Tablets and computers are becoming more and more integral to classroom instruction. UN data shows that 46.7% of primary school classrooms worldwide have access to computers, with percentages as high as 98% in the EU.

However, not everyone believes that using computers in the classroom is beneficial. Media theory professor Ralf Lankau of Hochschule Offenbach has stated that, when it comes to children under the age of ten, "tablets and laptops do not make children smarter, but dumber."

Forty academics, including Lankau, have voiced their concerns about the impact of digital technology on childhood development through a petition launched by the German organization "Gesellschaft für Bildung und Wissen" (Society for Education and Knowledge).

They are demanding that German kindergartens and institutions for students in grades 4 through 11 put an end to digitalization. "The goal is to get back to the task of teaching, not to outlaw digital technology," Lankau stated to DW. Instead of prioritizing the latest technology in classrooms, we should focus on our learning objectives and explore how both digital and analog media can help us achieve them.

Rethink digital technology education

The petition was started at a time when German educational institutions were under fire for their lack of progress in digitalization. However, Lankau and the other scholars urge the German Ministry of Education to reconsider how technology is implemented in German classrooms and kindergartens.

According to Lankau, the advantages of social skills for learning are not prioritized in the existing educational system. "The individuals [and how they can] develop according to their own interests and inclinations and become part of the social community [should] be the focus of educational institutions," stated Lankau.

He stated that the primary issue was that, for forty years, corporate organizations and IT have dominated school policy when, instead, we should be asking, to enhance learning and support our students, what additional staffing and media technology resources are needed within our school?

Does computer use affect children's social development?

Lankau's remarks, according to Maria Hatzigianni, an expert in digital technologies and early childhood education at the University of West Attica in Greece, were a continuation of an antiquated "anti-technology" movement.

Since the 1990s, people have begun mentioning computers in this way. People panic whenever a new piece of technology is released. Writing things down will make us forgetful, according to Socrates, who lived over 2,500 years ago, Hatzigianni told DW.

However, to what extent is children's computer use harmful? Are the worries justified, or is this just another instance of adults ordering children to put down their screens?

The scientific evidence about the impact of digital technology on infant development is contradictory, according to Prakash Ranganathan, the director of the Center for Cyber Security Research at the University of North Dakota in the United States. There is evidence that excessive computer use can impair concentration, which can result in a passive learning environment that impairs critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. However, it's unknown how long-lasting or fleeting these possible drawbacks would be, Ranganathan told DW.

According to certain research, excessive computer use leads to sedentary behaviors that impair physical health. These behaviors include an increase in weight, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. Although Ranganathan stated that further research is necessary to be certain of the connections, many of these worries are related to broader worries about the effects of social media and the internet on youth.

Computers can help with child development

Ranganathan added that there were also many advantages. Both Ranganathan and Hatzigianni cited studies that demonstrate how, when applied in a learning environment, digital technology interventions can improve manual dexterity, working memory in the visuospatial domain, and reading and numeracy abilities.

Research has indicated that children's usage of interactive digital technology improves memory, executive function (the capacity to concentrate and complete tasks), and language acquisition. We have math, language learning, coding, robotics, and functional literacy. Technology is a tool that we can use to become more informed and creative. It greatly aids in metacognition, according to Hatzigianni.

Involving kids in their education

Hatzigianni has been developing digital learning applications for kids in kindergartens, ages 4-6, in collaboration with the Greek government. According to Hatzigianni, the most fruitful work has been done on developing flexible learning environments that include parents, teachers, and students collectively. "Rather than fearing the impact of technology, we should embrace it and explore how it can be used to empower educators and enrich the learning experience for students", asserted Hatzigianni.

According to Hatzigianni, it's critical that instructors assist kids in developing safe online personas. It's contradictory for them to advocate teaching critical thinking while simultaneously denying children to make informed choices about their digital education. Has their perspective even been considered?