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Reading is Fun!

“I don’t want to!” the little girl screamed as I tried to get her to read.

“I know you don’t want to but it’s a very important skill. How about you finish this part,”

I indicate the end of the chapter, “and then we can take a break, okay?”

“Okay, then we can have a long break?” she replied while grabbing the book.

“Yes, then we can have a ten minute break,” I say with a sigh, lowering myself down to

sit next to her. A few minutes later she is done, setting down the book and turning to face Alexa

in her room.

“Alexa, set a timer for ten minutes.”

This was a regular occurrence, as I am a part time tutor for a young girl. I was employed

to help prepare her for the start of first grade since she was a little behind with her reading and

writing. I found the difficulty to get a young child to read surprising. Of course this was just one

instance. It is completely normal to find difficulty in learning something new. But in recent

years, because of technological alternatives to learning and entertainment, children have been

wanting to read less and less, and the majority only read because of school assignments. Due to

the commonality of children being raised fully attached to technology, the term “Ipad kid" was

formed. Now everywhere you go you can observe young children with access to technology,

even restaurants have taken to having game tablets for children to use. And while it has some

potential benefits, it appears to negatively impact reading and learning.

I was raised with parents who were wary of technology and never allotted me extended

access, which may be one of the reasons that led me to love reading. I do not mean to do the

whole “back in my day” thing but when I was younger, and now still, I would read books

constantly. It was difficult for me to understand why other people did not feel as passionate about

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books as I did. For me it served as an escape, I found a new adventure in every story I read,

finding pieces of myself within the characters. How could anyone not love reading? However,

my brothers were the complete opposite, and extremely book adverse. In order for my parents to

get them to read or take a screen break they had to be bribed with snacks or cash. When we had

designated reading time at school I would always bring my own book, or if I ever went out in

public somewhere I would bring a book, finding chances to dive back into an adventure within

the pages. Anywhere I was, so was a book. With my passion for reading and curiosity in regards

to others’ experiences with technology I came to the question: How does the influx in new

technology affect children's desire to read and learn?

Parenting styles differ from family to family when it comes to technology. A majority of

parents are worried about the long term effects of technology: “on children’s development: 71%

believe the widespread use of smartphones by young children might potentially result in more

harm than benefits” (“Parenting Kids in the Age of Screens…”). With the growing integration of

technology in society it has become extremely difficult to separate children from screens. Early

stages of development in children are now being aided with technology, many educational sites,

including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), recommend

“supportive use of technology in early childhood education,” but there is not much research that

shows educational games and programs are beneficial to learning. As a matter of fact, extended

dependency of technology in children leads to the separation within families. Parents and

children are spending less and less time together, and while families are still connecting with

each other through technology “A families togetherness suffers if we allow distracting

technologies to compete for love and attention,” but “younger children whose parents read to

them frequently are more attached to their parents than children who are read to infrequently.

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Reading builds kids’ bonds to parents because they look to parents for pleasure filled activity”

(Freed). Children’s relationships with their parents is the most important thing to a child, so is

technology really helping them create these bonds?

Schools have readily accepted technology into their education practices. But this does not

mean they are fully prepared to use technology in their classrooms:

A number of factors have been identified to explain why teachers do not feel prepared to

use technology in their classrooms, including insufficient access to technology (e.g.,

Dawson, 2008), lack of time (e.g., Wepner, Ziomek, & Tao, 2003) and lack of technology

skills (e.g., Teo, 2009). While there is no doubt that these factors contribute to a lack of

technology integration, increasing access to technology, time, and technology skills

training does not seem to be enough to adequately prepare pre-service teachers to

successfully integrate technology into their future classrooms. (Tondeur, Jo, et al)

Technology can be very confusing and it does not help that there are so many options and

platforms for teachers to use. Many require teachers to create accounts or sign up for

memberships that require monthly payments. This is a lot to ask from teachers when previously

they did not have to take an extra few steps just to go along with the new advanced teaching

methods students now require. Teachers tend to need more convincing to start using technology:

“Fears of increased plagiarism, dismay at redirected funds, claims of "making life easier,” are

just a few things teachers have to deal with now” (Husky). Students begin to lose their creativity

and unique ideas with access to so many other people's ideas. They have no incentive to use their

own imagination when it is easier to take somebody else's work. Students having access to ways

to plagiarize brings on a whole new level of having to manage the authenticity of students’

assignments. With new technologies becoming a part of school districts it has become

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increasingly apparent that it is mandatory to go along with it. With the increase in technology,

“Children need time and guidance to safely explore while becoming proficient with digital tools,

especially if used for assessment of learning” (Ashbrook). Learning assessments have become

even more difficult for students. They now have to learn new digital tools while being tested on

their academic ability. This use of technology should be changed to become more approachable

for students. Children are being forced to come to terms with this new way of learning without

the necessary time for them to adjust.

