Technology Policy Guide

Failure to Connect:

How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds - and What Can We Do About It

By Jane M. Healy, Ph. D.

New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998

Failure to Connect is a non-fiction book that discusses the implications of technology as it relates to the academic and social development of children. Author Jane Healy links children’s technology use to important findings about stages of child development and brain maturation.

Dr. Healy’s, book examines and presents the impact of computer use on children in three parts. Part 1 discusses the use of computers in the home and in the educational setting. Part 2 examines personal issues in technology use, including physical health, intellectual and brain development, and the social, emotional, and other personal aspects of children and teens using computers. Part 3 describes the practical applications that illustrate appropriate and inappropriate ways using technology with different age groups.

Dr. Healy gives these guidelines on deciding when to use technology with children. The guidelines are listed below:

• “If a child has sufficient cognitive skills and social development,
• If technology is not substituting for important developmental experience,
• If we are not expecting it to do what it cannot do,
• If parenting and teaching retain priority,
• If the technology complement a well-planned curriculum,
• If it does not steal funds from more important needs,
• If we are judicious in planning and selection of software and activities,
• If we don’t become seduced by flashy graphics and digital legerdemain,
• If parents and teachers ware willing to provide a human “scaffold” for technology-assisted learning…then young people may profit from wise choices in this emerging field (p.245)."

Failure to Connect is a very interesting and informative book on how the uses of technology can affect children. While reading the book it made me question if I’m doing the right thing when I use technology in my kindergarten classroom. A major hypothesis of Dr. Healy is that computer usage by children under age 7 is probably harmful unless carefully guided by a thoughtful adult. I know I’m a thoughtful adult, however I worry about the brain development of the four and five year olds in my classroom. This book is a real eye opener and should be read by both, parents and educators!

I disagree to a point with the underlying question surfacing throughout this book, “Do computers and technology truly improve student learning and achievement?” According to the author, there is little evidence to support the use of technology as a necessity or benefit to student success. (p. 105-106) The use of technology in my classroom has enhanced my instruction and allowed my students to be active learners. With the use of a LCD projector and a document camera my students can experience creative, innovative lessons. I feel I am able to keep all students actively engaged, especially those students that have difficulty focusing and staying on task. Using power points and DVD’s that reinforce the kindergarten curriculum have made it easier for my students to master skills like: letter recognition, sounds, and sight words.

Reading Failure to Connect allowed me to review information about brain development. It was good to refresh my knowledge of how the brain develops; and the right and left hemispheres. Now, I know that it is important to educate the parents of my students’ on using the computer at home. It has also made me think about the time usage of a LCD projector in relationship to a television. If my students are watching in the classroom and then going home and sitting in front of the television, what harm is being done to them? We all know that a child’s television viewing should be limited. Is the 21^st century learner being over exposed with the use of multi-media in the classroom?

Understanding and Building of Knowledge

How can technology support student understanding and building of knowledge?

Technology can support student understanding by building background knowledge on a topic. Through Internet searches the student is given an opportunity to have access to a wide range of information. This allows for a student to use critical thinking skills when researching a topic. Students are given different types of information when they do a search; photos, videos, power points, and articles. Literally information is at one’s fingertips!

Explain what types of products do you feel can inspire creativity and innovation?

Apple computers have made it very easy to inspire creativity and innovation through their software. iDVD and iMovie allows one to be very creative in delivering information in an innovative way. Smart phones or flip videos allow creativity an upload away to You Tube.

First Reflection: What Do Students Need to Know?

What do students need to know before engaging in Internet searches and online social networking sites?

It’s important to know that when students search the Internet they should be using appropriate search engines depending on their age. The student also needs to know how to use effective search terms and evaluate the credibility of information sources.

When engaging in online social networking sites the student should be aware of not giving out personal information. The student should take caution to the friends that he accepts and realize that his photos and comments can be linked to his friends’ pages. One needs to be proactive about taking steps to minimize certain potential risks when using social networking sites.

It’s also important for a parent to monitor a student’s time on the sites that are visited online.

Using Digital Media in the Classroom

I enjoyed reading about all the positive reasons for using digital media in the classroom. I’m a big fan of using digital media in my kindergarten classroom. I was glad to see the importance of how it addresses multiple intelligences. It stated that by using video in the classroom it is able to accommodate a wider range of learning styles for the diverse group of students’ whose educational needs need to be met in the formal educational setting. I also found this interesting “Visual messages of multimedia are processed in a different part of the brain than that which processes textual and linguistic learning.” They went on to say that the part that processes multimedia is the emotional part and in turn memory is influence by emotion.

The articles just reinforced for me the benefits of using digital media in the classroom. I have always been aware of multiple intelligences and have seen the importance of delivering the curriculum in many different ways to accommodate the different learning styles in my classroom. The way a student learns has always interested me and for many years I have been interested brain research. I’ve found that simple exercises and music with 60 beats per minute can greatly influence a student’s learning.

Cruse, E., M.ED. (n.d.). Using educational video in the classroom: Theory, research and practice. In Library Video Company [Article]. Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://www.libraryvideo.com/articles/article26.asp?mscssid=DKGD53CXPDPB8HA3X7RJP76VAK1L7BXF

I hope I am using Noodle Bib correctly. I might want to know more about that.

Animal Video Sounds

In the Kindergarten Kingdom we are getting ready to travel to the farm. Here we will learn about who lives at the farm; and the sounds that the animals and things found on a farm make. I will show this video to introduce the farm unit and build background for my kindergartners.

Learning

Ever since I’ve been in education I’ve found it important to make learning meaningful and fun! Most of my teaching experience has been in the primary elementary grades. It’s important as a teacher to make sure that you recognize every kind of learner. Therefore, I have always used teaching strategies that target the different learning styles. Of course, in the primary grades it’s always important to incorporate movement and use many visuals. Manipulatives are always essential for the kinesthetic learner. I believe in using background music with different beats depending upon the subject and assignment to increase the students’ productivity.

Several years ago I became interested in how the brain works and how it affects a student’s learning. This has made me incorporate brain gym activities into my daily classroom routine. A student can’t learn if their body and brain is not ready. I use a series of brain gym activities called PACE to get the student ready for learning. These activities allow the student to de-stress and cross their midline so both sides of the brain are working. I also believe it’s important to have the student drink water throughout the day because their brain can’t function without water.

Learning must be fun! I always tell my students’, ”If you do your best you have done your job!” As an educator it is important to make sure you are teaching to all your students, your students are learning, and they are becoming thinkers.

It's a 21st Learner