helping the children prepare for the
real world. As most jobs today are technological related. While on the other side, others argue
that technology causes health and psychological issues to children (Hatch, 2011). In this paper,
the researchers will be reviewing the perceptions about the impact of modern technology on a
child's development. The researchers aim to analyze studies ranging from 2011 to 2020 in order
to compare the differences and find similarities in the results of different papers.

In a 2011 study by Hatch, surveys were conducted to get feedback from selected high
school students and adults in America about their opinions on the appropriateness of children
using modern technologies. It is discovered the 72% of them started using cellphones on the age
of 11 mostly for emergency purposes only. 87% of them also stated they were given standard
cellphones such as razor flip phones which had the capabilities of texting and calling. Back in
2011 majority of the students and adults at 68% and 89% believe that young children using
gadgets is not appropriate. The adults seem more conservative than the younger generation.

Furthermore, a research study from 2012 also looking for evidence in the impact of
technology to child development. Conducted a research paper about the effect of implementing
the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, where laptops were given to the poorest regions.
Data was collected from primary schools in Peru and it is discovered that in 2012 these
technologies has been deemed to have limited effects towards academic achievement (Cristia,
2012).

But a more recent research from the year 2015 to2016, had opposite results, as the
research conducted in schools at central Illinois discovered that the distribution of one to one
technology actually made a significant difference in academic achievement as the score were
20% higher and also resulted to an increased motivation (Harris, 2015).

According to researchers who explored the advantages and disadvantages of technology.

When planned, selected, integrated, and evaluated appropriately, technological tools had positive
effects on the learning and development of children (Quesenberry et al., 2016). This can explain
why the results of the two studies were different as due to the other being more recent, more
knowledge about technologies has already been known. And also, the fact that the 2012 research
was conducted at a poor region compared to the 2016 study also is a great factor, as a richer
region have more advantages when it comes to education due to being more developed.

Moreover, In recent studies from 2019 to 2020. Children and technology have become a
hotter topic that potentially receives more media hype than it deserves. After dozens of similar
studies, some data results already have been quite consistent. This includes how blue light in
gadgets affects melatonin production and can affect sleep and moderate internet use can help
children build rapport with their peers, and probably does not displace engaging in physical
activity or other health-promoting behaviors (Gottschalk, 2019). This shows that techologies
does have a negative impact to a child's health. But through the right guidance this can be
prevented.

It is said that teachers should always plan, select, integrate, and evaluate technology to
be developmentally appropriate in the early childhood classroom environment for students. As
well as parents teaching the kids the proper usage of these gadjets. As long as the adults
discipline their children on the time they spend on their gadgets and teach them the importance
of balance, the negative effects of technologies in a child`s development will be avoided. Such as
unhealthy addiction and health risks like obesity due to long hours spent on gadgets instead of
physical activities (Werling, 2020).

It is observed from the time periods of the research papers, people have become more
open and knowledgeable about the truth of the impact of technologies to child development as
years pass by. People begun to understand that the impact of modern technologies is also
dependent on how adults educate and discipline the children about the usage of these
technologies.Though negative impacts of technologies have always had limited results from the
studies reviewed. That doesnt change that fact that technologies can be dangerous to children if
left alone. Furthermore, it is also important to address that differences between the
perceptions of the older generation and the younger generation in the reserach studies also
had limited information. Most of the studies only focus on the quantitative side of the impact of
modern technology to child development. Studies towards the perceptions and knowledge of
adults and students, about the impact of these technologies towards the development of a
child is pretty limited.

To conclude, the younger generation is observed to be more open to the idea of children
using technologies for education, compared to the older generation. Also, it is observed that
recent studies have more positive results when it comes to the idea than the older studies. Which
shows the signs of generation gaps between the older traditiinal generation and the digital
generation. Since we are now in the modern era, children also need modern technology gadgets
such as laptops or computers to enhance their technological knowledge. Generation gaps has
been observed in this review as the older generation is noticed to be more conservative towards
this topic due to the idea being new to them, comapred to the younger generation and more
recent studies that have already opened up to the new system of today`s technological society.
Overall technologies have been deemed to have positive impact to child development. But
negative impacts can also happen if children are not educated about the proper use of these
technologies.

