Illegal to Give Your Kids Too Much Screen Time

Locker, Melissa.  “This Place Just Made It Illegal to Give Kids Too Much Screen Time.” Time. 26 Jan. 2015. Web. 17 May 2015.

A great quote that starts off this article, “Excess screen time is now considered to be the equivalent of smoking, drinking and using drugs.”

Twain instituted new legislation, Child and Youth Welfare and Protection Act.” They can fine parents who have children under the age of 18 who use too much time on electronics.  LOL   They said they are following suit with China and South Korea.

They will fine parents citing health concerns.  So what use is having this law if they do not spell out the limits.  So regulating or enforcing this will not happen.  Guideline is that if a child becomes physically or mentally unhealthy they can be liable.

Goes against privacy.  Would not go over well in the US.

This article sites that U.S. 8 year olds, “spend an average of 8 hours a day with some form of media.”

Teenagers around 11 hours a day.  A Nickelodeon Study said kids are watching 35 hours of TV/week.

They site the American Pediatrics guidelines and add “high quality conten.”

Screen Time and Kids

“Screen Time and Children.” Medline Plus.  10 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2015.

Defining screen time:  TV, computer, video games, phone.  While doing this you are physically inactive.

Stats from this article:

Children: 3 hours of TV, all types together 7.  Which is consistent with other sites.

What does it affect?  Sleep, attention, anxiety, depression, and obesity.

They define unhealthy screen time as surfing the internet, facebook, youtube video watching.

Under 2 no screen time

Over 2 –1-2 hours a day

I did like some of their suggestions to decrease screen time:

• Decide on what TV programs to watch ahead of time and then turn it off—sense of purpose
• Record actual time spent
• As a parent decrease screen time to 2 hours or less a day
• Do not eat with the TV on
• Screen time must equal active time—this is a really good one

Using Technology Mindfully in the Classroom

This was an interesting post by a classroom teacher turned administrator.

“Finding a Mindful Balance with Technology.” The Mindful ClasTsroom. Blog. 21 October 2012. Web.  17 May 2015.

This blog author is a teacher turned middle school administrator whose focus is on a Mindful Classroom.  She references Goldie Hawn’s book, 10 Mindful Minutes that talks about our children having “butterfly brain”.  Where they constantly are moving from subject to subject where they lose focus on a single task.  It goes on to say that it is harmful to brain development in the following areas:

• Memory formation
• Focus
• Attention
• Healthy Interpersonal skills

It refers to the documentary I AM which I really need to watch which the author says the main point of the movie is that humans want “connection and mutual cooperation.” Technology can do this for students.

This was a great quote by Chris Lehman, “It is no longer enough to powerful work if no one sees it.” Our kids have powerful messages to share—-like our Clean Water Initiative that our students are currently working on.  The blog gave a couple of examples of kids raising over $35,000.00 for a Mexican Orphanage and another student starting a blog and her own self esteem program.

Improve brain function?  Participate in acts of kindness and use technology to document it.

Technology can connect us to the larger world—like never before!  Technology can increase student engagement. They can be responsible for their own learning.

Meaningful activities, the author says “increase dopamine levels which increases alertness, attentiveness, quick thinking, motivation and mental engery.

Not used in excess and when finding the balance it will enhance learning.

We need to give them the “inner tools” needed to calm their minds in this fast paced world.

Using Technology Mindfully in the Classroom

This was an interesting post by a classroom teacher turned administrator.

“Finding a Mindful Balance with Technology.” The Mindful ClasTsroom. Blog. 21 October 2012. Web.  17 May 2015.

This blog author is a teacher turned middle school administrator whose focus is on a Mindful Classroom.  She references Goldie Hawn’s book, 10 Mindful Minutes that talks about our children having “butterfly brain”.  Where they constantly are moving from subject to subject where they lose focus on a single task.  It goes on to say that it is harmful to brain development in the following areas:

• Memory formation
• Focus
• Attention
• Healthy Interpersonal skills

It refers to the documentary I AM which I really need to watch which the author says the main point of the movie is that humans want “connection and mutual cooperation.” Technology can do this for students.

