Are Children Smarter Today Because of the Internet?

Are Children Smarter Because of the Internet?
The internet has become a vital part of everyday life from young to old people, and for most children and teenagers, using the internet has joined watching television and talking on the phone as the normal for everyday life. According to a 2005 Pew Research Center report, 87 percent of 12 to 17 year olds are now online. That is a lot of exposure to information, and at the same time misinformation to an easily impressional demographic. So it begs the question, are children smarter because of the internet?
So how do we define what “smarter” actually means? Smarter can mean many different things to different people. Smart is often defined as the general mental ability to learn and apply knowledge to manipulate your environment. But other definitions include the ability to evaluate and judge, the ability to comprehend complex ideas, the capacity for original and productive thought, the ability to learn quickly and learn from experience, and even the ability to comprehend relationships.
Intelligence or smarts are measured by an Intelligence Quotient or IQ test, which has shown increases in IQ from generation to generation. The Flynn effect is research that was conducted by James Flynn, who discovered that IQ scores increased from one generation to the next for all countries in which the data has existed. His research has shown that countries have seen generational increases between 5 and 25 points. A potential cause of IQ gains may be that the level of education has increased. People are spending larger amount of time learning and being examined in formal education. While others may argue that IQ gains are caused by societal changes.
The parent goals are to protect, educate, and set their children up for success. Parents strive to want nothing but the best for their children and that includes technology. Often they fear of depriving their child of such a crucial tool, they would rather watch their child develop proficiency with a mouse than seeing those master basics such as numbers and letters. By the time they’re 2 years old, more than 90% of all American children have an online history. At 5, more than 50% regularly interact with a computer. Some may argue that the internet has become a useful tool for parents to help keep their child busy for study and for play. Children spending too much time playing and chatting online, has been an increasingly concern to many parents. They have concerns about the deterioration of basic skills such as spelling and penmanship. A study has shown that too much hypertext and multimedia content has been linked in some kids to limited attention span, lower comprehension, poor focus, greater risk for depression and diminished long-term memory. While these concerns are truly worrisome, other parents argue that the internet is good to people who use it wisely. By having a good balance of some internet, reading a book, and limiting the use of smartphones, the parent’s role is important to the development of a child’s internet habits. Some parents believe that the internet may not make them smarter, but having access to more sources of information and differing opinions make them more rounded.
The internet has become such an important tool in children’s education. In research conduct by the PEW Internet and American Life Project, children use the internet as an essential study aid outside the classroom and that the internet increasingly has a place inside the classroom. According to that research, 78% of children who have internet access say they believe the internet helps them with their school work. Teachers may argue that a student should try to find the answer through books, because they can keep the answer in mind for a longer period of time because of the experience of research. Those same teachers think that if research is done over the internet, it only stays in mind for the moment because the information is found so easily. Their belief is it causes the student to become lazy and they don’t want to try to find something that they want to know and lose their curiosity. While some teachers express hope that the use of the internet will help the student execute novel and complex tasks, others are concerned about students not learning things that they’re supposed to be learning, such as social, physical and interpersonal skills. Parents tend to believe that the internet has helped their children in schools. 93% believe the internet helps their children learn new things. While 55% say the internet has been a good thing for their children, only 6% say it’s been bad, and 38% say it has no effect one way or the other. There’s also studies that seems to suggest that children without internet access are at an educational disadvantage. The research has shown that 1.2 million children that have internet access at home were likely to attain a grade higher in their grade papers and exams.
Cyber professionals are excited about the potential of the internet. The belief is that children will learn more effectively, because of the internet being the most powerful tool for learning. They see that when kids are online, they’re reading, analyzing and evaluating, comparing thoughts, collaborating, and innovating. All keys for success in this day and age. That’s a contradiction to those who say that the internet hinders children’s ability to develop in other ways. In fact, they blame the hindrance not on the internet but on the television. In a study conducted by a UCLA research team, may suggest that there is some neurological evidence that the internet makes people smarter. The study has likened the internet as some form of brain exercise, in which the internet has changed the test subjects’ brain function. After two weeks of testing, MRI scans has shown an increase activity in areas of the brain associated with making decisions and memory. But some cyber professionals think that the internet can create other problems. They believe that the internet is a seductive technology in which it lures kids in a little bit of a time that it becomes excessive. So excessive in a way that some may say that it’s making them dumber than it is smarter. They feel that what children learn from using computers is how to use computers. Having computer knowledge is different from having book smarts.
I believe the internet is a powerful tool and can be used for multiple purposes. The internet does have the potential to become a dangerous tool, thorough social media, addiction, and violence, but it does add to the sophistication to our brain function. History has shown that our brains have adjusted and learned from our ever changing society, and the internet has been a major factor in our development. A child’s best attribute is their curiosity, and by having information easily accessible right at their fingertips, children will know more and will be smarter because of it.

Sources
Cohen, Y. (2012, December 31). What is Intelligence and How is it Measured? About Intelligence Online: http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-intelligence.html
Graham, C. (2001, October 20). The Flynn Effect. Human Intelligence Online: http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/flynneffect.shtml
Simon, M. (2001, September 1). The Internet and Education. Pew Internet and American Life Project: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2001/The-Internet-and-Education/Summary-of-Findings.aspx
Boffey, D. (2011, May 21). Children with internet access at home gain exam advantage. The Observer: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/may/21/children-internet-access-exam-advantage
Clinton, C. (2012, May 21). Is the Internet hurting Children? CNN Opinion Online: http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/21/opinion/clinton-steyer-internet-kids