Fox News. Jan, 22, 2011
According to Jeffrey Camp, kids today are learning how to use computers, phones, and video games well before other basic skills. Camp describes how, for example, 58% of kids surveyed could play video games while 43% could ride a bike. Camp uses other statistics to show that more kids know how to use a computer or basic phone apps before they learn how to tie their shoe. According to Camp, kids are learning how to use today's technology faster than basic life skills.
From what Camp is saying, kids are learning how to use technology well before basic life skills. By the time kids do learn those life skills, they have advanced their skill with technology. Essentially, this means that in our new age of technology, the kids of today will quickly learn how to use our technology, certainly faster than we did as it first emerged. This is most likely due to the simple availability of the technology, such as the web or a phone app. There are many programs for parents to use to help teach their children online. This also introduces kids to the Web in the first place.
This article fails to mention, however, those that do not have access to the Web or similar technologies. If, according to this article, kids are learning new skills so soon, then it is important to make such skill-learning available for other kids also. Creating and maintaining facilities to help teach kids about technology, both old and new, will become very important very soon. While teaching kids the why's of technology origins, such places can also teach children new technologies.
This brings up some of my questions concerning the article. Plenty of statistics are provided for kids that have access to these skills. What are the statistics for the other kids, being those without access? How serious is that gap? What can be done to fix it? How can such facilities change the way kids learn? How can they make education appealing to kids?
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