This was a great quote by Chris Lehman, “It is no longer enough to powerful work if no one sees it.” Our kids have powerful messages to share—-like our Clean Water Initiative that our students are currently working on.  The blog gave a couple of examples of kids raising over $35,000.00 for a Mexican Orphanage and another student starting a blog and her own self esteem program.

Improve brain function?  Participate in acts of kindness and use technology to document it.

Technology can connect us to the larger world—like never before!  Technology can increase student engagement. They can be responsible for their own learning.

Meaningful activities, the author says “increase dopamine levels which increases alertness, attentiveness, quick thinking, motivation and mental engery.

Not used in excess and when finding the balance it will enhance learning.

We need to give them the “inner tools” needed to calm their minds in this fast paced world.

Technology and Your Teaching Style

Gillis, Steve. “Finding a Balance Between Technology and Teaching Style in Your Classroom.” Classroom Technology Help. 2015. Blog. 26 April 2015.

http://www.classroomtechnologyhelp.com/finding-a-balance-between-technology-and-teaching-style-in-your-classroom/

This was probably a good post to remind me that each teacher has to match their teaching style with some technology.  I can not make it one shoe fits all.  Some of the retiring teachers (not all) may not feel it necessary to integrate much technology into their lessons.  Their students have been doing great on tests—why mess with it. He talks about I believe that technology should enhance instruction. It should not be something we add on.

At the end of the article he states, “I use the method that is best suited for the intended outcome.”  Then he wants the reader to sign up for his blog and a class he will starting on Ed Tech Basics. J

Technology and Teaching: Finding a Balance Article

Technology and Teaching:  Finding a Balance

Marcinek, Andrew. “Technology and Teaching:  Finding a Balance.” Edutopia, 24 April 2015. Edutopia.

Web. 26 April 2015.

Andrew Marcinek is director of Technology and EducatorU.org out of Boston, MA.

This article is focusing on teTeachnology is integrated into everything that teachers do and the future jobs that our students will take as well.

Teachers need to find the balance when learning about and integrating technology.  I have to agree—I spend a huge amount of time just learning new tools, testing them out and setting accounts up for students and staff.

“Technology is a literacy that is expected in higher education and in our economy.” I like that they said technology is “a universal language spoken by the entire world.”

Our students will not get lucky and drop into a profession/job and work there until retirement. Outsourcing and automation will continue to take over many jobs that exist today.

Those 21^st century skills of adapting, be life long learners and “apply various skill sets in many directions.”

• Multitask
• Connect beyond the workday
• Collaborate
• Connect local and global
• Being responsible Digital Citizens

With that said we need to balance this connection with “offline socializing and interpersonal skills.”

He states, that technology is as important as other content areas being taught.

Information Literacy Skills are very important:

• “How to question effectively and efficiently.”
• More to read than ever—print and digital—how to find, access and use what is avaialable.
• Gotta love this guy—encourage a love of reading in all formats.
• Need to also know how to question, analyze, synthesize with all sorts of media

You have to deliberately integrate technology—for example Google Docs

Three tools he is recommending these three tools:

Edmodo  LMS  =  WMS Blackboard

Google Sites

Google Drive—using as a digital dropbox

He ended with: It’s okay to ask a student Jand we are preparing our students for their future not ours!!

Mental Well Being and Screen Use

Yang, Fei et. al. “Electronic Screen Use and Mental Well-Being of 10-12 Year Old Children.” European Journal of Public Health. 8 August 2012. Web. 31 March 2015.

Study looking at screen time and mental well being in children 10-12.

62% of boys claim video games help them relax, 50% help them forget problems and 46% helps to reduce anger.

