Friday, May 18, 2012
Research that Benefits Children and Families
The only research that I can think of has been research on language and literacy skills in preschool age children. A few years ago, children were tested using palm pilots (electronic device that told what to ask children and then calculated the responses). There was no harm to the children except the fact that the testing was considerably long, children were taken from their normal environment and at times given the test by someone unfamiliar, and there were no hands on activities. Children became restless and, I believe, did not perform the best that they could under the circumstances. The study tested children 3 times a year on skills such as vocabulary, rhyming, word segmentation, word blending, syllables, and words in a sentence. There were control classrooms that were provided no instructional suggestions and other classrooms that were given activities that incorporated the language skills that children were tested on. Of course, the classrooms that diligently taught lessons geared towards the skills did considerable better on the palm pilots. For teachers, it was a reminder of how much children can learn and understand, and how important our teaching of new concepts is for children. Because the research study was a few years ago, I can not thoroughly remember all the results, but I can also imagine, from reading current research, that the children with greater vocabulary were more proficient in reading throughout the elementary school years.
Since taking this course, I have noticed so much more research studies being advertised on television. And at the same time, compensation advertisements for people who have been part of research that has had negatives effects on their health!
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The challenge with determining the harm to children as it relates to technology involves an examination of more than short term skills acquisition. That is because technology advances far more rapidly than our ability to assess its impacts.
ReplyDeleteWhile it may seem a good idea to some to introduce interactive technology such as Palm Pilots to young children, the risks are considerable.
These risks include:
1. What other appropriate activities are not being offered?
2. What are the ethical implications of NOT providing instructional support to children on tasks that would be "tested"?
3. What considerations have been made to the studies that indicate the most literate countries in the world do not provide formal reading instruction until age seven?
4. What are the long term considerations for children that become highly invested and technology, given the recent marketing trends that direct vast energy and research towards marketing towards children?
5. What about the research that suggests that the advantages of early education fade after about age 8?
6. What about research that indicates a decline in health and creativity among American children?
These are important ethical considerations as we consider the use of technology, high stakes testing, public policy, and the changing landscape of childhood. I would venture to guess that these are not unrelated. For example, the decline in child health and child creativity corresponds roughly to the de-regulation of marketing to children and the increasingly widespread availability of the personal computer. The plateau of the advantage of early education experiences (about age 8) roughly corresponds to the period when reading skills are generally believed to be developmentally acquired.
Hello Amanda, I will be looking into doing research on the incorporation of hand held electronic devices into the early childhood educational field. Even though the research you described was an intensely long duration of the use of such devices, I am looking to find information on the integration, not full domination of such devices on a day to day basis. Technology might be moving at a fast rate but, none the less it is here to stay. Great post
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteOur program use the palm pilot as a project study fro assessing children. This was not a success because of the time had to enage in the assessments. We went back to hard copy with the booklets. I am glad that you reminded me of this study. It has been a couple a years ago.
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThe palm pilot program that you mentioned sounds very interesting. I agree with you that the children with greater vocabulary were probably the ones who were proficient in reading.