Introduction

           Research Topics Related to Technology

   

   If you search the words 'screen addiction' online, dozens of articles will show that screen addiction is in fact a real, ever present problem encroaching the world. You see how "Screen Addiction is Taking a Toll on Children" or "Screen Addiction is Damaging Kids' Brains" and most shockingly, "It's digital heroin: how screens turn kids into psychotic junkies." The terrifying part is that research backs up all three of the articles listed. If technology and screens are not as great as they seem, what else do we not know?

The three technology related topics I am interested in researching are:

     
1) Screen Addiction

        I am choosing to research screen addiction because of how relevant it is in everyday life. Everyday, we see teenagers, adults, young children, and everyone in between staring at a screen, be it that of a smartphone, tablet, gaming console or computer. The aspect that many do not realize is that it is possible to become addicted to the pull of the glowing screen. Screen addiction is referred to as 'electronic heroin,' as the brain scan of someone who is addicted to technology and a heroin addict look the same. When someone has an internet or gaming addiction, there is atrophy in the brain where processing occurs. China is the first country in the world to classify screen addiction as an illness, as is evident in the documentary Web Junkies. Below is the trailer for the documentary.

2) The Impact of Technology in Classrooms

         I am choosing to research the impact of technology in classrooms because many school systems, mine included, now have a one-to-one program, in which every student in a certain grade and up has a computer or tablet to use to aid them in the education process. When used properly and in small doses, technology can enrich a child's learning experience, and iPads and other tablets can be used to help students with disabilities communicate. Although many praise the use of technology in classrooms, I have found articles that prove that in some cases, the use of technology in classrooms is doing more to harm the education system rather than to help. In an article written for TIME Magazine by Nicholas Kardaras, the author of Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids- and How to Break the Trance states that "...over two hundred peer-reviewed studies point to screen time correlating to increased ADHD, screen addiction, increased aggression, depression, anxiety and even psychosis" (Karadaras). This shows that screens do not only have a negative impact in the classroom, but yet also in everyday life. Here is a link to the article: Impact of Technology in Schools.

3)  How Young is Too Young for the Use Technology
     This is yet another ever present topic in today's technology centered world. Children are becoming exposed to large amounts of technology at a younger and younger age, and some are using touchscreen devices as early as their first birthday. Although children should have a basic knowledge of how to use a touchscreen device at the proper age, extensive exposure at too young of an age can have consequences. Newborn to two years old is a pivotal age in which the child develops and in this phase of development, "human interaction, face-to-face time, language development and social-emotional learning are critical," according to an article by CBS News on early childhood development and technology. Technology can hinder the process of development and cause problems later in life such as obesity and sleep issues. When used in moderation at a young age, educational apps and programs can be helpful for skills that children need to learn, such as identifying shapes and colors. This is the CBS News article: Too Young for Technology.