What are the Benefits Versus Costs of Integrating Technology into our Children’s Lives

The rise of technology has offered exciting opportunities for all of us. This has positively affected many facets of life, for example, greater connections with family far away, plus technology is levelling the playing field for people with some disabilities. There are enhanced career and education opportunities with increased access to information at a level we have never previously experienced and online courses have extended options for education just as a few examples. The opportunities are endless and we are only just seeing the beginning of it now.

However, one of the challenges is that this has involved a relatively rapid introduction of smart phones, Ipads and tablets and other types of screens.

This article explores the impact of technology on our children, both at home but also in schools. This article will also review the possible costs to children of this technology, especially in relation to the Bring Your Own Device programs starting in some Education Queensland schools.

Families are requested to purchase and bring along their own Ipad, including sometimes purchasing additional apps and programs to use in class. Children who participate in the program may also be required to take these devices home and complete homework on them too.

So let’s consider some of the emerging research when considering this new phenomenon.

So how might this negatively impact our children? Optometrist Carmin Hall says that the visual system is still developing until the age of 8, therefore the use of devices is particularly concerning in the early years.

Wency Leung wrote in the The Globe and Mail, Apr. 19 2015, regarding the rise of visual difficulties – “The world is looking a whole lot blurrier to a growing number of people. Rates of myopia, or the inability to see objects at a distance, are rising at a staggering pace, provoking widespread discussion about what’s causing this deterioration.’ In this article it is proposed that digital devices may be a significant contributing factor.

The development of myopia can be due to genetic components as well as environmental factors, says Dr. Setareh Ziai, an ophthalmologist in Ottawa. However Dr Ziai reports this increase has been more rapid. Interviewing several optometrists, they are also noting these increases in visual difficulties. If technology use in schools is going to increase then this needs to be monitored closely to evaluate the impacts over time. ‘The consequences of this condition go beyond a bespectacled norm. Along with its general rise, the rates of severe cases, also known as high myopia, are increasing too, carrying with them an increased risk of retinal complications that can lead to irreversible vision loss, says Dr. Maria Liu, head of the Myopia Control Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley.

Another factor to consider is the impact of increased exposure to blue light from screens. This blue light is can trick the brain at night, this makes it harder to fall asleep as the body thinks it is daylight. This can affect sleep patterns in children. Reduced sleep can impact some forms of memory, therefore it may affect learning. Parents need to be careful as to the timing and amount of screen time for these and other reasons.

I have worked as a paediatric occupational therapist for 20 years now and in my 11 years in private practice, I have spoken to countless teachers about their students. Teachers are at the ‘cold face’ seeing large numbers of children over several years. When I do a school visit to see a child, my curious mind seizes this opportunity and I ask them what they are seeing in their students.

Children in the early years need to develop not only the fingers, but also wrist stability, the arches of the hands for strength and stability, as well as a range of other ‘whole body’ markers for fine motor function.

It is important to note that I did not collect the data at this time regarding the numbers of teachers or the extent of the issues they see. However this is something I commonly hear and therefore it is worth noting these teachers’ feedback.

The use of a stylus or touching the screen is unlikely to offer opportunities for developing fine motor skills, however there is limited evidence that some apps can improve motor skills.  Children receive benefits from, as they go up through the grades, hold a pencil and use appropriate force on the page. This helps develop and maintain strength in the hands and develop handwriting legibility and speed.

Research by Dr Leon Straker at Curtin University has found increased musculoskeletal as well as visual difficulties in children following device use (140 to 200 minutes per day on average). This is concerning as this applies to all devices. Think about your child, how much time do they spend playing on your mobile phone or playing on the Ipad or watching a movie on the Ipad? The amount of time children spend on devices can easily increase and can be challenging to manage.

When families dramatically reduce this use (if it was high in the first place), they will often note improvements in behaviour or school related areas such as attention. I see this so often. We need to pay attention to this and be proactive in approaching this situation.

If there are potential costs from a developmental point of view then are there academic gains that are worth this potential impact? In the Journal of Information Technology: Innovations in Practice (Volume 14, 2015), it was found that there was a slight improvement in literacy outcomes but no difference for maths scores. Hence if it is going to be used in class, then measures should be in place to determine where the benefits are and focus screen use for these subjects. I propose we need to reduce the use of Ipads/laptops in subjects that are not shown to impact academic outcomes, as doing this may help to reduce potential costs to children. At this early stage, I think it is essential and schools need to work with parents in monitoring this and providing regular feedback regarding gains as well as costs.

