iPads, texting, laptops, virtual lessons and on, and on. Do we really want to go that far in education? Consider that research is now telling us that students who spend more than two hours in front of a computer have a higher risk of depression, lethargy, and obesity. Well… I don’t think we needed research to tell us that – we can see it all around us.
The findings, reported in the journal of Pediatrics, by Dr. Pierre-Andre Michaud and colleagues at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, surveyed 7,200 individuals ages 16 to 20 about their Internet use.
Those who were online more than two hours per day were considered "heavy" Internet users, while those online anywhere from several times per week to two hours per day were considered "regular" users.
The teenagers also answered a number of health-related questions, including some standard questions about "depressive tendencies" that gauge how often a person feels sad or hopeless.
On the other hand, the researchers note, regular Internet use -- up to two hours per day in this study -- appears to be "normal" teen behavior. They point out, though, that the study was conducted in 2002, before the days of Facebook and Twitter. Many teenagers now may spend much more time online, and the definition of "normal" time could also be different.
Clearly gaming on a computer should be severely limited and time best used in front of a monitor is research, study, and learning. We understand that online learning has helped many students who may have otherwise slipped through the cracks. Our own very successful remedial reading program is online.
So, here’s my question, If teenagers are spending even half of the school day in front of some form of computer screen, plus logging in time at home and in transit, what kind of adults will they grow up to be? I don’t think it is overdramatic to say, “I’m worried.”
Source: Pediatrics, online January 17, 2011.