Some think that increase screen time = negatively impacts self esteem, and socialability

The study was correlating the amount of screen time to any negative symptoms.  Like feeling sad or blue, sleeping problems, hopelessness, cry easily, no appetite, no interest in doing things, lonely

It show that over 4 hours of screen time –reduce sleep efficiency and perhaps causing increase in ADHD.

It showed that with more screen time the negative indicators increased so that these two; screen time and negative indicators do go hand in hand.

Reduce Screen Time

Experts say limited to two hours or less a day unless it is work or homework related–interesting!

From the Kaiser Foundation

In 8-18 year olds:

• 28% parents set-TV watching rules
• 30% video game usage
• 36% rules about computer usage

When parents do set rules –showed that it was about 3 hours less than if no rules–hmmmm

2010

7.5 Hours entertainment video

4.5 Hours on TV

1.5 Hours on Computer

1 + Hour on video games

More than 1 in 3 have a computer in their bedroom with internet access

50% have video games in Bedroom

2 out 3 have TV’s  (this often increases their tv time by one hour!!)

25 MINUTES a day spent on READING BOOKS

What to do..What to do

Family Conference –can actually track time

Parents be good role modes

Play video games that make you active

Exercise at commercials–I guess DVR is out!

No screens in bedrooms

Meals are device and screen free

Provide other options for kids–this is your job!!!

Don’t use screen time as rewards or punishments–makes screen time seem IMPORTANT

This article did talk about solutions.  Focus on the physical activity of our children!

“Reduce Screen Time.” National Institute of Health. Department of Health and Human Services. 13 February 2015.

Take A Break from Technology

This was a podcast to school leaders on how they can help their teachers and ultimately their students when it comes to finding the balance.

Here is the podcast:Education Leaders Overwhelmed by Technology

Heart to heart conversations on leadership.  How dependent or addicted are we to our technology?

Endangering brains— brains are leaking feeling pleasure and feeling anxiety.  Phantom pocket vibration syndrome—LOL  Grab it out of pocket—no one!  Dopamine is released for technology addictions.

Hunger for purpose after the novelty wore off.  What change can we make? Dr. Larry Rosen says tech overloads our brain—need  to take a break.

Teens check our phones every 15 minutes

3Steps

Recongize when you are overload

Take 10 minutes to calm your brain

Recognize—big problem at night time.  Charge it away from bed.

Engage the body and mind perhaps outside.

Principal should look at how purposeful is technology.

Educators do not use it enough for deep learning.  Still absent.  15 minutes a day connect and collaborative.

Lets take Technology Break and look for 1 minute then turn upside and work.  Then leng them  each break all day long.

Kids are using these technology all the time, but know they need some away time.

How does online time build offline.

Take a break from technology.

This is not easy to do!

Screen Time Encouraged?

Sadlier, Samantha. “Balanced Technology Use, Screen Time Encouraged for Children.” The Spectrum. A Gannett Company. 5 Feb. 2015. Web.  23 March 2015.

This article was written by two parents.  They have looked at the APA guidelines and agree that there should be zero screen time for toddlers 2 and under.  They said the studies they looked at linked increase screen time to the very young with ADD.

They also state the Kaiser Foundation stats on 8-18 year olds are getting 7.5 hours of screen time per day.

They said it was more difficult for a second child when the older child had screen time–difficult to keep the younger child away.

The single mom said sometimes when she had “important life tasks” she needed that distraction.

In their elementary school ipads are used to personalize and enhance  student learning.  Technology allows student to reach outside to the bigger world.  The school says just because they are using technology it doesn’t mean “they are staring at a screen all day.”

Technology is great for differentiation.  Those at the top can be challenged and more forward at their own pace.  Those who struggle can get more 1 on 1 time from teachers, or from demos online.

My take away–they acknowledge the amount of screen time–agree there needs to be a balance but no solutions.  I think the school justifications were great but the school did not commit to the amount of time that kids spend on screens.  Basic info.