STS Report Topic

Christian Arocha
Marc Sanchez
Jerick Zen Sildo
Christ the King College
STS
Children’s use of Technology and social media
Introduction
 Parenting children of today’s generation comes with a unique set of challenges due to the
many recent advancements in technology. There is no denying the reach technology has in
our lives, as well as the lives of our children. Technology is virtually in every home in one way
or another. How often do kids use technology? Nearly 84 percent of parents said their children
use technology with them or another parent in the home. For those parents who said they
personally engaged in technology with their children, 35 percent said they spend from 30
minutes to one hour a day and 23 percent said they engage from one to two hours a day.
Therefore, it’s important for parents to be mindful of how their children use technology and the
potential effects—both positive and negative.
Negative Impacts
Technology can negatively affect children’s developing social skills, relationships, health, and overall
ability to focus.
 Social skills: With the increased use of technology, children might not be adequately
developing their social skills. This can lead to more children being socially awkward,
withdrawn, shy, or intimidated by social situations. They might not know how to engage with
other children or adults. Developing social skills takes practice, and if technology is often in the
way, there are fewer opportunities for kids to develop these skills.
 Relationships: Children might get used to being alone and lose the desire to engage with their
parents or even friends, outside of the internet. Often the virtual reality of their devices is more
appealing and entertaining than the physical reality.
 Health problems: Technology can potentially influence the child’s developing brain and
problem-solving skills. For instance, the child might be reliant on a device to solve problems for
them rather than using brain connections to work through a problem and find a solution. There
could also be a lack of exercise due to being inside, which can cause weight gain. If kids use
their devices before bedtime, this could lead to reduced sleep quality, affecting their overall
wellbeing and immune system.
 Ability to focus: Children who spend a lot of time using devices might have a reduced
attention span and ability to focus due to their reliance on technology to pay attention for them.
This is evident in classrooms, where teachers are opting for shorter lesson plans to
accommodate students becoming easily distracted.
 Dangers of browsing: With so much information available on the internet, it’s difficult for
parents to monitor what their children are exposed to, including inappropriate content or
interactions with strangers.
Positive Impacts
There are also many ways in which technology can positively impact our lives and those of our
children—it all depends on how the technology is being used.
 Organization: Technology can be beneficial to organization and planning. For example,
families can keep an online calendar to make it easier to stay updated on each other’s
schedules. Group text messaging is also convenient for streamlining communication and
keeping everyone in the loop. Lastly, technology also makes budgeting easier with different
apps, which can help parents teach children about money management.
 Research and critical thinking: The internet provide access to a great deal of information
and resources to help children learn about different topics. This is helpful for school projects or
for researching areas of interest. This can also be a teachable moment, by showing children
how to sift through information to find reliable sources.
 Bonding and community: Technology can foster connection by allowing kids to stay in touch
with family members or friends who do not live close by. Also, kids can interact with others in
their age group while playing games online and learn to play as a team.
 Self-expression: Children can learn how to share their thoughts online, which is a powerful
tool that can build confidence. They can learn how to connect with others and be exposed to
other viewpoints or perspectives.
 Creativity and exploring interests: In many ways, technology fosters creativity and learning
new skills through various apps for all different ages. Children can explore different areas they
have an interest in, such as learning to play an instrument, creative writing, or beginner
program related to various subjects.

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Christian Arocha

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