Which is Better For Teaching Children: Computer Or Book?

 Which is Better For Teaching Children: Computer Or Book?

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said that writing things down makes it easier to forget. Thousands of years later, we are in the fortunate position of discussing Socrates' ideas precisely because they were written down.

Commentators often say that the written word or books are best and computers are bad for learning. For almost the same reason that Socrates was against writing things down: forgetting when memory is the basis of learning. You may be asking yourself, "What will people get for the new technology?"

As more and more classrooms are transitioning from print books to digital books and other materials, researchers are investigating the impact on children's learning.

This field is new and the evidence is mixed.There is no scientific agreement on whether books or computerized gadgets are better for kids' learning.

For example, a study in elementary schools in Honduras found that using laptops instead of textbooks ultimately made no difference, either positively or negatively, to student learning.

But isn't it common knowledge that both print and digital learning formats can be more or less effective depending on the individual and the situation? Let's dig a little deeper.

Early learning rewires the brain: - Neuroscience is important to consider here because it helps educators choose which tools to use at different stages of a child's development.

And neuroscientists have shown that learning and memory formation rewires the brain's physical wiring.

The brain is "plastic". As we form, learn, and forget memories, connections between neurons grow and prune. This is true at any age, but the brain is especially plastic during childhood.

Brain plasticity is highly dependent on our experiences and environment.

Research shows that the richer the learning environment in early childhood, the more "stuff" you learn, but it also changes the way your brain learns new things for the rest of your life.

The best example here is language learning. Because children's brains are so plastic, children learn a second language much more easily than adults.

Furthermore, adults who learned two languages ​​as children can learn a third language much faster than adults who learned only one language as children. Their brains are trained to learn language.

At the other end of the spectrum, childhood sensory deprivation permanently changes the brain for the worse. It has been suggested that, for example, children who are deprived of a variety of experiences have smaller brains because they have less communication and interaction with adults, have less vision and hearing, and have less access to learning. These changes are often irreversible later.

The benefits of richer learning experiences: What does this mean for education?

It may mean relying on books or manuscripts to build lasting knowledge about something.

Research shows that writing requires the brain to actively participate in the note-taking process, but brain activity slows down when you type, so more content is retained when you write by hand.

On the other hand, using a digital learning platform can mean a richer experience. This means rich animation videos, reward-based learning programs, virtual classrooms and AI tools like ChatGPT to encourage students to learn interactively.

Research shows that digital technologies, when used in learning situations, are effective in improving literacy, numeracy, manual dexterity, and visuospatial working memory.

This beneficial outcome affects all areas of a child's learning, including language, functional literacy, math, science, general knowledge, and creative thinking. The list goes on.

Computers: Effects on physical and mental health: -There are also negative aspects associated with digital technology. Some studies have shown that computers can negatively affect attention, causing children to use computers passively instead of as active learning tools that engage their brains. However, it is still unclear whether these negative effects are short-term or long-term.

Some research shows that excessive computer use can affect physical and mental health. But it may have more to do with sitting in one place for too long than the computer itself.

Therefore, running outside and kicking a ball is important for children's growth and academic performance.

The real problem in education is poverty: - Many factors are involved in raising a child. Your home environment is as important as the materials and tools you use to learn. One of the biggest problems in education is poverty or lack of access to books and computers.

This problem became apparent during the outbreak of the Corona virus. While schools were closed, children from disadvantaged backgrounds had less access to computers and books at home.

For example, a UK-based study found that a third of students in deprived areas did not have adequate access to home learning tools during the pandemic.

The effect was to reduce their academic performance. Research shows that the learning outcomes of high school children have declined in recent years, but this is primarily due to socioeconomic factors. This is a trend that is seen around the world and is associated with a lack of access to a rich set of educational tools.