Electronic Learning System: How Much Is Too Much?

Everywhere we go there are phones, MP3 players, electronic planners, electronic learning systems and computers. Sometimes they’re even one device. While many people from older generations remember the first boxy cell phone they saw, the children of today think it’s common place to have touch screen smartphones, or large flat screen televisions that span entire walls. These are the digital natives. But when do the screens become too much?

A young student working on a computer to finish a report is nothing new. Even in elementary schools computers and electronics are playing a larger role in education than they used to. The information at everyone’s finger tips has advanced science and technology in leaps and bounds in the last decade. Knowing how to use the web for research, navigating through a myriad of software programs, and multitasking all are viewed as essential skills in the workplace today.

Are children who start using electronic devices early really going to have an advantage in the future? Or on the other side, is letting a child spend hours staring at various screens going to ruin their physical or mental health? These questions are often tossed back and forth by various groups, and many studies have been proven one or the other. Using an electronic learning system can be beneficial or just the opposite, depending on the situation.

With society in a constant state of change, whether or not one child uses technology more than another isn’t as important as their development. Is the child developing properly both mentally and physically? Keep in mind that an electronic device for a car ride or to use on a rainy day may ease the tension for the parents. However, setting the device aside and reading to a child every night is also a good thing. Enrolling a child in the community soccer group will get them to breathe fresh air, which is also important. There’s always a proper balance for life in regards to screen time.

Now that technology today includes finger-friendly touch screens, even pre-school children have electronic devices designed specifically for them. Introducing young children to electronics can help them work on their letter or number recognition and keep them entertained. Children can quickly get bored when they're just looking at letters on a plain piece of paper. But a game which has a monkey trying to find the proper banana before time runs out definitely changes the whole situation.

These electronic devices put a new spin on learning that wasn’t even available 10 years ago. And while many people hold fast to the way they were taught, there are plenty more who are embracing this new area. More learning options, including interactive storytelling, immerse children into the world of technology at a much earlier age. Is this good? Is it bad? Studies can prove it either way but no one will fault a parent for shoving their child out the door, or replacing the battery-powered device with one made from paper. Alternatively, no one will blame a parent for wanting 30 minutes of peace while their child watches a show.

For consumers eagerly waiting for the next new gadget to hit the shelves, keep in mind all the new toys geared for children. With plenty of holidays around the year there are plenty toys, electronic or not, for every child.

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