Safekeeping Children from Internet Hazards Report

          With technology and the Internet becoming more and more integrated with everyday life, parents and teachers should not only consider its benefits in children but also the different damages it may cause.

          When researching for this report I found staggering statistics on children’s Internet use that adults have to be aware of. In a study conducted in 2004, researchers have found that 98% of children aged 9 to 19 are online, and 36% of them did not receive any instruction on how to use it safely; the study was done over a decade ago – imagine how much worse the numbers are today, with advancements happening almost daily, making the internet even more accessible to children.

          The most commonly listed Internet hazards children have are data theft, cyber-bullying and sexual predators, which can all become possible with sites such as Facebook. Facebook was made to reconnect with old friends, and stay connected with new ones; I’m sure that when Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook, that was the purpose he had in mind. However, just as guns are designed for security instead of criminal activity, Facebook may cause more problems than solutions if not used properly.

          In education, the Internet is used to access updated information that may not be readily available in books. Whenever I Google anything, one of the first suggested webpages/results I see is Wikipedia, and this happens without fail. Wikipedia is a website wherein anyone in the world can just type information onto a webpage whether it is true or not, right or wrong. Children who are using search engines for homework or simply because they are curious about something may become misinformed.

          I undeniably feel the Internet is the best thing that has happened to the world since the invention of the wheel, but it is also undeniable that the Internet is also the scariest invention in mankind. It’s powerful and it’s limitless; anything can happen online. Adults, parents and teachers have the role of protecting children, who are vulnerable users, from these Internet hazards. They also need to teach them how to protect themselves; simply by talking to the children about the different dangers that exist can prevent them from becoming a victim. Becoming aware of the many Internet hazards is the first step to becoming protected from them.

Written by: Frankie Merilleno

Funbrain Review

 

            Funbrain is a website for children aged 2 to 6. As we can see in the picture above, for users to access the account, they need to give out information about themselves. This would ask about the gender and age, it also asks if the parents are guiding them or not.

            First of all, it is good to know that they are giving the users some idea about the games here need the assistance and guidance of the parents. The website is supported with sounds in case younger children who have yet to learn how to read may play the games as well. We all know that the children at the age of 2-3years old are starting to read letters and words only, they still need the voice recordings of the instructions for them to use the website properly. This website can be easily manipulated because it only requires clicking. If we would be assessing its appearance, it is evidently child friendly. The colors that they use are pastel colors which are not irritating to the eyes of the children.

             The games that the website would lead you to are ones that are suitable for the age that you entered upon logging in. Most of the games need the assistance of the parents. The website doesn’t only offer games but also stories they can read alone or with their the parents. There are also some activities that the parents can print out and give to their children. As we can see, this website is not purely for children only; they also include activities that the parents can do for and with their children.

            The games in the website gives feedback immediately, and the words used here are children-friendly. They would only say “try again” or they will give you around of applause depending if you answer incorrectly or correctly. The website is also repetitive with the instructions that the children need to do. Going back to the developmental characteristic of the children, they need to always have repetition because this is how children learn. They need to experience it again and again and repetition can help them retain newly-learned words.

The topics that we could learn from the reading games are rhymes, alphabets, simple spelling words and some stories. Math topics could be counting numbers, addition and subtraction and ordered pairs.

The things mentioned above are characteristics of a good children’s website. However, the question again that I would like to stress on you is: “What age usually do we really introduce technology to them?” Here we can see that as early as 2 years old they are already exposed to this kind of media.I personally think that the usage of technology depends on how the adult and teachers will use it to the fullest of its ability. As a teacher, parent, or guardian, we need to be more creative in thinking of activities where we can integrate these games to our subjects.

Generally speaking, this website is good for the teachers, parents, students. It just needs an innovative mind to be able to exhaust the different lessons to broaden as perspective.

Written by:

References:

Funbrain Jr. (2012-20015).  The http://www.funbrainjr.com/stories/BrainyBlueberryAndTheBackpackBalloon/

Baby First TV Review

I recommend you to use this cite for toddlers if you wish to integrate technology in your child’s learning: www.babyfirsttv.com

Baby First TV is a fun and interactive website for toddlers who are beginning to learn English as a second language.

