Perhaps, there is some logic why ‘smartphones’ are called ‘smart.’ Do they make the user smarter? Or are they smart in themselves (no wonder; these gadgets possess the incredible capabilities of a laptop computer)? Or is it because the people who created the ‘smartphones’ are brimming with ingenious ideas?
Enough of the ranting. Let’s get down to business.
As smartphones become mainstream devices of today’s era, the number of people who are subscribed to them is also growing at a very rapid rate.
According to Carly Schuler, a Cooney Fellow at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, an estimated 20% of children ages 5 to 7 use a cell phone, and there is high probability that what they are using can very well be considered a ‘smartphone’ (for one, traditional cell phones are already out-of-stock and second, the companies must have ceased their production). Does this mean you need to sell used phones as soon as possible?
Read: How to Protect Your Laptop From Physical Damage
Another salient point of the smartphone for kids is that there is a growing list of apps that are suitable for children, both for learning and leisure purposes. If you visit the Apple’s iTunes App Store, you will confirm this popularizing trend. A huge number of apps created for children are dominating the ‘smartphone consumer’ pool.
Presently, there are over 3,400 education apps that can be downloaded at the iTunes Store. Again, a huge number of these apps are targeted for children ages two and five.
Then again, the real question is:
Can smartphones really make kids smart, or smarter?
This calls to mind the debates on electronic gizmos as a distraction that may hamper the progressive learning stamina of a growing child. However, Schuler says that all disadvantages can be eclipsed by the potential benefits of learning through mobile devices. See? It’s really high time to sell your cell phone now!
According to Schuler, “First, these devices are mobile and allow the parent to encourage anywhere, anytime learning. The second advantage is that, because of their relatively low cost and ubiquity, these devices allow educators to reach underserved children that are geographically or economically disadvantaged. The third is that these devices can encourage 21st century skill like communication and collaboration.”
Read: Why Your Smartphone Is Not Really A Smartphone Anymore?
Although mobile learning is a promising approach to education, some parents are still pessimistic about its true effect on their children’s learning. Will they raise an anti-social kid who only knows how to tinker with his gadgets? They believe that although smartphones are necessary tools for communication and other what-not, it shouldn’t be the general tool for learning which experts prescribe it to be. Better sell that smartphone immediately!
We can probably put it in another way: Mobile devices can help- and that’s just the right term. It will HELP: It’s not as if it’s going to be all-purpose educational material. We can use them for good, but not to the extent that children will be addicted to it. They may be a good choice to alleviate the long-standing educational crisis, and it’s a good part of the toolkit.
