In Defense of Screen Time

There is an increased emphasis on the reduction of "screen time", that is, time spent by children in front of "screens" whether it be television, console gaming, or computer use. I have always had a bit of a problem with these campaigns in that parents who make the mistake of substituting technology for creativity and relationships are not the same people who are going to read parenting articles about the perils of screen time. Certainly I agree that a heavy diet Spongebob Squarepants or Hannah Montana is not the best investment of a child's growing mind, but I fear more worthy productions are unfairly cast into the same category of technology that is judged as vile and blamed for the epidemic of ADHD.

At the same time, those who do take these recommendations seriously I think sometimes take them too seriously. I have heard well-educated and well-meaning parents proclaim that they would never subject their child to film or software presentation of educational materials when books are an option. Books are revered, as if books are not also a kind of information technology.

Particularly in regards to homeschooling, it in my humble estimation a mistake not to take advantage of the variety of technology now available to the educator. While I do believe books and printed materials are essential tools to the homeschooling parent, these materials do not engage as wide a variety of learning styles as computer and video productions that integrate audio, visual, and musical elements into learning.

Ideally these subjects might be best experienced in vivid reality. To quote philosopher and education reformer John Dewey, "Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself." Dewey's philosophy grew out of the early 20th century as the public school as we know it today really took root in American society. While the public school served to provide an education to the masses, it divorced the child from the education provided by the rich personal experience of touching, feeling, and doing. When a real experience is not possible, modern technology can enhance what can be gleaned from books. While it may be most educational to travel the Mississippi River itself, a video where the student can see and hear the subject offers something that a map and a book cannot.

Homeschooling has increased in popularity in recent years I believe in part to the existence of the internet. Parents now have access to information, videos, programs, and curricula that exceed that of the public school teacher whose hands are often tied by federal, state, and district regulations. Between downloadable content, interactive online lessons, videos and educational web sites and articles for educators, the parent no longer needs to rely on the education system to access all he or she needs to provide their child with a quality education. Many online or video programs, such as Teaching Textbooks and ClicknKids, offer instructors more skilled and articulate than either the parent OR the public school teacher. Utilizing these resources, many parents find their kids more self-motivated and independent.

This is not to say that the internet is a replacement for the public school system, but that in the 21st century, the resourceful, intelligent, dedicated parent has much greater capacity to take responsibility for educating their own child, and information technology and audio-visual media are both key tools to enable this unprecedented level of freedom in education.