This site is pretty good to use as an educational application; it is an interactive site that speaks to the children and give them detailed instructions and explanations about how the children may use the site. Toddlers generally have outstanding hearing; this site is all about listening and paying attention. It may also help the child develop English as a second language. All the children have to do is hover the mouse towards an illustration and it will automatically play different sounds that the kids will enjoy.

There are more than twenty videos on this website that will help children expand their vocabulary. The videos are made differently to appeal to children. In addition, educational games also have a lot of lessons that include identifying colors, music, fruits, animals, vehicles, and a lot more!

N.B.

If you use this cite with your phone, you have to download the application first.

If you use this cite with a computer, you just choose the page that you want.

Written by:

Pro’s and Con’s in Using Technology

             Now a days, technology is everywhere and it has become part of our everyday lives. This makes our work easier and we all know that the new generations today are called “Digital Natives”. This is the time where children are very much exposed to technology. As parents, we have the responsibility of guiding our children with the use of technology. As you go along with this article, keep in mind the question: When do we introduce our children to technology?

 According to Epstein’s article Using Technology Appropriately in the Preschool Classroom,he presented different effects of technology on children. One of the researches by Linebarger & Walker (2005),children below two who are exposed to media may experience language delays. While for Nunez-Smith, Wolf, Huang, Emanuel, and Gross (2008), preschool and school-aged children who are exposed to media have the possibility of having physical, behavioural, and mental health problems that includes obesity, poor sleep habits, aggressive behaviour and attention disorder.

Another disadvantage of using technology would be the following: It can discourage children to participate in outdoor activities like playing in the park; children may be very focused with the technology that he/she becomes lazy to do other physical activities.

Despite these things, what good can technology do for our children? Technology now can be educational and enhance children’s cognitive and social ability. The key to using technology effectively is knowing or at least be familiar with the developmental characteristics of children. For example, children start learning how to speak at the age of one so instead of letting him/her use the iPad for clicking, you yourselves can use it by storing words that you want your child to learn. Afterwards, use it by telling him/her the words verbally.In Epstein’s article, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Communications and Media (2011), he suggested that “Children should not be exposed to any screen media and emphasizes the value of unstructured play for young child’s developing brain”.

In conclusion, parents should know the developmental characteristics of our children and be creative enough in integrating technology with their learning.

Written by:

Reference: Epstein, A. (n.d.). Using Technology Appropriately in the Preschool Classroom. Highscope, Extensions. 28, (1). pp. 1-5 

Book Creator Review

            Reading is one basic and important skill to learn. For young children this can be one of the most challenging activities they can learn to do but once they become familiar with the alphabet, its sound, and are given good reading materials to read every day, they can be proficient readers in no time! To achieve this level of reading, your child must first develop a genuine love for reading. An app that promotes fondness of reading is the Book Creator.

           
Book Creator is an application available foriPad and Android users and is powered by Red Jumper. It is easy and simple to use because the instructions are clear so children and adult alike can surely create their own book in a few minutes.The app can be likened to an online journalor e-book but has more advanced features either for personal or classroom use.

What made this user friendly to kids is the variety of options to choose from designed in a way that kids will not be distracted from the main purpose of the app which is to create their own book. Children can add photos, videos, texts, drawings and sounds by simply clicking the plus (+) button and can correct mistakes by clicking the undo button. The Book Creator also offers a tutorial book so users can go through the steps on how to use the app effectively.

For really young children, parents can build on their kids’ confidence and love for reading by using this app to create a book with photos and videos of your child and words that your kids are familiar with. Parents can also make their own stories that they can read as bedtime stories for their children. Likewise, teachers can use this by asking the children what they like to add to the story to develop their creativity and imagination. Therefore, the app is not just for personal use but it can also be used interactively in the classroom setting. Truly, this app can be a springboard for learning and for promoting literacy in any environment.

                In sum, I found the application to be individually, culturally, and age appropriate for children of ages 5 to 8 because it captures the needs and interest of childrensince they can easily contribute what they want to express simply by adding photos, videos, recordings or typing their insights and drawing their artworks. With this, it also captures and foster’s children’s independence and creativity as they try to build their own book. I recommend this app for parents and teachers alike to help children develop a sense of fondness for reading and independent work since it can target and enhance skills such as vocabulary, word recognition, spelling, written composition and later on speaking and articulation as the children try to narrate their own stories to different audiences.

