Nothing has a negative educational value

[nevernotstruggling]

Toys/games/experiences can have a greater or lesser academic input.

There is a common understanding that excessive screen time is best avoided. I don't dispute that.

But nothing has a negative educational value. Arguably if nothing more you learn about the game if you are playing minecraft or whatever and you learn to develop skills within it.

Toys are often branded as 'educational'
....as opposed to?

Curious to hear thoughts on this.

I couldn’t agree more.

Tell yourself whatever you need to to get through this, I say! 😂

I don't know, I watched far too much reality tv during lockdown and could feel my braincells rotting away...

You could also argue some things have negative impacts on education, e.g. those old talking barbies that said maths was hard (or math I guess, they were American).

On the whole though I think most activities have some educational value.

I never really thought about it, but I suppose when a game is described as educational it means it develops things like maths and language skills rather than skills within the game

hmm, well, yesand no.

I actually think minecraft teaches a lot. Even more if you are online with a friend. (social skills)

But sitting in front of a cartoon network for 3 hours really doesn't have any educational value.

and even with a good variety of games, they do need to do some of the academic stuff, reading, writing and maths.

Fine to get your history input form horrible histories, but really not fine to not get any maths input for the next 2 months for example.

Yes they can have an effective on education. I am teaching 20 years now, primary level, and I see it all the time. Too much screen time/addiction imo has effected concentration levels, creativity, physical activity and good old decent conversation skills. In more extreme cases I have seen behaviour problems and anxiety. I'm talking children on screens in their beds/into the early hours. Please don't think it doesn't have a negative effect. My job is a very different one now and most of my peers agree that screens have played a big role. One teacher talked of a child who literally can't talk about anything but their video games.. It's very sad. Boring old school just can't compete.

TV nothing as bad because not interactive so doesn't have the addiction value. But we all know how we feel from too much mn phone time.. It's not good and we are adults.

Surely it’s just because it’s a balance of everything that one thing isn’t detrimental?

If I eat a small chocolate everyday, combined with a general healthy diet it makes no difference. If I only eat chocolate 3 times a day, after a few days it would.

Watching tv all day for a whole week because life is busy, parent or child ill, etc etc isn’t going to cause long term effects. Watching tv every day, all day for weeks, or months on end will.

@HeyGirlHeyBoy

Yes they can have an effective on education. I am teaching 20 years now, primary level, and I see it all the time. Too much screen time/addiction imo has effected concentration levels, creativity, physical activity and good old decent conversation skills. In more extreme cases I have seen behaviour problems and anxiety. I'm talking children on screens in their beds/into the early hours. Please don't think it doesn't have a negative effect. My job is a very different one now and most of my peers agree that screens have played a big role. One teacher talked of a child who literally can't talk about anything but their video games.. It's very sad. Boring old school just can't compete.

That's really interesting and I don't dispute your experiences. That's really good for thought thank you

@steppemum

hmm, well, yesand no.

I actually think minecraft teaches a lot. Even more if you are online with a friend. (social skills)

But sitting in front of a cartoon network for 3 hours really doesn't have any educational value.

and even with a good variety of games, they do need to do some of the academic stuff, reading, writing and maths.

Fine to get your history input form horrible histories, but really not fine to not get any maths input for the next 2 months for example.

I don't disagree at all re the levels and balance required.

But screen time actually can have a negative educational value - it’s it recommended for under threes because while they’re watching it, they’re not doing all the things they should be like developing gross and fine motor skills and learning to interact with other humans.

But in small quantities the effect will be negligible and maybe outweighed by the positive effects of a parent who would otherwise parent less well due to the lack of a break.

But to pretend that they’re aren’t toys/ activities that are more educational than screen time is completely disingenuous.

My son has asd and we try to monitor what he watches on youtube but the occasional thing slips through and it really doesn't have a negative educational value because its tosh.

like he will explain in intricate detail why the earth is flat. And then it can be really hard to shift him on from that idea.

It’s NOT recommended for under threes 🤦🏻‍♀️

does have a negative education value - not doesn't

But @MillieEpple your example demonstrates it can have a negative educational value - like persuading him the earth is flat, which he then has to unlearn....

Cross-post 🙈 sorry!

Perhaps only indirectly related, but a parent staring into their phone or other screen instead of interacting with or just being with child has a negative educational abs psychological impact.

The Sun and Daily Mail both have negative educational value.

My 3 yo DS has learned lots of phrases from TV which crop up in his everyday speech. And, following a Christmas binge on Thomas and Paw Patrol, his favourite oath is "Blistering buffers" and various Teddy bears appear in the kitchen on a "mission" to "save the snacks". So he's clearly learning something from the box .

On the other hand, he becomes steadily unmanageable after too much screen time, his ability to concentrate decreases and he's clearly not developing his stamina or gross or fine motor skills.

So I agree with you, OP. He learns more from screens than he would from sitting and staring at a blank wall. But I'm not sure that would be the alternative...