Technology's influence on Memory and Attention Development for Toddlers/Preschoolers

Introduction

The topic my group had chosen is Technology's influence on Memory and Attention Development for Toddlers/Preschoolers. Over the years, the rise of technology has become relatively high resulting in it being used by more and more young children. Previously, handheld devices and technology were not commonly used with young children but primarily more with adults. Since times have now changed, access to technology is more accessible in schools, at home as well as out in society with more advanced apps and websites available to children of all ages. Technology can impact a child’s memory and attention development in negative and positive ways depending on how it is used as well as how often. It is evident that the digital world affects brain development for children 18 months to 4 years as these children’s brains are more moldable and are susceptible to change. It is essential to understand the impact technology can make on a child’s attention development as “the brain and nervous system’s rapid development, attention development is the foundation of all the mental functions and pre-academic skills of preschool children. The development of attention ability, and of networks that form attention in the brain, will afterwards impact the child’s cognitive development and the interest enlightenment” (Relationship between touchscreen tablet usage). Ensuring that a child has the ability to be attentive is important as it will allow them to focus on one task at a time, spend long periods of time doing one task as well as helps to advance children’s academic skills. Educational media that is shown to children can “increase or decrease children’s attention to content, which in turn can influence learning. For example, screen media that uses information that is irrelevant may distract children’s ability to acquire new words and understand essential content. Likewise, certain formal features and production techniques have the potential to support children’s learning on screen.” (Flynn et al., 2019). It is important that we are showing young children songs, videos and shows that are educational as it can increase their attention development which can then support their learning. Fun videos that also educate a child can help promote their ability to pay attention to these toddlers and preschoolers since their young minds are still mouldable. We can help increase their ability to pay attention starting from a young age which can then benefit them later in the future. Along with this, it is essential to understand the impact technology can make on a child’s memory. As mentioned previously, it is important to ensure that we are showing educational resources to young children so they are able to watch these videos and learn through them. When a child watches a video or show in which they are able to interact with them, “These interactive shows layer content through repetition and encourage children to participate with on-screen characters by asking direct questions and pausing for children to respond” (Flynn et al., 2019). When a child is consistently interacting with these online videos, they are able to develop their memory skills as repetition helps develop memory. When a child is using technology, they are able to access resources in which they will be able to be repetitive with their words, ideas and thoughts as well as be vocal with them. It is known that when children watch these videos, they are able to learn through visuals which later on helps them memorize what they learned. When these interactive videos ask children to repeat thoughts and summarize what has happened, they are able to go back in their minds and critically think about what they have learned and what has previously happened in the video.

Technology tools and how they apply to educational environments or technology interactions with children.

There are technology tools educators can refer to and include that will augment or demonstrate how research applies to educational environments or technology interactions with children, would be based on how educators as well as parents, would have to be not only informed but up-to-date as well as, would follow The Department’s principles. By following The Department’s principles, it can “help ensure that technology is being used intentionally and appropriately to expand a young child’s learning and enable experiences and opportunities that previously were not available” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016). Since not all technology is appropriate for young children and their cognitive development and development in general, the way that educators and parents can use technology positively should be that technology should and would “update their knowledge and equip themselves to make sophisticated decisions on how to best leverage these technology tools to enhance learning and interpersonal relationships for young children” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016). Some resources and technology tools for information that will positively impact children’s cognitive development when they are in the classroom would be “Common Sense Media, Fred Rogers Center, Joan Ganz Cooney Center, National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Zero to Three” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016).
Additional technology tools, I can use, would be STEM. For STEM, since the “T” in STEM is technology, it can often be confused with “technological devices such as tablets, laptops, and other physical devices or with the broad term “educational technology.” Educational technology is content agnostic and describes using technology as a tool to promote learning across disciplines or content areas” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016). Although, the “T” in STEM, is intended to mean that it would “introduce children to the underlying concepts of building or creating technology, including computational thinking, which is the basic logic underlying computer science and is beginning to be incorporated into early childhood settings” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016). When promoting STEM learning at home and in the classroom, it is important to combine “social interactions and guidance from parents and early educators, the combination of video and games (transmedia) can be powerful tools at home and in the classroom to promote STEM learning” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016). For instance, examples to resources that can be resource tools are “the Corporation for Public Broadcasting-PBS, a 2010 grantee of ED’s Ready to Learn Television program demonstrated significant improvement in 4-year olds’ math skills when using the PBS KIDS Transmedia Math Supplement to bolster mathematics instruction” (Office of Educational Technology, 2016).