There are still benefits to internet use in education. With schools connecting to the

internet there is an increased wealth of knowledge students have access to learn from. The

implementation of “Technology has a reciprocal relationship with teaching, and the emergence of

technologies has pushed the educators to understand and to leverage the technologies for

classroom use. Technologies have an important place in the instructions and classroom teaching,

in spite of the fact that lessons or teaching objectives can be achieved without them. Utilization

of technology is beneficial for instructional gain” (“Article Review on Technology in

Education…”). A larger community of instructors who share information to further the learning

of their students, is the hope for the integration of technology. If used to educate students and not

to just keep up with the boom of technological activity, technology has the ability to be an

extremely useful tool for both teachers and students to take full advantage of to further the

distribution of education. If technology is used in a positive way, and students are taught to

utilize these new tools in the right way, it can genuinely help them accomplish more tasks than

previously possible.

The education system in an effort to preserve traditional literature has damaged children's

views on reading. Many children now dislike reading, and one of the reasons is because of the

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requirement schools have for reading. When asked about this in a personal interview Dr. Richard

Freed states, “schools understand that kids are reading less and they don't know what they are

fighting against. I think they feel powerless against it. They, you know, screens, these

persuasively designed screens are pulling kids away from physical activity. Yes, family time, yes.

But they're pulling them away from reading, I would think, and pulling them away from learning

in general.” For children to learn or do something they have to have a desire to do so. Yes,

reading older informational books and texts in school is important because it teaches the

structure and importance of literature, but it is not at all times a fun way for students to learn.

Making reading and learning fun gives children an intrinsic desire to continue that activity.

According to “How to Teach Your Child to Love Reading” it is important to “pay attention to

[their] interests.” If you teach a child something that they do not find interesting it will go in one

ear and out the other. It is important for schools to start listening to their students; what do they

want to learn? That way schools can find better ways to teach their students while holding their

attention and truly teaching them things they will remember and utilize in the future. Reading is

an important tool in education and should be used to maximize the education of students while

still being used in a way that is enjoyable for children.

Reading is not the only thing technology and schools have changed as handwriting has

also been affected. BBC outlines in “The uncertain future of handwriting” how computers and

typing have taken over handwriting: “Countries such as Finland have dropped joined-up

handwriting lessons in schools in favor of typing courses. And in the US, the requirement to

learn cursive has been left out of core standards since 2013.” This is distressing since writing

things down by hand is greatly beneficial for learning and can provide cognitive benefits as well.

But it is becoming more difficult to continue. Many jobs now require extended use of computers

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and typing. When asked if technology affects the way she learns, in a personal interview,

Brittany Hampton replied, “now everything is on a computer screen. So you’re not doing the

hands on learning like you used to” she goes on to state that, writing with paper and pen is done

infrequently and everything is typing. Even young children have begun taking typing courses in

order to stay proficient in using it when they are older. The demand for widespread use of

technology has overtaken an important skill and learning tool that will affect the education of

future generations.

What is technology's biggest weapon? The answer is persuasion, or more specifically

persuasive design. What is persuasive design? It is “an understanding of human behavior to

influence decision-making” (Craig). Children are easily distracted and technology takes

advantage of that. Focusing on media, it specifically targets adults and children with its

persuasive design, it's friendly, easy to use and everybody is doing it so why not you? As Dr.

Freed said, “Social media is trying to change your behavior,” it has an agenda. An example of

this is streaks on Snapchat; if someone does not visit their app everyday it punishes them by

means taking it away. It is conditioning people to continue using their app. This application of

persuasion is what leads to addiction to technology. Children and teenagers begin to feel the

underlying need of relying on these apps and making it part of their daily routine. That is what

makes social media so powerful in today's day and age. Technology finds ways to get you to

keep coming back for more. Specifically six principles, framing, creating an appealing image

that initially draws people in. Reciprocity, returning a favor, people do not want to take

advantage of generosity. Scarcity, the more limited something is, the more valuable and in

demand it is. Social proof, seeing others do the same thing and approving it. Authority, trusted

sources of information, people trust a recommended expert. Lastly, simplicity shows what is

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most important right front and center. These are used in all sorts of technology, articles, websites,

video games, media, and more: “People may view a source on the Internet as more reliable, for

example, if it's presented in plain text on a site with a somber visual appearance, in contrast with

a cluttered site filled with animations and bright colors. Changes in site design and structure can

have an impact on the way people use the site” (Young). All this takes advantage of children and

adults leading to addiction and other harmful factors that leave lasting effects.

