Digital Devices

One movie you and your family may be interested in if you are curious about the history of technology is Hidden Figures, a story about the African American women who conceived some of the important mathematical constructs and engineering that aided the early US space effort. The movie shows the implementation of an IBM mainframe computer as part of the effort, but what may be shocking to some younger viewers is that smartphones, computers, and even calculators today possess several hundred times the computing power of that early device.

With the amazing capabilities of technology today, many are questioning their place in high school and college classrooms. Students in many high-school math classes employ graphing calculators, but research has shown the devices are often banned in high-level math classes at large research universities. Educators and experts continue to debate whether calculators help or harm math instruction. What are your thoughts?

Is threatening to take away your teen’s phone the deterrent you think it is? What is really going through the mind of your teen when you do take the phone away? Answers to those questions and more is covered in an eye-opening article on the Child Mind Institute site called When Should You Come Between a Teenager and Her Phone?

A proposed rule in a Maryland school district that would allow elementary students to use cellphones during specific times of the day has sparked a debate about whether or not students should be allowed to even bring their phones to school. The average age in which a child receives their first cell phone is ten years old, and Ann Flynn, director of education technology at the National School Boards Association, says this is a hot topic of discussion in schools. The National Education Association has written about the pros and cons of cellphones in schools and since it is parents in so many parts of the country who have pushed for allowing cellphone use in schools, you may want to acquaint yourself with both sides of the question.

Children are doing more and more reading and assignments on digital devices, but day-to-day interactions with digital devices have instilled bad habits in many kids, including breaking away to text or check social media. These habits make it difficult for them to delve deeply into digital texts the way they would do with materials printed on paper. Teachers are developing methods to counteract these diversions and to teach students how to read for content and context. Interested in trying some of these methods with your own children? Check out Strategies to Help Students ‘Go Deep’ When Reading Digitally on the KQED news site.

Children are doing more and more reading and assignments on digital devices, but day-to-day interactions with digital devices have instilled bad habits in many kids, including breaking away to text or check social media. These habits make it difficult for them to delve deeply into digital texts the way they would do with materials printed on paper. Teachers are developing methods to counteract these diversions and to teach students how to read for content and context. Interested in trying some of these methods with your own children? Check out Strategies to Help Students ‘Go Deep’ When Reading Digitally on the KQED news site.

A recent survey conducted by Project Tomorrow looks at how teachers are using mobile technology in the classroom. The study finds that although digital devices have improved communication between students and teachers, 31% of teachers and librarians surveyed responded that their students do not have regular access to mobile devices in the classroom.

The average age kids get their first smartphone today is approximately 10 years old. In 2012, the average age was 12, leading some people to believe that age will continue to get younger. Although many parents feel their young children are ready for the responsibility of a smartphone, experts say to keep in mind a smartphone gives them access to everything, often outside of parental supervision. For a broader discussion of the issue, see What’s the Right Age for a Child to Get a Smartphone? on The New York Times site.

Kim Komodo recently posted a column sharing 7 useful tips for your iPhone and iPad. Did you know that your device will charge faster if you put it into Airplane Mode before you plug it into the wall? What about turning on captioning if your kids are asleep and you still want to watch a movie on your device? These are just two of the tips she discusses on her list.

Kim Komodo recently posted a column sharing 7 useful tips for your iPhone and iPad. Did you know that your device will charge faster if you put it into Airplane Mode before you plug it into the wall? What about turning on captioning if your kids are asleep and you still want to watch a movie on your device? These are just two of the tips she discusses on her list.