Electronic media
Web children ‘living in prisons’, 14 May 2009
Many children are living in a “prison-like environment” surrounded by technology, the chairman of the Independent Schools Association warns. John Gibson says such experience does not prepare children for adult life and schools should challenge this. Playing conkers and mending bikes helped children in later life, he told the ISA’s annual conference. Recent research suggests five to 16-year-olds are spending up to six hours a day online or watching television. Mr Gibson, who is head of Stoke College in Suffolk, said “playing out” as a child and taking part in activities such as putting an oily chain back on a bike, or playing conkers, exposed children to emotions such as disappointment which would prepare them for adulthood.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8049610.stm
The effects of computer games on young children – a review for the Home Office 2001
Little research has been carried out into non-arcade electronic game playing as this was originally perceived as a harmless and enjoyable pastime. However, with the ever-increasing interest and participation of young children in this activity, much concern has been expressed about the effects of these games on children. At the centre of the debate is the question of whether they are detrimental to a young person’s healthy development. There are specific concerns about the implications for aggression, addiction, criminal activity and reduced academic achievement. This report examines the research on the effects of computer games on young children.