12 Signs That Present-Generation Kids Are Becoming Overdependent On Technology

Author: Ross Smythe

In every part of life, if technology is available - there’s generally nothing wrong in using it. And the academic sector is no exception to this rule. However, over the last few years, a tendency of unhealthy over-dependence on technology has been detected in the behavior of kids and teens of the present generation. In this post, we will highlight some points that indicate the existence of such excessive tech-dependence:

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1. Use of calculators for simple calculations - Make no mistake - if anyone is asked "how much is 756 times 442," (s)he should probably reach for his/her calculator. Unfortunately, most students at present consider the device more as a shortcut tool to success in math, instead of as a learning aid - to be used only when calculations cannot be manually done. At the sight of even two four digit numbers (to be added or subtracted), kids don’t think twice before grabbing their calculators. Understandably, when they are not carrying one and have to do some basic math manually, chances of mistakes become higher. Without calculators, many kids feel less self-confident too!
   
   
2. Everyone reads e-books - Again, there is nothing wrong with reading virtual editions of texts and references on a computer or a Kindle. Thanks to the advancement of Android and iPhone app development, books can now be read on smartphones on the go as well. Learners, however, have taken to ebooks at the expense of traditional paper books. Whenever a teacher gives some reference in classroom, there is a mad dash to download/copy it from the internet. Even reading story books have become synonymous with tapping on mobiles or sitting in front of laptops. Where has that charming feeling of "curling up with a good book" gone?
   
   
3. Addiction to mobile phones - From middle school students to seniors- everyone seems to own a fancy smartphone. In fact, in many friend circles - there are untold agreements that whoever has the best mobile phone/tablet would have the bragging rights over his/her buddies. Drop in mobile network coverage, a call drop, or a break in wi-fi connectivity cause most young ones to become unnecessarily tense. Many gadget-loving teens are even reluctant to go on vacations to slightly remote places - lest there is no mobile network availability there. 
   
   
4. There are too many simulations - In 5-7 years’ time, the demand for smart, innovative entrepreneurs will go up by several notches. To sharpen the analytical capabilities and decision-making prowess of students, computer simulations - representing a wide range of business scenarios - are often arranged for at management schools. Once again, many educational institutions tend to overdo it, trying to explain everything in terms of such simulated, hypothetical programs. Often, real-life case studies are not properly discussed. It would be a smart move to let students handle small, token business projects of their own - since that would develop their sense of responsibility and ability to manage risks. We need more critical thinkers, not mechanized robots!
   
   
5. Why do parks and playgrounds remain mostly empty? - At many kids’ playgrounds (particularly in the more advanced nations), the lovely cackle of toddlers’ laughter is no longer heard. Even preschoolers are way too ‘busy’ tapping on the mobile apps for kids that their parents have got for them. There are books to read, games to play, and even friends to connect with, via such sophisticated phone and tablet applications. There was a time when elders also believed that a bit of fresh air would do their children good - but that belief has eroded too. Maybe, it is us who have stopped giving time to our kids as much as we used to.
   
   
6. The obesity factor - This point is basically an extension of the previous one. If children and teens are glued to a screen for hours on end, tapping on phones constantly, reading ebooks, and then sleeping for the rest of the day (take out some time for bath and meals, of course!) - is it surprising that obesity would rear its ugly head pretty soon? At present, around 67% of all adults in the United States alone are obese - and the future generation is not taking many lessons from this alarming stat. It’s a myth that obesity only occurs due to consumption of junk food - over addiction to technology and the resultant laziness have a lot to do with it.
   
   
7. Inherent creativity is getting lost - Ask a kid to draw a picture for you - and chances are high that (s)he might immediately turn on his/her computer and launch a virtual drawing program. Now, we are not suggesting that every child has to be brilliant sketching artists - but the way-too-easy accessibility of tech-based drawing aids have made little ones averse to even try putting pencil on paper. For a wannabe graphic designer or a cartoon strip artist, familiarity with sketching-related software and mobile apps is necessary. Making use of such tech resources on a mass scale is just plain wrong.
   
   
8. The overpowering social media - Perhaps the one element which projects the term ‘generation gap’ the best. While most parents across the globe are struggling to get a hang of how to connect laptops to the internet, their children are regular on social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Vine. Posting status updates and tweets (often about mundane, uninteresting things) has virtually become a hobby. Many contemporary schools and colleges also encourage students to get on these channels and boost their social contacts. The motive behind such encouragement is healthy enough - but what has actually happened is kids have started gauging their own popularity in terms of the number of ‘virtual friends’ (s)he has. Real-life social interaction abilities, as a result, have taken a hit.
   
   
9. Loneliness and depression - It’s understandable if an elderly person on the verge of retirement feels stressed out and melancholic. Such depressions are, disturbingly, becoming increasingly common among young adults too. Technology, again, has to take some of the blame for this. Via fake instant messaging/mail accounts, cyberbullying has become easier than ever before - and hurling insults and offensive remarks to peers is possible too, under the cloak of anonymity. More often than not, teenagers tend to brood over such incidents, instead of sharing the problems with parents or any other guardian.
   
   
10. Interference with regular lifestyle routines - The evolution of education technology has made it possible for students to complement their classroom learning with the help of free educational apps for kids and cyber programs. From the outside, this looks all very good - but if you happen to be the mom/dad of a gadget-loving child, you would know the flipsides too. Kids stay up late to play games/read stories on their laptops or iPhones/iPads till late at night, leading to sleep disorders. Addiction to video gaming consoles (the idea of leaving a FIFA 14 game midway to have lunch is practically unthinkable for many kids!) has started wreaking havoc with the eating schedules of many children. Technology has made our way of life easier, but has not done our overall health-consciousness much of a favor.
    
    
11. Absent-mindedness and accidents - If a whole week passes by without at least a couple of teens meeting horrific road-accidents while talking on their mobile headphones or listening music, it is some sort of a miracle. As awareness and interest about music-related mobile apps have increased, the rush to buy MP3 players have gone up too. Now, it’s alright to put in those earplugs during a long, dreary flight or train journey - but young adults have started keeping them on while crossing busy streets as well. Couple that with the penchant to type on mobile chat software (think: BBM or WhatsApp) while on the move - and the number of such accidents does not seem bewildering any longer.
    
    
12. Overdependence is a vicious circle - There has been a lot of talk of making advanced ed-tech tools and gadgets easily available in the developing communities - but how much uniformity has been achieved till date in this regard? While senior academicians are doing their bit, kids and teenagers from the Western world are often too immersed in spending time with their gizmos, to take out time for helping someone else learn how to use the computer. On the other hand, we have those kids from developing communities, who are polar opposites. They have hardly ever seen (let alone used!) smartphones and iPads - and are apprehensive as well as reluctant to do so in future. We should be moving towards a world unified by technology. Ironically, it is the same technology that is keeping, and building, a barrier.
    
    

It’s sad to see how helpless a present-generation kid often feels when his/her fancy laptop and mobile with lightning-speed 4G connection is taken away. Getting rid of this technology overdependence requires a complete behavioral overhaul - which is, of course, no easy task. There is a fine line between making optimal use of technology, and becoming slaves to it - and most of contemporary children are beginning to unknowingly cross it.


Author’s Bio: Ross Smythe is the chief concept developer at Teknowledge Mobile Studio. He regularly writes on the web, specifically on a variety of issues related to education technology.