REFERENCES

Cristia, J. (2012). Technology and Child Development: Evidence from the One Laptop per Child

Program. American Economic Association. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?

id=10.1257/app.2015038

Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. (2011). DigitalCommons@URI | University

of Rhode Island Research.

https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/260http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/

srhonorsprog/260

Harris, J. L. (2015, November 30). One to One Technology and Its Effect on Student Academic

Achievement and Motivation, Contemporary Educational Technology, 2016. ERIC -

EJ1117604. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1117604

Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. Semantic Scholar.

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Determining-the-Effects-of-Technology-on-

Children-Hatch/68ebf289049358a7f7a84511f224aae13b20dfc0

Gottschalk, F. (2019). Impacts of technology use on children: Exploring literature on the brain,

cognition and well-being | Semantic Scholar. Sematic Scholar.

 https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Impacts-of-technology-use-on-children%3A-

Exploring-on-Gottschalk/056e3321861066f55164b5cc1457da56933f2217

Sigdel, S. (2017). Technology and Learning Capacity of Children: A Positive Impact of

Technology in Early Childhood. Semantic Scholar.

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Technology-and-Learning-Capacity-of-Children

%3A-A-of-Sigdel/d9d059b7f8bc22ce4abfad0faf95a21b6307f5ac

Quesenberry, A. C., Mustian, A. L., & Clark-Bischke, C. (2016). Tuning in: strategies for

incorporating technology into social skills instruction in preschool and kindergarten. Yc

Young Children, 71(1), 7480.

Werling, K. (2020). The Effects of Technology in Early Childhood. NWCommons.

https://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/education_masters/246/

Weng, J., & Li, H. (2018). Early technology education in China: A case study of Shanghai.

Early Child Development and Care, 190(10), 15741585.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2018.1542383

Winther, D. (2017). How does the time children spend using digital technology impact their

mental well-being, social relationships and physical activity? An evidence-focused

literature review. UNICEF-IRC. https://www.unicef-irc.org/publications/925-how-does-

the-time-children-spend-using-digital-technology-impact-their-mental-well.html
MODULE 8-EAPP

Research Question:

What is the perception of Gen Z`s towards the appropriateness of young children using modern
technology?

Methods:

Interview- One of the best ways to collecting data is through interview. Interviewing is a far
more adaptable method, allowing for the addition of new questions or check-questions as
needed. Because of its adaptability, the interview is a superior method for probing areas where
there is little precedent for understanding what questions to ask and how to structure them.
Interview will suit our topic because in this way we can interview those children's perceptions
towards the appropriateness of young children using modern technology in a more in depth
manner.

The researchers will apply a structured interview. These are interviews that strictly adhere to
the use of an interview protocol to guide the researcher. This method can be advantageous
when researchers have a comprehensive list of interview questions, since it helps target the
specific phenomenon or experience that the researcher is investigating. It makes for expedient
interviewing and will gather the correct information that you need, so there should not be
much need for you to do follow-up interviews for missed or forgotten questions which would
be easier and also be apropriate for time-limited research studies.

Questionnaire- This method is one of the best for our research because iur research is qualitative
and questionnaires is one of the best research methods to use as questionnaires are cost-
effective, simple and quick way to gather data. Furthermore, questionnaires are also a reliable
and quick tool to gather data from multiple respondents at once. Questionnaires allow
researchers to ask the same questions to all respondents in the same order, as well as make
tabulation and comparison of responses simple and consistent.

Since we are in the midst of pandemic, telephone questionnaires are the best type of
questionnaires to use. The researchers may choose to call potential respondents with the aim
of getting them to answer the questionnaire. The advantage of the telephone questionnaire is
that, it can be completed during the short amount of time.