The Impact of Gadgets to Learners

Andy C. Brimon

Nowadays, most students have access to various digital devices or gadgets. These gadgets include smartphones and tablets, computers and laptops, and game consoles among others.

When used properly, these devices can be useful and helpful to advance the academics of students. However, we all know that young people tend to misuse their gadgets.

We have heard numerous stories of young people using their gadgets, particularly smartphones and tablets, for hours and hours making them skip meals or being active at home or outdoors.

Many studies have shown that this excessive exposure to gadgets can cause physical and mental damage to students. Most young people sit down for a long time while playing with their gadgets.

This could lead children to being overweight due to lack of physical movements.

We have also heard of children being hospitalized due to seizures caused by excessive gadget use. This is a more serious effect.

Moreover, long term use of gadgets can cause vision problems among students.

Aside from these physical effects, the mental and emotional development of children is also affected by excessive gadget use.

According to an article about health, the first five years of a child is important, thus, letting use gadgets for more than two hours a day can impact irreversible damage such as slow cognitive development and attention deficit.

To avoid all these negative effects from excessive gadget use, teachers and parents should work together to help young students.

At home, parents can discipline their children by limiting the time of their gadget use. Moreover, spending with their kids is a good way to keep them away from their gadgets.

Meanwhile, educators can create activities that students can do at home without using their gadgets. Some of these activities can include making artworks and doing simple exercises at home.

--oOo-The author is Teacher III at Malauli Elementary School, Masantol South District