On My Mind 17 Nov 2007 09:40 pm
From today’s Times:
South Korea boasts of being the most wired nation on earth. In fact, perhaps no other country has so fully embraced the Internet. Ninety percent of homes connect to cheap, high-speed broadband, online gaming is a professional sport, and social life for the young revolves around the “PC bang,” dim Internet parlors that sit on practically every street corner.But such ready access to the Web has come at a price as legions of obsessed users find that they cannot tear themselves away from their computer screens.
The story about the “Jump Up Internet Rescue School,” a boot camp for kids who are having issues finding balance. But I have to wonder, how much of that is a parenting issue. Another reason why we keep a lot of band aids in the bathroom cabinet…
Technorati Tags: balance, Internet, culture
3 Comments
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These sound more like opium dens than modern technology access points!
Just as cartoon shows and videos/DVDs require parental supervision, so too do the emerging digital tools and toys.
Instead of blocking and banning things like social networks, email, games, etc. schools need to start educating both students and parents (and teachers)in their safe and appropriate use.
[...] I just read on Will Richardson’s blog that 90% of South Koreans are online, connected to the Internet. They are wired inexpensively, but perhaps at an expense; they are big gamers and are perhaps spending too much time online and not enough time in face-to-face encounters. Many of our alternative students do not have access to the Internet from their homes; but we must be mindful of responsible use of the Internet and a balance as we teach them the technology skills that they need for success — a balance of time one-on-one on the computer and real time encounters with our friends and families. [...]
I tend to agree with you, Will, that it is a parenting issue. Much like a television or game system, a computer, especially when connected to the Internet, can become an electronic babysitter. Parents need to strike a balance between encouraging their children to become technologically proficient and becoming obsessed with the technology. My 7 year-old daughter, for example, would spend hours on end in the world of Webkinz, if allowed. We limit her time online to 30 minutes, and she is expected to pass the rest of her leisure time outdoors, reading, or doing something creative. It has been both exciting and a bit frightening to see just how addictive the Internet can be at such a young age!