The largest negative effect of technology is behavior. Many children and adults show

addictive behavior when it comes to technology. Extended use of technology and small screens

can result in many side effects: “Social media and mobile devices may lead to psychological and

physical issues, such as eyestrain and difficulty focusing on important tasks. They may also

contribute to more serious health conditions, such as depression” (Legg). These consequences of

technology are not worth the benefit of being in the know. A study done in 2017 stated that

people with a high amount of social media use felt more socially isolated than people who used

social media less. Other problems are anxiety, depression, poor posture, sleep problems, eye

damage or strain and reduced physical activity. In children who overuse technology there is a

long list of issues they can suffer from including, “low academic performance, lack of attention,

low creativity, delays in language development, delays in social and emotional development,

physical inactivity and obesity, poor sleep quality, social issues, such as social incompatibility

and anxiety, aggressive behaviors, addiction to these technologies, higher BMI” (Legg).

Monitoring children and having them use technology in healthy ways for less time has the ability

to combat these issues. Setting some boundaries will help children learn to not rely on

technology as much. When asked about her daughter and her relationship with technology,

Hampton stated, “there was a point in time, when we stopped YouTube altogether…She was so

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sucked into the screen.. she would just be staring…But the moment we would turn the TV off,

she would start screaming as if the house just blew up…there was an addictive problem here. If

turning off a screen in front of her face is causing her to explode.” Hampton realized there was a

problem with her daughter having a screen addiction and corrected it to make sure her daughter

still had a healthy relationship with technology. A parent's top priority should be to protect their

child. Extensive use of technology is harmful both physically and mentally. Taking precautionary

measures to prevent harm when dealing with technology and the development of children is what

is most important.

In the end technology is a part of our society that cannot be changed. It has continued to

weave its way more and more into our everyday lives. Even though it has become important, the

effects it has on education and children's lives should be thoroughly examined. Technology has

extensive effects both in a positive and negative way on children's education. The more

technology is utilized, the more negative effects begin to outweigh the positive effects. As

technology continues to grow and expand as time goes on so will its effects. It will continue to

encroach on education and change the way children learn. Is this a bad thing? No, not

necessarily. But if the implementation of technology as it is now stays the same it will continue

to affect children negatively, especially as time goes on. It will not only affect their behavior, but

it will also begin to affect children's mental health, and their free time. In addition to causing

health issues like eye strain, sleep deprivation, and delays in language development. It can also

cause difficulty for educators to adjust to the changes and complications of technology, as well as

the consequences it can pose for the authenticity of students' work. If nothing is changed children

will lose bits and pieces of themselves as technology becomes more intertwined with education.

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Encouraging limited use of technology and traditional forms of education will benefit children

and their development.

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Works Cited

“Article Review on Technology in Education - 590 Words | Assessment Example.” Ivypanda, 20

June 2019, https://ivypanda.com/essays/article-review-on-technology-in-education/.

Accessed 26 March 2023

Ashbrook, Peggy. "Digital Licking." Science and Children, vol. 58, no. 5, May-June 2021, p. 14.

Gale In Context: High School,

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498. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023.

Craig, Michael. “Pixels of Influence: Breaking Down Persuasive Design Principles.” Toptal,

https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/persuasive-design-principles. Accessed 26 March

2023.

Donohue, Chip, and Roberta Schomburg. “Technology and Interactive Media in Early Childhood

Programs: What We've Learned from Five Years of Research, Policy, and Practice.” NAEYC,

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/sep2017/technology-and-interactive-media.

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Freed, Richard. Child Adolescent Psychologist. Personal Interview. 23 Mar. 2023.

Freed, Richard. Wired Child: Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age. CreateSpace Independent

Publishing Platform, 2015.

Hampton, Brittany. Health Care Administer. Personal Interview. 23 Mar. 2023.

Hosie, Ewen. “The uncertain future of handwriting.” BBC, 8 November 2017,

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20171108-the-uncertain-future-of-handwriting. Accessed

26 March 2023

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Husky, Linda. "Technology (1990s)." American Decades: 1990-1999, edited by Tandy

McConnell, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: High School,

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“Impact of Technology on Kids Today and Tomorrow.” Western Governors University, 3 Oct.

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Legg, Timothy J. “Negative effects of technology: Psychological, social, and health.” Medical

News Today, 25 February 2020,

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/negative-effects-of-technology. Accessed 26

March 2023

“Parenting Kids in the Age of Screens, Social Media and Digital Devices.” Pew Research

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https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2020/07/28/parenting-children-in-the-age-of-screen

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Rich, Mandy. “How to Teach Your Child to Love Reading.” Www.unicef.org,

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