In the late 1970's, when I was a child, "portable" devices started becoming a bit more prevalent. Our mobile music solution of the times was a solid state cassette recorder. The 1980's brought along the Sony Walkman and boom boxes. Portable black and white televisions started appearing as well. Now we can fit entire libraries of music and video in a device that fits into our pocket.
Many of us may remember fantasizing about the devices and capabilities that we saw on Star Trek or the Jetsons. Much of what we saw as futuristic then exists now.
My family has two video game console systems, a Nintendo Wii and a Sony PS3. Both devices play video games and are capable of streaming live video content via Netflix. The PS3 also functions as an incredibly capable blu-ray player.
I've always been an avid video game player. My daughter plays some of the family-friendly games on the Wii and PS3. I am careful to ensure that the content of the games she plays is appropriate and I limit the time she can play.
Games today can be very time-consuming. Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) such as World of Warcraft and Everquest have spawn addiction-like tendencies in many players that has led to some people losing jobs and failing out of school. These games are incredibly fun, but it becomes increasingly important to teach self-discipline in regards to managing how one spends time playing games. The lines between reality and gaming can become blurred when too much of our time is spent playing games.
Content consumption has changed as well. My daughter can now view her favorite television shows in the car on her iPod touch. Her music collection is with her on trips as well. In my youth, the extent of my vehicular entertainment was a set of markers and some paper. Sometimes we played visual games related to scenery we saw along the way during our trips.
Are our children given too much opportunity to view and consume media content? Is this hindering their own creativity? In many ways, I feel that our children now are fed media in too many ways and in a format that is too convenient.
There are however many games and interactive media that allow children to customize their experience. The new iPhone for example can be used as an over-simplified video production machine. New formats of video games allow players to customize environments and avatars, as well as adding the ability to share with others socially.
We're witnessing a world that is offering us incredible new tools to interact, play, and create. As parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that our children learn how to use these abilities properly, and how these tools can help them succeed in the world of tomorrow. Learning how to properly use and leverage these capabilities will aid our children in achieving success in the careers of tomorrow.
What are some things we should do as parents in regards to gaming and content consumption?
- Know what games our kids are playing, how long they are playing them, and that the content is age-appropriate.
- Ensure that the music they are listening to meets our criteria for content and subject matter.
- Convey to our children that there are appropriate and inappropriate times to to play games, watch videos, and listen to music.
- View content alongside our children and discuss how the content was made or produced, as well as what response the content creator is trying to convey.
- Discuss with children the importance of being able to formulate their own opinions about what they see, hear, and play.
- Encourage children to create their own media and interactive projects.
- Discuss how these new capabilities can help them in their educational and career needs.
I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on this topic as well as all of the other postings in this series. This series may be revised in the future to address reader comments and interests. This concludes my series on Teaching Children About Technology.
Thanks for reading!
Other posts in this series:
