kids using internet

i have a niece and a nephew who are so aware of the Internet and the latest gadgets we have. My niece is 8 years old and my nephew is 7 years old. At the early age, they already know how to turn on and off the computer, and they also know how to use it. Both of them has a friendster account (imagine, a 7 and 8 year old kid) and i don't know they want to have it. Also, they know how to use the Internet and find the latest games. They both have a Nintendo DS that makes them so busy every time they play with it. Sometimes they won't lend it to me because they were to busy playing their games. After they finished the whole game, they will ask for another one.

They got their Nintendo DS from their parents because they both get high grades from school. Before they only play with their toys and watch cartoons, but now they have a gadget and they know how to use the computer and the Internet.

Although they have good grades at school but the violence of some games are really not good for kids. There are games that are so brutal and kids should not play it. My nephew is a smart boy, he's good at school but sometimes he's lazy to do their kumon assignments and finished it on that same day. My niece is a smart girl also, she can control herself on how to use her time for playing and for school. Good thing that they have parents that could discipline them.

It's not bad that kids know how to use the computer, surf the Internet and play with their gadgets but parents should give discipline to their kids to balance the time of studying and playing.

Oral and Written

Oral or written? That is the question.
Oral is oral and written is written. That is the answer.

Stories told orally often rely on the credibility and skill of the person telling them, but written stories have the advantage of being fuelled by the imagination of the readers themselves.

In time, oral stories and words will become both myth and legend.. but written stories can possibly alter the course of history. Your thoughts.

Say it or write it

Many people would just say what they want other to know rather than write it. But it depends on the situation. History has said that people record events andsomethings special through oral communication. Today, important facts and informations are written. Why so? probably to make the information more relevant. An everage person will not be able to recall all the details of such important events. On the other hand, are the written facts are really facts?

hi-tech kids

technology has become a part of our lives already, including kids. i could still remember my chilhood days. i wasn't that interested in computers so i usually go out and play with my friends at the park. unlike now, kids are in to computers. maybe its because there are more hitech computers now a days, such as playstations, psp, etc. there's also online games that are very addicting for kids like counterstrike, DOTA, etc.

technology has may advantages and disadvantages to kids. one of the most popular use of computers is the internet. even kids use it for different reasons. it could help kids learn about a lot of things especially when they need to research about something. but the problem is most of the time, kids use the internet for online games and they can access websites that is not appropriate for their age. sometimes, it could even cause kids to flunk in school becasue they get easily addicted to computer games.

powerpoint on intellectual development of children in cyberspace

This is the input I gave the class last meeting. Based on this, I will give bonus points for those who make a blog entry (personal experience or otherwise) about learning disabilities and the internet, learning styles and the internet, effects of voracious consumption of the internet, and all the other sub-topics discussed in this power point presentation.

children in cyberspace

View SlideShare presentation (tags: intellectual development)

users

Children and cyberspace. hmm.

I know someone who loves to...
* use the internet
* play online games
* watch videos on you tube
* play psp all day long during.

He is only 6 years old and he's my nephew, Pavel. He probably knows more sites, more games, more everything online. Nagagalit siya kagad sakin pag uutusan ko kasi daw matitigil siya sa ginagawa niya, eh nag-iinternet lang naman siya at naglalaro. It takes a while when you try to get his attention when there’s a computer near him. Lalo na pag may tutor siya, he can’t wait to use the internet, minsan pag gamit ko pa, sinasabihan pa niya ako na bilisan ko. Minsan nawawalan na ng respect sa nga mas matanda sa kanila kasi un ung nakikita nila sa internet or tv. Ung mga pinapanuod nila or nilalaro kahit cartoons pa yan minsan hindi na appropriate sa age nila, puro violence and pinapakita kaya nagagaya nila.

Haaay. What cyberspace can do to kids talaga. Children would prefer cyberspace than to use books for researching or doing their homework. Eh nung time ko pa-uso pa lang ang internet kaya books lang ang madalas na ginagamit pag kailangan mag-research. But for the children today, parang tinuturuan sila maging tamad ng cyberspace kasi with just a click away, lahat ng kailangan nila, nasa harap na nila.

Early Exposure

I have a cousin who got her very own computer at the tender age of 4 or 5 years old. YES, she is young. Her family is very much into computers so she was introduced early on. At that age (around 4 or 5) she can actually do stuff on the computer like type or play games (she knows how to turn it off and on, and she even knows how to install stuff in there), soon enough she was introduced to the internet, though she only used that for games and YM (crazyyy!) it was still what I want to call an early exposure.

We might not see it's effect on young kids nowadays but it will soon come after.. Kids used to play outside their houses or play with their siblings which comes with physical interaction and real (I mean not virtual) stimulation. But that seems to go down the drain lately. They claim that they can interact through their computers, but is that a good substitute? Some kids grow up afraid of interacting with people because they got used to doing it online, taking a blow on their personality and self-esteem later on. Are you getting me? *ok. we're walking..*

That only counts for socialization, how about research? School research, personal research, ya-dah! ya-dah! It's one click away! Literally. We rely so much on the internet when it comes to doing our work, because we always reason out "We can easily Google that!", but do we really want kids to have that kind of attitude? Not being able to visit libraries because they know its in the internet? That hits their patience levels, and skill in finding research (Yes, I believe its a skill to do research.. PROPERLY..), among other things..

And problem solving skills (Ms. Cielo made me realize this..), when kids play games online, there is always a RIGHT answer that they need to find, it doesn't really allow them to use their own logic or even creativity in finding a solution, that then gets you thinking, what in the world do they get from there? Entertainment? Gahh, it never ends.

This is from our recent discussion as well, being bored easily. Students always claims that they want something exciting (manner, I guess) when it comes to studying and that they want to be entertained, but is that what we really need? Well, its not. (HAHA. anti-climactic!) Well, you know what I mean.. Right..?

Danger. Even if they are not exposed to danger physically, yet. They might still be.. Exposure to pornographic sites, pedophiles who can pretend to be kids as well.. That sort of thing. We can't always look after the kids all the time, so they are likely to get exposed to these dangers and not know that it's actually dangerous already. (Am I getting too.. confusing?)

Anyway, anyway. To wrap it up..

All of those things can apply to kids, no doubt. And now we shall think about it, is it right to actually allow kids to be exposed to the internet in an early age? Or is there any other alternative?

If my decision would count in my young cousin's life, I wouldn't really allow her to be totally immersed with the computer. Nuh-uh!

Sige naaa. I know you want to.. ANSWER IT :)