What about the socio cultural implications? One significant concern I have is that Bring Your Own Device programs are normalising daily use of screens in the early years. Perhaps this is a norm for some families, but it certainly isn’t for all families. Many parents report being aware of excessive screen use and are extremely proactive in ensuring children have little or no screen use at all. I commonly hear how challenging this is and can be a source of conflict in families. When Ipads or laptops are required for homework, this can result in additional time on a screen beyond homework activities, simply by way of incidental exposure. For example, using games as a reward for completing homework or distractions from instant messaging. One study found that children used instant messaging frequently throughout using Ipads at home for homework (Kent and Faer 2004). Parents whose children are using this instant messaging on their device report it can be extremely distracting for their children. What impact does this have on their attention? Attention is crucial for children to learn new information.

One study I found particularly interesting is that home computer use is related to improved academic outcomes, however it was also noted this was dose dependent. Too much screen time had a negative impact in this study, more than 8 hours a week and academic results went back down. (Attewell 2003).

Used wisely, it seems that the increased interactivity of recent technology has the potential to enhance outcomes for children, however research into the application of this technology and its use in the classroom is still in its infancy (Shields and Behrmann 2000).

There are many more options than just paper and a desktop computer these days. But legible writing will always be necessary. There is also evidence that some students need to write in order to learn the content at school. These ‘physical learners’ need to write as do all students in order to learn.

The current curriculum for Queensland state schools states that students should access technology for one hour per week. This is currently achieved easily using Ipads supplied by the schools and hence the BYOD program is not required in order to achieve this educational goal.

When considering technology use, we also need to think about musculoskeletal impacts on children. Technology use has been shown to be related to prolonged poor postures and repetitive movements (Straker 2016). Several studies have also shown a relationship between intense or prolonged computer use and pain or musculoskeletal discomfort (Hakala, 2006). This data indicates that parents would be wise to limit the amount of time their children use a device and especially monitor the positions their child adopts while using the Ipad and ensure they adjust positions regularly.

One argument for device use in the early years of primary school is that children need to be ready for high school. The thing to remember is that technology is designed to be ‘intuitive’, in other words, anyone who is new to the device can learn to use it quickly and easily. Our children will not miss out if they enter high school without intensive exposure to this device at home and school.  Inadequate research available to guide decisions.

For example, if hand function is possibly becoming poorer, then how can this be confirmed? In some areas, we do not have adequate ‘controls’ to work with, therefore it is difficult to tell how screens have impacted children. This highlights the importance of carefully designed research going forward.

At prestigious Sydney Boys Grammar they have ceased using laptops in class as the teachers claim they are too distracting for students and do not affect academic results anyway. The headmaster was interviewed in the Australian, stating laptops were a waste of funds. He said they were distracting for students as there was a reduction in participation in class discussion. This school has a progressive approach to education, however they reflected on the use of technology in classrooms and made changes in response to needs of the students. Hopefully, more schools will follow this approach, evaluate outcomes and adjust accordingly.

Is it really optional? I don’t think it is so simple. I don’t normally discuss my family in my posts, however for this, I am going to make an exception. This directly affects my own child in 2018, 7 years old and supposed to bring an Ipad to class! The school have stated they are not able to provide specific details as to the amount of time she will spend on the device in class, and this concerns me. On the first day back at school, I was waiting with my friend whose son is in the same class, as he walked towards his mother, the first thing he greeted her with was ‘Mum I need an Ipad like the other kids!’ He calmed when she reminded him why they would not be participating at this stage. However, it can be difficult for children whose parents are concerned about some of the issues I have outlined.

I have explained to my child that she will not have her own Ipad but she can continue to use the Ipads available in class, although this will be less than her peers. After she initially voiced her concerns, this has settled and she is used to not having her own device in class.

Without adequate information and research to understand this extended time on a screen, I am unable to participate at this stage. I have no doubt there will be tension from time to time over this issue, but I am her parent, not her friend. Part of my role is being able to set boundaries and tolerate her frustrations with me. Children benefit immensely from parents setting reasonable limits where appropriate. Setting these boundaries will help them to feel safe and is a foundation for building resilient kids.

