Kids and Their Screens

I've been away in Toronto for the past week and while I've got lots to blog about from a tech perspective, there was one thing that's been nagging me since Wednesday so now at my first chance to sit and write, I thought I'd put it out here.

While away at client sites I often get the pleasure of exchanging emails with my seven year old - we also web cam in the evenings to bridge the distance.  This past week, my emails were going unresponded.  I'd check in on messenger and again, no sign of my little one.  When I spoke with her on the phone she told me that she couldn't use the computer because of a contest called Turn off the Screen Week.  What's that you might ask?  We'll here's the official description:

During     this week, students and their families are encouraged toTurn Off The     Screens (TV and computer) except for homework.

What bugged me about this?  Plenty.

It shows a fundamental flaw in educators' thinking around technology.  It can be used for homework (ie. type up a report) or for goofing around and playing games.  It failed to recognize that our children use technology for much more than that.  Communicaiton, self-directed learning, creative activities.  My daughter did none of that through the week because she wanted to say she had turned off the screen.  No listening to music because most of our music is on the computer, no exploring the mechanics behind bridge building with a new tool she's discovered courtesy her uncle and no chatting with dad.  Instead, she came away with the idea that the computer is something bad.  Something to get away from.

Now I get the general idea behind what it was they were trying to do.  In our house, there is no TV - so its a permanent Turn off the Screen week from that perspective.  The idea was to get away from TV and games and get physically active.  Why not encourage more time for physical activity in the schools?  Have you seen the limited amount of gym time the kids actually get?  And why not give credit for other activity type things like chasing a little sister around?  But ok, I get it, take a break from the TV and do something worthwhile.  And that's the second part of what bugged me - why not reward the kids who turn off the TV or computer and do something else that not only exercises the body but the brain.  Why have contests at all?  Why not invest in bike paths to encourage people to bike rather than drive (adults and kids); why not invest and improve the parks; why not encourage children to see technology beyond just entertainment and as life-skill-building tools.  I know that childhood obesity is on the rise, but rather than blame technology why not encourage "skip pizza lunch week" on Friday's in the schools and promote a healthier eating?

Now my wife chastised me and said "Forget that it's turn off the this and that.  Its about physical fitness."  She's right of course.  And I have no problem with that.  So then market the  idea as "Get Out and Play Week" rather than making the bad guy in the equation be technology. Technology is an easy thing to blame. Kids inactivity isn't a result of technology but a whole bunch of different factors.  But that would require more thought and effort to structure something meaningful to change the inactive habits of today's youth - much easier to just have a one-week challenge and beat up on technology.

Comments

[mrG]

I wouldn't have minded so much if ...

1) they practiced what they preached, and made the classroom and the schoolboard offices also "Turn off the screens" zones.

2) they encouraged increased physical activity not by advertising hour-long facility events an hour's drive away but by holding events in our own school, as you say, promote healthy eating (pizza is actually quite healthy, esp as compared to many process and fast foods) at lunch, but also organize roller-blading, or gymnastics familiarization, ask karate clubs to give demonstrations or

or dare I say it ...

3) re-instate the funding and staff support for extracurricular intramural sports back to the levels they had -- oh will you look at that? -- yes back 30 years ago, the exact same time frame they cite as the start in the rise of youth obesity. Coincidence?

[mrG]

seems our southern neighbours are a little more focussed in their technology targetting: tvturnoff.org's week-spree is specifically aimed at turning off the boob-tube, and they allow for non-jock activities.

Mind you, even their plan has charged ahead apparently blisfully unaware of modern research.