Written by:

Reference:

Red Jumper.(2015). Book Creator.Retrieved from http://www.redjumper.net/bookcreator/

Common Sense Media Inc. (2015). Book Creator.Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews/book-creator

WebkinzJr. Review

            Webkinz Jr. is the perfect place for kids ages 3 to 6 to play learning games online. Adopt a pet and meet a whole neighborhood of new friends with some of the best educational activities online! Designed specifically for preschoolers, Webkinz Junior provides age-tailored content including puzzles, math games and great creative play. There are lots to love and lots to learn on WebkinzJr!

In Webkinzjr., users have the chance to go on a virtual adventure around the neighborhood where there are different exciting places to visit. They can go around the school where they can earn stickers and the playhouse where they can play games and earn coins.They also have the W shop wherein children can use the coins that they have accumulated from the different places they visited. They also have the Parent’s area. Parents can change the child’s pet name, the password of their child’s account and customize the difficulty of the game. In this way, parents have control over what their child does in the game. They also have the Q and A and Tips section for the parents to give feedbacks and ask questions regarding the website.

            Webkinzjr. isgood  for children 3 to 6 year olds. Itprovides clear instructions and prompts and makes navigation more exciting with its simple graphics and sound effects.It is easy to navigate since there are clear instructions on how your child can use the website properly. If your child is a new user of the website, they can click the Tour icon so that they can learn about what to expect from the site.

            Each feature in Webkinzjr. was selected in consideration of the child’s skills and knowledge. It was designed in order to foster holistic development of its users.In Webkinzjr, the parents play a vital role in the child’s learning experiences since they are the ones who interact with the child at home and have control over what they see and learn about.

    With regards to engagement, the website can no doubt be playful and open-ended since the website encourages the use and improvement of its user’s creativity. Your child can customize their own pet, can role-play different scenarios when they visit the park and the playhouse.

As for usability, the website is infused into multiple learning areas such as the school, park, playhouse, W shop, etc. It offers opportunities for joint engagement between your child and with other kids their age as well as parents and teachers. Webkinzjr. supports your child’s learning and expands access to new content by complementing and supplementing their curricular experiences in school in the comforts of their home. 

Written by:

References:Retrieved from : http://www.webkinzjr.com/

PBS Kids Review

PBS Kids          

pbskids.org is a site for an array of educational games which your child can play. It ranges from games that ask the children to create new things to games that bring your child along on a virtual adventure. Each game specializes in different subjects and topics. Games like Freeze Dance Rhyming and Sandbox Search test your child’s abilities in words that rhyme and alphabet recognition while games such as Vegetable Patterns and Cat’s Math Safari test your child’s skills in identifying shapes and patterns.

The site provides for learning in all kinds of topics including values. There are a few e-books you and your child can read-along to which has great lessons to teach your child like the story Big Brother Daniel. It even categorizes the games into different subjects and groups.

Appearance-wise, the website did a good job in designing their interface. Information is easy to find since the games are grouped according to their common features and the site has a few links on top of the page that would help users find what they are looking for easily. The text is easy to read and the graphics do not appear cluttered or distracting as the site has a simple blue background. The only concern I had with the site is that it takes quite a bit of time to load so children may become frustrated waiting for it to load especially if the internet connection is bad. To avoid this, parents can pre-load the games so the child does not have to wait long. It can also serve as a way for parents to screen the games the child is exposed to.

                The website contains a huge variety of online games children can play with so they are given a lot of options to choose from and a lot of opportunities to learn. Each game has a specific concept it targets ranging from physical, intellectual to social and emotional skills so the user is really exposed to a good range of learning experiences. In addition to this, the games are very engaging and have a wide range of skills it can target from simple to the most complex. Each game has its own level of difficulty which is a good way to gauge the child’s skills in that area.

                What’s interesting with the website is that it encourages parents, caregivers, teachers and other adults to be engaged in the children’s learning experiences within the site. It has a sister site which they teachers can visit to learn how they can use the site’s resources and activities they can further provide for the children. Parents can also contact the game producers and site managers through the help page to ask questions and learn more about the site.

                  I would recommend all parents and caregivers, including teachers to go visit the website and make use of its resources to further enhance the children’s learning since pbskids.org provides curriculum-based entertainment that gives opportunities for the use of media and technology to build the children’s knowledge, critical thinking, imagination and curiosity.

Written by:

Reference:

PBS kids. (2013). Retrieved from http://pbskids.org/games/