A joint position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College:
The Position It is the position of NAEYC and the Fred Rogers Center that: Technology and interactive media are tools that can promote effective learning and development when they are used intentionally by early childhood educators, within the framework of developmentally appropriate practice (NAEYC 2009a), to support learning goals established for individual children. The framework of developmentally appropriate practice begins with knowledge about what children of the age and developmental status represented in a particular group are typically like. This knowledge provides a general idea of the activities, routines, interactions, and curriculum that should be effective. Each child in the particular group is then considered both as an individual and within the context of that child’s specific family, community, culture, linguistic norms, social group, past experience (including learning and behavior), and current circumstances (www.naeyc.org/dap/core; retrieved February 2, 2012). Children’s experiences with technology and interactive media are increasingly part of the context of their lives, which must be considered as part of the developmentally appropriate framework. To make informed decisions regarding the intentional use of technology and interactive media in ways that support children’s learning and development, early childhood teachers and staff need information and resources on the nature of these tools and the implications of their use with children.
There is conflicting evidence on the value of technology in children’s development. Educators and parents have been cautioned about the negative impact of background television (Kirkorian et al. 2009; AAP 2011b), passive use of screen media (AAP 2011b), and the relationship between media use and child obesity (White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity 2010; Birch, Parker, & Burns 2011; Schepper 2011). Possible negative outcomes have been identified, such as irregular sleep patterns, behavioral issues, focus and attention problems, decreased academic performance, negative impact on socialization and language development, and the increase in the amount of time young children are spending in front of screens (Cordes & Miller 2000; Appel & O’Gara 2001; Christakis et al. 2004; Anderson & Pempek 2005; Rogow 2007; Vandewater et al. 2007; Brooks-Gunn & Donahue 2008; Common Sense Media 2008, 2011; Lee, Bartolic, & Vandewater 2009; Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood 2010; DeLoache et al. 2010; Tomopoulos et al. 2010; AAP 2011a, 2011b). However, research findings remain divided and therefore can be confusing to educators and parents. Some children’s media researchers have found no evidence to support the belief that screen media are inherently harmful. The evidence from public broadcasting’s Ready To Learn initiative suggests that when television shows and electronic resources have been carefully designed to incorporate what is known about effective reading instruction, they serve as positive and powerful tools for teaching and learning (Pasnik et al. 2007; Neuman, Newman, & Dwyer 2010; Corporation for Public Broadcasting 2011). Similarly, Wainwright and Linebarger (2006) concluded that while critics have issued many warnings against television and computers and their negative effects on children’s learning, the most logical conclusion to be drawn from the existing scholarly literature is that it is the educational content that matters—not the format in which it is presented (Wainwright & Linebarger 2006). In short, there are some educationally valuable television shows, websites, and other digital media, and there are some that are less valuable or even educationally worthless.
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