Kids in the Digital World
Happy New Year everyone. I hope the coming year will bring joy to you and your family. Here's a overview of an article that I read in USA Weekend.
There is no doubt about it. I stink at video games. To prove my point, grade school kids have humbled me repeatedly, showing me no mercy with Xbox, Wii, and any other tech games that require a joystick. The worst part about it is that they mock me after they win, as if I disappointed them by not providing enough of a challenge for them. I say pick on someone your own size! Someday I'll get the hang of it, but not because I want to crush some kids dream of becoming the next Super Mario Galaxy champion. I like to stretch myself and keep learning.
Do you ever think about what it will be like here in America ten years from now? What are kids going to be like? Kids learn differently now than they did in any other previous generation in the U.S. They are a part of the digital age, using interactive games, talking books, and the Internet to learn. Gary Knell, CEO of Sesame Workshop, which addresses children's critical developmental needs through programs like Sesame Street, shared about this new transition in learning when he said,"Adults are immigrants and kids are natives." Other statistics support this. According to Kaiser Family Foundation report, American kids ages 8 to 18 spend on average 44.5 hours in front of a screen (USA Weekend, December 14-16, 2007), and the Entertainment Software Association claims that one third of video game players are under the age of 18.
Some experts in child development are wondering if this is good for children. They believe that the quick, constant stimulus of video media will hurt children's learning skills (Parent Coaching Institute). One study even suggested that Baby Einstein and Baby Genius actually hampered children's language development. Others have a different view, suggesting that a more healthy balance between electronic media and conventional learning is what parents should strive to teach their kids. Lisa Guernesy who authored the book, Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time affects Children from Birth to Age Five, suggests parents remember "the three C's: content, context, and your child." Judging from the concerns many parents have about too much screen time and those who are advocates of technology as a teaching tool, this seems to be the next big battle ground.
For the Church, we must consider another cultural trend. How much will technology play a part in local churches? How is the Internet playing a role for churches today? Are there hurdles that churches will face with younger Millennials? If kids are growing up with shorter attention spans (as some research suggest) but desire to engage in worship service, how will this affect the Sunday morning hour? Many churches are starting to wrestle with some of these questions. There are even conferences that help churches deal with the coming "digital age" nation. Ten years ago, Millennials were in high school and were champions of Nintendo and PlayStation. Now it's their younger cousins in elementary school who are kings of Wii and carry their own cell phones. Times change quickly, and for the Church, a whole new era is on the horizon.
There is no doubt about it. I stink at video games. To prove my point, grade school kids have humbled me repeatedly, showing me no mercy with Xbox, Wii, and any other tech games that require a joystick. The worst part about it is that they mock me after they win, as if I disappointed them by not providing enough of a challenge for them. I say pick on someone your own size! Someday I'll get the hang of it, but not because I want to crush some kids dream of becoming the next Super Mario Galaxy champion. I like to stretch myself and keep learning.
Do you ever think about what it will be like here in America ten years from now? What are kids going to be like? Kids learn differently now than they did in any other previous generation in the U.S. They are a part of the digital age, using interactive games, talking books, and the Internet to learn. Gary Knell, CEO of Sesame Workshop, which addresses children's critical developmental needs through programs like Sesame Street, shared about this new transition in learning when he said,"Adults are immigrants and kids are natives." Other statistics support this. According to Kaiser Family Foundation report, American kids ages 8 to 18 spend on average 44.5 hours in front of a screen (USA Weekend, December 14-16, 2007), and the Entertainment Software Association claims that one third of video game players are under the age of 18.
Some experts in child development are wondering if this is good for children. They believe that the quick, constant stimulus of video media will hurt children's learning skills (Parent Coaching Institute). One study even suggested that Baby Einstein and Baby Genius actually hampered children's language development. Others have a different view, suggesting that a more healthy balance between electronic media and conventional learning is what parents should strive to teach their kids. Lisa Guernesy who authored the book, Into the Minds of Babes: How Screen Time affects Children from Birth to Age Five, suggests parents remember "the three C's: content, context, and your child." Judging from the concerns many parents have about too much screen time and those who are advocates of technology as a teaching tool, this seems to be the next big battle ground.
For the Church, we must consider another cultural trend. How much will technology play a part in local churches? How is the Internet playing a role for churches today? Are there hurdles that churches will face with younger Millennials? If kids are growing up with shorter attention spans (as some research suggest) but desire to engage in worship service, how will this affect the Sunday morning hour? Many churches are starting to wrestle with some of these questions. There are even conferences that help churches deal with the coming "digital age" nation. Ten years ago, Millennials were in high school and were champions of Nintendo and PlayStation. Now it's their younger cousins in elementary school who are kings of Wii and carry their own cell phones. Times change quickly, and for the Church, a whole new era is on the horizon.
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on Thursday, January 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM.
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