Week 12: BIG Takeaways

This weeks BIG questions: After you have completed reading and watching the content what are your thoughts? I found the data on "habit forming" to be incredibly insightful. Like all habits screen time come with pros and cons. As a mother, I have used screen time in the past year as a baby sitter while I put dinner on the table for our family- major pro!! But I strictly enforced a zero- screen policy before the age of 2. This has resulted in my child watching the tv for very short bursts before wanting to return to their toys. I found the idea of a media mentor to be a wonderful resource for families. Like all systems within our society, I believe that we need to work on mastery and we can not master parenthood/childhood, health care, etc. without streamline resources to rely on, the growth mindset and trust of not only the content but the presenter. We have a long way to go in the above mentioned but I do believe if a media mentor through the health unit was set up (in a similar way as parenting classes for new parents are set up) we would see a wonderful turn our and engagement from parents. Do you take one side more than the other why or why not? Like all things, I believe there is a time and place and that everything in moderation can result in success! For my family, we have chosen to limit screen time in favour of an outdoor lifestyle- we live on a farm so it is important that we create positive experiences through exposure to animals, gardening, field work and daily responsibilities. As mentioned above, technology has a time and a place in this world and it is at each individuals discretion as to when and how to use it. How could you effectively use digital technology in a class full of infants and or toddlers? Would you use digital technology in the classroom? I would continue to use a limited amount of technology in a classroom for two reasons: 1) a) technology is the future and teaching young learners who to appropriately navigate these technological devices is a lesson in itself. b) the use of technology is a great way to incorporate differentiated instruction. 2) I would limit the technology in the classroom to meaningful learning to ensure parents and guardians feel comfortable that their children are receiving a quality start to their learning as well as that they are able to use technology at home when it is needed (like during dinner prep!!). * technology should not replace the current methods but rather compliment and enhance the traditional learning; such as learning, skipping, running, playing. *"Technology doesn't change the world, people change the world through technology."