Written by: Director of Program Development, Carmen Leung
After the pandemic, e-learning has become inevitable. Parents also download
various tablet computer programs for their children to use, hoping that they can
learn through interactive or entertaining visuals and sounds. Which animations and
applications are beneficial for children’s learning? What should parents pay attention
to when using multimedia to help their children learn?
Using e-learning according to age
In the preschool years, as the brain regions responsible for the five senses are
developing rapidly, the author does not recommend that children aged 0 to 2
frequently or excessively rely on using television or tablet computers for learning.
This is because the images on television or tablet computers are flashing at an
extremely high frequency, and the young child’s eyes and brain will constantly
receive stimulation unconsciously. Over time, visual stimulation becomes a habit,
and brain development is also affected, leading to a decrease in concentration.
Some parents say, “My child is very focused when watching TV and playing with the
iPhone, but they don’t have the patience for books, so I bought a lot of educational
animations for them to watch.” Have parents ever thought that if the eyes and brain
are used to constant stimulation, relatively static things like books and teacher
explanations will naturally become uninteresting? If you continue to let young
children rely on rich visuals to learn, what will happen when they eventually need to
face book-based learning in the future?
For children aged 2 and above, as their brain development is more mature, parents
can allow their children aged 2 and above to use television and computers for
learning, but within limits. The time should start from no more than 15 minutes per
day, and can be gradually increased as the child gets older. This is because as
children grow older, the high-frequency flickering of computers or televisions will
have a relatively lower impact on brain development.
Recommendation to use multiple learning modes
Although screen displays have an impact on children’s concentration, the author
does not believe that using television and computers for learning has no merit.
Multimedia or computer programs can increase the fun and interactivity of learning,
making children more interested in learning and learning faster and more. However,
in addition to using highly interactive multimedia for learning, children also need to
adapt to other less interactive learning modes, such as books and one-way lectures,
and find the enjoyment in learning from them. Parents should provide their children
with diversified learning paths, such as taking them to the library, playing
educational games with them, visiting museums, walking on nature trails, or even
teaching them to read English menus at restaurants, so that children can try
different learning modes and methods, and find the joy of learning.
How to choose suitable multimedia electronic learning products?
- The product should preferably not have non-learning elements that children can
download or open by themselves. For example, if a child is using an iPhone or iPad
for learning, parents should not let the child access other apps, ensuring that the
child is learning rather than playing. - Products with segmented or sectioned learning should be used. Many parents find
that when it’s time for the child to stop using electronic devices, the child may have
negative emotional reactions. Therefore, the author suggests that the product
should be divided into different chapters, and parents can limit the child to only view
or complete one chapter at a time. - The product should have interactive elements and require the child to respond in
different ways. If a multimedia product only provides a one-way teaching mode, it is
not a good product. For example, if the product only allows the child to sit and listen
to information, or watch without needing to respond, we call this “one-way
learning,” which should be avoided. Products that allow children to sing together, do
actions together, spell words together, read aloud, and answer questions are the
ones that should be chosen. - For example, some products may allow children to respond, but each time it’s the
same type of answer, such as pressing a button to respond. In this case, the child’s
responses will be relatively slow, turning into a “robotic” style of learning, which can
affect their future learning motivation and ability to think from multiple
perspectives. Products like this should be avoided.
Time for using electronic devices
The time spent using electronic devices for learning should not be too long, and
parents should also set a daily or weekly time limit for their children to use electronic
devices. For example, children can only use the computer for a maximum of half an
hour after completing their homework. If the half-hour is up, the child must honor
the commitment and stop using the device. Parents can also work with their children
to set a daily schedule, allocating time for homework, play, extracurricular activities,
and using electronic devices. This helps children understand that everything needs to
be planned and moderated, which not only trains their self-management skills but
also effectively limits the time spent using electronic devices.
Using electronic devices as a reward
If children enjoy using electronic devices for learning (which they often do), parents
can consider using device usage as a reward. For example, if the child finishes their
meal in half an hour or completes their homework with quality, they can be allowed
to use the electronic device for thirty minutes.