Student/child safety

Negative impacts of technology on children and students include:

Social skills:

- Technology can negatively affect children's developing social skills and relationships[1]. Children may become more isolated and less able to communicate effectively with others.

Health

Technology use can negatively impact children's health, including their physical health due to a lack of exercise and their mental health due to increased screen time and exposure to cyberbullying[1][2].

Ability to focus

 Technology can negatively impact children's ability to focus and learn, as they may become distracted by the constant stimulation of screens[1].

As teachers, it is important to navigate this path by promoting responsible technology use and setting clear guidelines for technology use in the classroom. This can include:

Setting limits

Teachers can set limits on technology use in the classroom and encourage students to take breaks from screens[5].

Teaching digital citizenship

Teachers can teach students about digital citizenship and responsible technology use, including how to stay safe online and how to communicate effectively with others[3].

Encouraging creativity and problem-solving

Teachers can use technology to encourage creativity and problem-solving skills in students, rather than simply using it as a distraction[3].

To promote better awareness of the potential negative impacts of technology on children and students, teachers can:

Educate parents

Teachers can educate parents about the potential negative impacts of technology on children and encourage them to set limits on technology use at home[5].

Stay informed

Teachers can stay informed about the latest research on technology use and its impact on children, and use this information to inform their teaching practices[6].

Encourage balance

Teachers can encourage students to find a balance between technology use and other activities, such as spending time outdoors or engaging in creative pursuits[6].

Citations:

[1] https://www.cerritos.edu/hr/_includes/docs/August_2021_The_Impact_of_Technology_on_Children_ua.pdf

[2] https://one.oecd.org/document/EDU/WKP%282019%293/En/pdf

[3] https://www.goguardian.com/blog/how-does-technology-prepare-students-for-the-future

[4] https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf

[5] https://www.wgu.edu/blog/impact-technology-kids-today-tomorrow1910.html

[6] https://online.maryville.edu/blog/children-and-technology/