Montanez 1

Imelda Montanez

C. Douglas

English 112-01

9 May 2017

The Voices Behind Technology

In todays society, we are flooded with technology everywhere we go. The technological

advances are changing every day and will continue to impact the generations to come. The

effects that technology has on children today is significant. While many are worried of those

effects, others give tribute to technology for the success. Regardless of ones stance on the

matter, children have no choice, but to be influenced by technology. Although, many claim that

technology has enhanced children cognitive functions along with other things, the concern is

that kids become less social, less connected with the world, and the skill to think deeply is

fading. There are countless opinions on if technology has a positive or a negative influence on

children and there is plenty of research to support both arguments. The endless voices and

diverse opinions on this topic make it obvious that the same concern will be around for centuries

to come.

The first voice is the teachers voice. Mary Claire Tarlow is an education professor at University

of Alaska Southeast located in Juneau, Alaska, and the author of Now More Than Ever; Will

High-tech Kids Still Think Deeply.? She studies the benefits and weaknesses of technology and

the effects of technology on children. Tarlow recognizes the advantages of modern technology;

such as, having fast access to information and being able to store information as well as

communicate through tech-devices. As an educator, she believes that before filling schools with
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technology we must use our critical thinking skills and analyze how we will be affecting the way

children think and if we are overlooking essential learning modes. She argues that literacy has

made the greatest impact on the way people think, meaning that centuries ago, people would

store information in their mind and pass it on by word of mouth. She uses the example of voice-

to-text technology, and questions if this could possibly eliminate the skill of reading. She

encourages society to consider if the changes that have happen are the direction we want to go.

We must ask ourselves how best to utilize all kinds of thinking that human beings have

available to them and how best to coordinate that expansion of thinking mores with ever-

changing technology. (Tarlow 2)

Her opinion gives us a glimpse into the minds of our teachers. Even though the voice might

sound bias on the subject, it truly is not. Tarlow uses critical thinking and understands that

although technology is a great asset it could also be dragging down humanity.

The United States Department of Education, the second voice, states that the use of technology at

an early age will be pivotal for student learning. The department believes that it is extremely

important, and must be introduced at an early age for the development of social skills. The Board

of Education breaks down the learning format into three steps. The first step is to plan and

choose the correct technology for the targeted goal, second is traducing the technology

appropriately, and thirdly is to evaluate the impact the technology had on the kids. They believe

that the use to technology is the only promising way for education in the present day and for the

future. But, recognize that this will only be successful if the educators use it properly within the

outline, and use appropriate practice to support learning outcomes for every child.
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The viewpoint of The Department of Education is solely that technology is the answer of a well-

rounded education. One might think that the voice of the educator is the same as that of the board

but as we have seen that is not the case. The board is all about introducing technology and

confident that technology is what is best for of youth.

The third voice is of the parents. AllAfrican Global Group, interviewed woman, all with different

views on the use of technology. According to this article, parents all over the world have

common concerns. Concerns; such as, what their children see and do on the internet and social

media, but at the same time understand that todays generations would be compromising their

education without the use of technology. Almost all parents confirmed that their kids have a user

account on social media site, and some kids were as young as twelve years old. A shocking

seventy-six percent of these parents are friends or follow their kids account. Also shocking,

is that the global age kids receive their first smartphone is thirteen. While some parents have, a

structured scheduled and are far more discipline than others: "It's getting more complicated to

measure how much screen time kids are getting. We're no longer talking about the TV in the den

that parents can turn off. These days, many teens and tweens have smartphones, laptops, tablets,

and iPods that they carry with them." ( AllAfrica Global Media 1)

The above are only a few voices to this world wide controversial topic. Regardless of the

opinions, they all can agree that technology in moderation and supervision is something that

everyone should practice. While some see it as the greatest contribution to society other blame

technology for society lack of ability to think deeply. Only time will tell the real effects

technology has had on recent generations.

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Work Cited

"Children & Tech - Good, Bad & Ugly Sides." AllAfrica.com, Nov 20, 2015, ProQuest Central,

http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1735398033?acco

unti d=10008.

Parikh, Madhavi. "Technology and Young Children." YC Young Children, vol. 67, no. 3, 2012,

pp. 10- 11, ProQuest Central, http://ezproxy.cpcc.edu/login?

url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1019288795?acco unti d=10008.

Katherine L. Spangler and Mary-Claire Tarlow, . "Now More than Ever: Will High-Tech Kids

Still Think Deeply?" The Education Digest, vol. 67, no. 3, 2001., pp. 23- 27 ProQuest

Central. Web. 6 Feb. 2017.