So to summarise:

• Research is showing screen use is affecting vision, therefore screen exposure in a child’s still developing visual system is especially concerning.
• Screen use may also affect sleep quality and this can have overflow effects in areas such as memory.
• The less children use their hands for tasks such as writing, the less they will develop their hand strength and writing skills, however some apps have shown improvement in some areas related to fine motor skills.
• Technology should be used only in academic subjects that have proven benefits or ensure that there is carefully designed research used to determine academic outcomes during this process
• Remember that this program is optional. If you decide that your child will not participate at this stage, then as parents, your role is to set and follow through with boundaries with your children and sometimes they won’t like it. You are not their friend, you are their loving, consistent parent.
• Talk to the administration at your child’s school, ask them how will outcomes be measured. Will they adjust the program in response to this data. Schools are keen to show they are progressive and a part of that involves continually gathering and analysing data to guide decisions.
• Remember, you are teaching your children how to live their lives as adults. How you model and guide their use of technology will have long term impacts on your children.
• Further research is essential in terms of longer term outcomes for children both academically but also across other areas, such as the impact on vision, stress on children, sleep, attention and hand function and musculoskeletal function.

So if you are choosing to increase your child’s technology use in class, then I would suggest:

• Firstly remember that the majority of technology use occurs at home, when considering reducing exposure at school, this could be a time to review technology use at home
• Annual review at the behavioural optometrist to monitor any changes in visual function
• Teach your child to ‘tune in’ to their bodies, are they getting neck or back pain using a device. Once they check in, encourage them to adjust their posture in order to reduce joint strain
• Keep samples of your child’s handwriting to monitor changes, remembering developmentally, your child should be improving as they develop
• Encourage your child to shift their postures during device use to reduce muscle strain/joint stress
• Monitor use at home, it is easy for parents not to notice those incidental increases in screen use. Your child may negotiate for more screen time, for example, ‘If I do my homework can I play a game afterwards?’ screens are tempting, they are designed to entice children in and want more.
• Parents will need to set boundaries and stick to them if they want to minimise this use.
• Remember the time of day your child is on a screen, the blue light is alerting to the system and will affect sleep quality in some children. We already know that many children are not getting enough sleep, so maintaining sleep quality is important. Poor sleep is related to difficulties in some types of memory.

I know many of you are considering participating in the Bring Your Own Device program. When I talk to other parents about this, some of them are not particularly keen for the program to be in school but they are afraid their child will miss out if they don’t participate. I call this Techno FOMO, will my child be behind if they can’t use a device? Remember there are Ipads in the class and your child will still be able to access this program.

I encourage all parents to carefully consider their child’s involvement in device programs at school. There are obviously significant financial costs of a device, but if we are not careful, there can be other costs as well. I hope this has been useful for you in supporting your child in how to approach how they integrate technology into their lives.

Cris Rowan, “Ten Reasons to NOT Use Technology in Schools for Children under the Age of 12 Years,” Moving to Learn, May 28, 2014, http://movingtolearn.ca/2014/ten-reasons-to-not-use-technology-in-school….

William Klemm, “Biological and Psychology Benefits of Learning Cursive | Psychology Today,” Psychology Today, Memory Medic, (August 5, 2013),

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201308/biological-and-p….

Carrie B. Fried, “In-Class Laptop Use and Its Effects on Student Learning,” Computers & Education 50, no. 3 (April 2008): 906–14, doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2006.09.006.

Pam A. Mueller and Daniel M. Oppenheimer, “The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking,” Psychological Science, April 23, 2014, doi:10.1177/0956797614524581.

Kevin Yamamoto, “Banning Laptops in the Classroom: Is It Worth the Hassles,” J. Legal Educ. 57 (2007): 477.

Kent, N and Facer, (2004). Different worlds? A comparison of young people’s home and school ICT use. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. 20: 440- 455.

Attewell, P 2003. Computers and young children: Social benefit or social problem? Social Forces, 82, 277-296.

Hakala, P T et al 2006. Frequent computer related activities increase the risk of neck-shoulder and low back pain in adolescents. European Journal of Public Health, 69, 423-432.

Straker et al. 2008. A comparison of posture and muscle activity during tablet computer, desktop computer and paper use by young children. Ergonomics 51: 540 – 555.

Leon Straker, Erin Howie. 2016. Young children and screen time: It is time to consider healthy bodies as well as healthy mind. Vol 37. No. 3.