Technology that Facilitates Backandforth
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), is changing its stance on "screen time" or at the very least, bringing its stance into a digital age.
The upcoming revision of the AAP's policy statement, that was announced in October, is prompted by an acknowledgment that its current guidelines on screen time, best known for nixing any screen time for children under 2 and restricting older children and teens to two hours a day, are not up to date. Some of the advice currently in place was written prior to widespread internet usage. Ari Brown, a practicing pediatrician and chair of the AAP Children, Adolescents and Media Leadership Work Group, via email. "Our previous recommendations were made because we had enough health and developmental concerns about potential risk of TV use to educate parents about it."
Schools are eagerly implementing technology wherever funding permits as well as grade-school enrichment classes on programming software that lets children compose music on computers , and numerous evidence-based stories that show that playing Minecraft can benefit kids with autism, espousing strict minimization ignores the obvious. Today's children are "digital natives." Technology is in their blood.
The AAP's new perspective which is which is summarized in "Beyond turning off the TV How to counsel families about media use," sees TVs, computers, gaming systems, tablets and smartphones as just devices. The time spent with them could be beneficial for children or detrimental to kids, depending on how they're used.
In 2012, the AAP made children and media the top priority. This culminated in the 2015 "Growing Up Digital” symposium. The symposium brought together experts in child development and pediatrics, social science media, neuroscience, and education, and brought attention to the increasing body of evidence supporting the potential (and potentially significant) benefits of screen time for children and adolescent development.
Brown reports that social scientists presented data at the symposium that show that teens can interact online with peers. These connections with peers can be "significantly valuable" and can be even more supportive than actual friendships.
She says the message is that there are plenty of positive online opportunities for acceptance and encouragement to help teens develop their self-esteem and identity.
Other insights offered insight into possibilities to improve digital media's teaching potential. Neuroscientists have presented research that proved that children aged 2 are able to learn new words using video chat. This suggests that it's the back and forth interaction which matters most. Technology that facilitates this back-and-forth is more likely to aid in learning.
Here's the issue: Handing an iPad to a 2-year old and then walking away isn't going to cut it.
Brown states that all of the experts agreed on the importance of co-engagement. Screen time is ultimately determined by the involvement of parents. Particularly for children in the early years positive outcomes are dependent on "screen time" as well as "together time."
Screen time's potential to be a positive influence on children's lives is contingent on their parents, regardless of whether they're 3 or 13. MINECRAFT SERVER LIST The AAP recommends that parents become involved with their children's digital activities whenever possible and that they familiarize themselves with the media of their choice even if they don't decide to.
Parents should establish ground rules for screen time. They should also create "screen-free zones" (hint or dinner table) and be aware of all content. Screen time has its potential positive effects, but there are also risks.
Brown says that "Parenting isn't changing." Brown says the same rules apply to all the environments your child lives in: home, school, tech, etc.
The AAP's new policy statement on children and media will likely not come out until late this year, but Brown says it will "acknowledge the gaps in research are ... look to maximize the opportunities the digital age presents and minimize the risk. It is sufficient to be universal and flexible enough to be updated as technology advances.
Now That's Cool Kids with Autism have their own private Minecraft server. "Autcraft" lets them reap all the benefits of development Minecraft without the bullying that takes place in the main Minecraft space.
