Back in the day in 80s, when I was studying for my first ever attempt at writing Board examinations, the concept of tuition classes was all the rage amongst my batch mates. The idea of getting out of home, spending more time with our friends in the guise of studying was exciting to say the least. I particularly remember our Maths tutor, who although was extremely polite to us, but would never leave a chance to reprimand us when we did not finish our homework.
Just a few days ago in a conversation with one of my colleagues, I got to know that his daughter is so fond of using the academic-learning applications on her smartphone that she does not feel the need to attend tuition classes anymore. The moment lent me amusement.
I did not ponder over the increasing usage of smartphones by children; it’s commonplace to come across the fact. What amused me more was the amount of knowledge about technology our children possess which makes them highly competent in today’s world.
Millennials and the children of today grew up with the rise of the internet, the birth of instant communication, and transitioned from Television to majorly consuming content on the Internet. With the technological environment having surpassed its nascent stage, children of today have dived head on into a world that makes them smarter, more competitive than their elders.
Some of them prefer audio books or kindles to the hard bound or paperback editions; most of them consult knowledge-sharing apps on smartphones instead of tuition teachers, and gather the curriculum knowledge via projector screens in the classroom.
They don’t have to wait in anticipation, wondering if the letter they were writing to their best friend or grandma would reach them on time or not. A simple instant message does the job today. From coding apps to developing them and creating a kids-friendly social platform (Play Against Cancer, iRead Monthly, Grom Social among others), the knowledge-gatherers of today are turning the world upside down with their technological innovations.
Though without a doubt it is the responsibility of parents to keep a check on how their children make use of the technological resources, it would be safe to say that technology has groomed the way children view the world. It allows them to experiment, innovate and do so much more than we could have imaged. Perhaps, smart would be an understatement. What do you think?
