Assistive Technologies

Assistive technology is a term to describe the assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities.

Assistive technologies create a space for children with disabilities to overcome difficulties. 
With 1/68 children being diagnosed with autism, assistive technology can help facilitate social and emotional learning that would otherwise be incredibly challenging for them. Robots are an example of how social interaction skills can be used to assist teaching children with disabilities.
 (image from https://goo.gl/6Jj1wr)this robot, for example, is used to teach communication skills to children with autism at Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Assistive technology takes the perspective of the child with disabilities, and caters to their specific learning style so that they can develop as successfully as possible. 

Parents, teachers, and other childcare providers should not shy away from using a range of technology (toys or games) to encourage learning for children with disabilities. 

Social Media & Texting

the explosion of social media in today's society has completely over taken the virtual world. You really can't even get online without seeing one of these Facebook, Twitter, or GooglePlus logos. Social media is
SO what are the biggest concerns pertaining to social media and children/youth?

well, there are a few minor things, and a few major things. most of all, it has to do with the CONTEXT in which the social media is being used. 

Is social media replacing valuable face-to-face social interactions, or helping to create new opportunities for them? 

Is social media influencing the way that children and adolescents interpret and perceive their body image? 

Is there such a thing as TOO MUCH internet exposure? 

at this point, We Just Don't Really Know. since the scientific method requires testing after testing after testing, and with the internet being only about 20 years old, there isn't any scientific Facts yet that can determine whether social media has more negative or positive effects on development. So what do we know?
social media does encourage children and teens to interact with each other, but we are now in a "Generation Like" where young people are solely posting personal or private experiences online to gain the acceptance of their peers. One thing that does concern me is the ways in which adolescents respond to getting "likes", almost as if it's a drug addiction or chasing a temporary high. Once the social media is seen as a social skills compensation tool, I hope that parents are still actively having their children practice other forms of social interaction.

The use of texting affecting literacy or the way social connectedness influences self-esteem or social anxiety have been studied in contemporary research. For example, Gonzalez (2014) found evidence of text messages affecting self-esteem in a positive way, since they engage in more disclosure than when face to face with peers. For children or adolescents with social anxiety issues, texting is used as a mode of communication that opens more social opportunities (Pierce, 2009).

Again, I think the key is for parents to moderate and take a responsibility in knowing what their child's interests are and how much time they are dedicating to it. In my own opinion, it's imperative for conversations about social media be present among families, so that children and adolescents gain alternative perspectives about both it's ups and downs. 

Video Games & Virtual Worlds

What an incredible contrast between these two images right?! While one invokes a bit of fear and anxiety, the other is cute and inviting. How crazy is today's technology where video games and virtual worlds literally can look like a cartoon fantasy, or exactly like real life!

Video games and virtual worlds are in pretty much every single U.S. home. With the internet came the virtual realities, and boy did they start creating new and fascinating worlds. Many times, the biggest concern about video games and virtual worlds is the exposure to violence and sex. Many children and youth engage in these video games as a form of relaxation, fun, and entertainment. 

Minecraft for example is a game where you dig (mine) and build (craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large world of varying terrains and habitats to explore. This game is incredibly popular with elementary and middle school aged children as they are able to interact with other crafters online whom they've never met, as well as create a virtual world completely of their own. I watched my 12 year old nephew play this for 2 hours straight I couldn't help but ask "so how do you win?" to which he scoffed and said "there is no winning. You just get to make whatever you want. Watch" and he proceeded to build a block of dynamite to blow up a part of a mountain. He smugly looked at me and said "see, now I can go find diamonds and other goodies". 

I think today's video games and virtual worlds offer children and youth a positive outlet to express their own ideas, thoughts, and desires. As with anything, children and teens need to be guided and protected by adults, so having important parent-child conversations about the "who, what, when, how, where, why" is completely necessary especially for games where multi-locational players are involved. 

Television and Movies

Movies and Television are one of the biggest sources of entertainment for children, if not the biggest. A huge concern for parents and adults is the types of stimulus children and youth are getting from this source of media. In the past, it was normal for children's movies to be innocent, benign, and most of all rated appropriately for a particular age group. Somehow, things in the 21st century have changed a bit. Television and movies are now exposing children and youth to concepts that were previously inappropriate for their age. The sexualization of many cartoon characters, plus the over-exaggerated depiction of violence can greatly influence the way children and youth view themselves and the world around them. What needs to be taken into account is when a child or teen watches a program,  parental-involvement or parent-child interaction should also be incorporated after. Parents should be very much in tune with what their children's interests are, and what sort of entertainment they are engaging in; and talking with them about it! It is by understanding the motivation and interest of the child that one can effectively influence them to maintain a healthy relationship with TV & movies. 

Studies show that when it comes to TV and Movies, CONTENT MATTERS! parents can greatly influence the amount and types of media their child consumes. Parents, educators, and everyone in general should realize that watching television is not a "passive" activity (Courage & Howe, 2010). In fact, children and infants learn how to sustain their attention, and regulate their attention while watching programs. Concerns that TV is just an "idiot box" can be reduced by monitoring and choosing WHAT your children watch, and for HOW long. 

Many times, common beliefs about TV and movies are that it's just fantasy, or entertainment, but what is critical to remember is that children AND adolescents are still developing their world-views. Approaching your children and positively inquiring about what their thoughts, feelings, and ideas are can also encourage a broader range for development. Discussing the messages or values that are communicated through television and movies with children and adolescents also help them gain perspectives that may be different from their own. 

Tech Toys --

Tech Toys can encourage children to engage with technology in fun, abstract, and problem solving ways that facilitate their learning. The infamous Nintendo Wii is one of the tech toys for children that has gained increasing popularity for multi-purpose uses in the 21st century. With the hand-held remote controller, the Wii uses infrared sensors to track the users movements to coincide with the game being played. For example, a tennis game played on the Wii would require children to actually swing there hand and wrist while moving their legs, simulating the motions of actually playing tennis! 

Studies have found that tech toys increase children's play types. Tech toys can encourage cooperative collaboration with other children, as well as engage the individual child in alternate forms of pretend play.

Nowadays, technology has advanced even the most simplest games for children, it is incredible! Toys are no longer just for playing, they are for learning and can even be programmed to follow . What's fascinating is that most toys now have a learning or academic component to it. 

With developmental concerns always the topic of discussion for many parents, educators, and policy makers, it's easy to see how the Nintendo Wii can be a favorite among all. Children can engage in games for fun and for learning with this tech toy, as well as interact with others teaching them cooperative and collaborative skills.