The complex question of screen influence on youth

Hello, I'm an Early Childhood Educator of 15 years. Here's my take:

Screen influence has been steadily growing over the past two decades, as it's easier and easier to park kids with their own devices. An increase of demands on working parents has simultaneously led to an increase of screen use as a consequence. There has also been an explosion of content directed at young children across media, from YouTube to apps/games and streaming services. These are all facts. Let's look at what the article asserts:

While mixed, research findings so far suggest a negative interaction could be more likely for infants (see the sidebar on page 55). But it appears that, beyond 18 months, this effect could be mediated by the quality of screen content and involvement of families and caregivers—with the latter two factors associated with screen benefits for language development. Perhaps it might be more useful to ask, “What’s on the screen and how are the child and caregiver interacting with it?”

This is absolutely correct from my own observations. I utilize a variety of screen media in my own classroom - I've had a smart board since 2014 - and my emphasis is always twofold: is this relevant to our topic of study, and can we have positive, prosocial interactions with it?

Parking a kid with a tablet won't do them any favors, no matter how educational or quality the content is. Meaningful interactions with caregivers about the content are what provide benefits. This is supported by:

A number of studies lend support to Radesky’s assertion—among them a 2020 review and meta-analysis in JAMA Pediatrics. The analysis found that co-viewing educational programs like “Sesame Street” and “Dora the Explorer” with caregivers correlated with stronger language skills in children ages 0 to 12 years.

Tech use that involves lengthy, solitary, passive consumption could limit opportunity for back-and-forth conversation, or “serve and return,” notes pediatric SLP Alyssa Loberti, a member of the Screen Time Action Network at Fairplay.

Using screens alone is bad. Using screens with a caregiver, and talking about what is happening on-screen, is good.

You can use more open-ended questions with older children: “What would happen if the show ended a different way?” “What kind of ending would you like to see?” When co-viewing and talking about a TV program with an adult, “It’s going to be a much richer language and meaning experience for the child,” Cantor says.

This turns using a screen from a passive activity into an active one. The concept of open-ended questions is especially one I want to highlight. We use these extensively at work, they engage children and get them thinking (cognitive) and using more descriptors (language) to expand their ideas which they share with others (social).

My own kids use screens quite often. As COVID kids, it's rather unavoidable. They use it for school, play, and socializing. They are also more than capable of putting the screens away for extended times. What I'm most worried about is how we (as in the family) interact together with screens. As much as possible, if we are using screens, we discuss and share ideas about what is being shown. We laugh, joke, provide insight, or expand on what we see, and use it as a springboard for discussion or further activities.

Technology is here. Rather than working against it, I suggest we work with it, and demonstrate how to have a healthy relationship with the tools these children will have to have in the future. If we don't, then they're left to figure it out on their own.