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The modern world witnesses wide use of technology which assists in different kinds of processes people are involved into. The book “Failure to Connect – How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds and What We Can Do About It” by Jane M. Healy deals with the assistance of technology in children’s learning process and the effects the technology produces on their minds. The book describes stages of children’s cognitive development as well as measures which should be taken by parents in order to “optimize their children’s mental growth” (Healy, 2000). Detailed analysis of several chapters of the book will help to understand the impact of computer technologies on children’s health and mental development.
To begin with, chapter 4 of the book deals with the impact of video games on children’s mental health. The author of the book advises parents to “(b)e alert for abnormally “spaced-out” behavior that can signal rare video-game-related seizures” (Healy, 2000). Indeed, these days most of children are obsessed with videogames. It has been proved that video games cause addiction which leads to children being abnormally dependent on them. It seems that the only way out for parents in case of their child’s dependence on video games is to choose those games which “encourage reading and original problem-solving instead of memorizing procedural routines” (Healy, 2000).
In addition, chapter 5 deals with learning environment and learning conditions of children. Healy emphasizes that “children who learn in one medium (screen vs. page) will always be inclined to prefer the one in which they learned” (Healy, 2000). From this it can be concluded that children who got used to studying by means of books are unlikely to have the same level of academic achievements when studying by means of computer. This happens due to a particular frame of the perception of information by a child for whom it is easier to comprehend the text written on the paper, rather than the one which appears at the screen.
Chapter six explores the impact of computer technologies on children’s health. It has been discovered that “some uses of computers can trigger hormonal changes that raise blood pressure or affect the immune system” (Healy, 2000). This is especially harmful for the health of children, since even the adults’ brain “is very responsive to small alterations in the hormonal system” (Healy, 2000). Negative effect of computer technologies on children’s health has been known for decades. Hormonal changes, raised blood pressure, and weakening of immune system may result in child’s serious problems with health in future. This being the reason, the time which the child spends using the computer should be limited.
In chapter 7 Healy states that “(p)reschoolers and even six- to eight-year-olds in no way need computers” (Healy, 2000). It is hard to disagree with her, since children at that age mostly use computers for fun, rather then for studying. Computers are more important for older children, though again, their usage for entertainment should be restricted.
Chapter 8 continues developing the idea presented in chapter 7. It describes the influence of computer technologies on preschoolers and children younger than eight years old. It turns out that using computers affects not only children’s physical health but “can “scaffold” [their mental] development” (Healy, 2000). Therefore, children should be allowed to use computers only for study purposes.
Finally, chapter 9 deals with a computer as “a “thinking” or “reasoning” substitute for human intelligence” (Healy, 2000). Indeed, computers facilitate a number of human activities and make people’s life easier. However, they will never be able to substitute for human intelligence for they are devoid of feelings and emotions being able to perform only a limited set of activities they have been programmed for.
References
Healy, J. (2000). Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds–For Better and Worse. Simon & Schuster.
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