“Children are being born into a world of silent communication (texting, emailing, messengering, etc.), and so their personal communication skills — how to engage and connect with other people — might need a boost. Considering our ability to effectively communicate will affect every single aspect of life, it’s astounding how little attention it’s given in school.”
It is argued that technology is good and bad for children. Obviously it teaches them skills, they have the independence to research things on their own.
"The Good and Bad of Tech
For school-age kids, technology can be a double-edged sword. There are countless benefits that can be garnered from using technology.
For instance, computers can be used to do research, play online math games, and improve language skills . Television can offer educational programs such as documentaries and other educational materials. Even video games can encourage developmental skills such as hand-eye coordination. Some motion-controlled, active games can also promote physical activity such as dancing.
However, all these electronic devices can have some distinct disadvantages as well. Here are some reasons why it's a good idea to limit your kids' screen time and how to do it with minimal fuss.
6 Reasons to Limit Kids’ Screen Time
It may interfere with sleep. Getting enough sleep can be challenging enough for busy kids. They often have homework and after-school activities crammed into their weekdays and extracurricular activities and sports on weekends. Additionally, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, kids average as much as three to four hours a day watching TV.
Add all that up and you have a recipe for sleep deprivation in kids. Moreover, electronic stimulation, such as that from watching TV or using the computer, has been shown to interfere with sleep (both falling asleep and staying asleep).
It may cut into family time or personal interaction. When we are using technology such as computers, games, and TV, we are not interacting with one another. Since finding good quality time can be difficult for many families, allowing technology to cut into those moments is something parents may want to prevent as much as possible.
While it can be fun to have a family movie night or play a video game together, the fact is that screen time means less face-to-face interaction time.
It may encourage short attention span. Studies have shown that too much screen time may be associated with attention problems.
One study at Iowa State University found this to be particularly true of children who already have difficulties paying attention or who tend to act impulsively. Video games were the primary focus of the study, though the researchers do state that any electronic media may have similar effects.
It may interfere with schoolwork. Children who watch a lot of TV are more likely to have lower grades and read fewer books.
It may lead to less physical activity. More screen time has been associated with reduced physical activity and a higher risk of obesity in kids.
It may expose kids to too much advertising and inappropriate content. Many television shows and commercials depict sexuality and violence as well as stereotypes or drug and alcohol use. Many commercials also promote junk food and toys in powerful and alluring ways that are designed to get kids to want these items.
5 Ways to Limit Technology
Admittedly, it is easy to simply turn on the TV or let your kids play a video game when they complain about being bored.
However, there are many options when it comes to finding alternative forms of entertainment. Letting kids use technology with limits can be achieved if you keep some of these key tips in mind.
- Do not put a TV in your child’s room. Having a TV in the bedroom has been linked to a number of problems including lower test scores, sleeping problems, and obesity.
- Turn it off. When the kids are not watching a specific program, turn off the television. Keep it off during mealtimes and especially when they are studying or doing homework.
- Help your child choose a video game or a show. The best way to know what your child is watching or playing is by helping her pick out a show or a game. When picking out a new family movie or game, read the reviews, watch previews, or ask other parents. Above all, know your child and trust your own instincts on what is appropriate.
- Limit his screen time. Whether it’s one hour of TV and video games a day or a couple of hours a week, limit the amount of time your child spends with technology. More importantly, be committed and stick to those times you set.
- Opt for alternatives to technology-based activities. Find great ways to spend family time together without tech devices, such as by playing board games or reading good books.
A Word From Verywell
Even though technology can provide us and our children with wonderful opportunities, it can also have negative effects on our health and well-being. While you encourage your children to unplug, keep in mind that you can set a good example for them. Try to limit your own screen time and do your best to create non-tech centered activities for the entire family."
https://www.verywellfamily.com/kids-and-technology-when-to-limit-it-and-how-621145
"Thinktank warns that heavy internet use can have damaging consequences but says educating teenagers more effective than limiting online access
More than one in three British 15-year-olds are “extreme internet users” who spend at least six hours a day online – which is more than their counterparts in all the other 34 OECD countries apart from Chile, research has found.
The report, by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) thinktank, says: “Over a third (37.3%) of UK 15-year-olds can be classed as ‘extreme internet users’ (6+ hours of use a day) – markedly higher than the average of OECD countries.
“The only OECD country with higher levels of extreme internet use than the UK was Chile.” The OECD published its findings in a report last year on students wellbeing in its 35 member states.
The report warns that children and young people’s heavy internet use can have damaging consequences. “The evidence points towards a correlation between extreme use of social media and harmful effects on young people’s wellbeing. Those classed as ‘extreme internet users’ were more likely to report being bullied (17.8%) than moderate internet users (6.7%),” it states.
British children also start going online for the first time at a young age by international standards, the report discloses. “Nearly a third (27.6%) of young people in the UK were six years old or younger when they first used the internet. This is younger than the OECD average,” it says.
One in three (34%) UK children have experienced cyber-bullying, accessed harmful content such as a website promoting self-harm or had some other type of negative experience when using social media.
The report – by Emily Frith, an adviser to Nick Clegg when he was the deputy prime minister – adds that 95% of 15-year-olds use social media before or after school, again higher than the OECD average. She and the thinktank’s executive chairman, David Laws – a Liberal Democrat cabinet minister in David Cameron’s coalition government – want ministers to do more to help social media firms, families and schools to help young people become more mentally and emotionally resilient, to help them use social media and deal with the risks it poses.
Parents should not restrict their children’s access to the internet in a bid to protect them from its pitfalls, such as imposing time limits or banning access to certain sites, the report says. It warns of “the inefficacy of attempts to protect children and young people from all online risk”. Parents would be better making their children more resilient, especially in the face of the increasingly key role social media is playing in young lives.
“Our research highlights the importance of equipping young people with skills that help them counter emerging online risks. That doesn’t mean protecting them from the internet but rather putting forward proactive measures centred on resilience building,” said Frith.
“When it comes to making the internet safe, simply ‘protecting’ young people from harmful content will never be the whole solution,” said Matt Blow, a policy officer with the charity Young Minds.
“Children and young people actively engage with social media and we need to support them to understand the risks of how they behave online, and be empowered to make sense of and know how to respond to harmful content which they may come across.”
The EPI found that social media could also benefit young people’s emotional wellbeing by connecting them to others online and helping to build their character and build resilience, though they needed help with digital skills and how to stay safe online.
“Whether it’s SnapChatting friends, scrolling through Twitter or uploading Instagram stories, social media is big part of everyday life for young people,” said Blow.
“Social media can provide many benefits to young people but along with that comes added pressure to live in the public eye, seeking reassurance through likes and shares, and exposure to content which could be harmful or upsetting.”"
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/30/british-teenagers-among-worlds-most-extreme-internet-users-report-says
Social media makes our world smaller. People from all over the world are right there at the palm of your hands at the push of a button.
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Wire Frame:
Development
Wire frames. Wanted it to follow the style of Tinder where it’s so easy to use all you have to do is swipe and people are there. It’s mindless in a sense. This just has small bits of information to read her swipe instead of pictures.
Typeface:
Gill Sans is used because it is a display typeface. It’s purpose is for posters, text documents and advertisements. This is because it is legible from all sizes and at a distance making it the most appropriate to use for an app because no matter how small the text on your phone it’s still easy and comfortable to read for the user. Especially children who may get distracted by a typeface if it is too heavy.
