Affordance of the Internet
The dawn of modern technology was also the dawn for education to flourish immensely. The creation and continued enhancement of the internet and the collaborative breakthrough in electronics have brought learning to a new dimension. This was in essence the main contention by Chris Davis and Rebecca Eynon in their article. According to Davis and Eynon, the internet has created a new trend in learning (Davis and Eynon). In addition, the author has classified how the internet has open doors of opportunity in formal and informal education. Danah Boyd confirmed Davis and Eynon’s claim by bringing in a specific object that has been created decades after the internet been created—social network (Boyd 5). However, going back to the affordance of the internet, it revealed that because of the internet education has become available for every individual who gains access to the internet. This was the first affordance that the authors capitalized. The internet has allowed people to gain access to education. Now, learning does not necessarily requires going to classrooms and sitting in class to hear lectures. The internet has also made education more compulsory since there cannot be the argument of roadblocks preventing one to pursue it. That means education can be accessed anywhere, anytime by anyone. The second affordance of the internet to education relates to equal opportunities being enjoyed by people from developed and developing countries. The disparity in the learning process has been mitigated because of the internet. The insights learned from studies and researches conducted internationally had been made accessible worldwide because of the internet. In addition, the third accordance that the authors discussed refers to the capacities of technology that allowed for the most personal face-to-face learning process given the numerous applications that allow for this type of communicating process to occur. There are also affordance of the technology to informal education as more people gain unrestricted access to the internet and with the availability of social networking sites. Individuals might be unconscious of how learning can be transported through reading other peoples’ posts on Facebook or Twitter. However, there is already the cultural awakening and sensitivity facilitated by just seeing how people from the other side of the world correspond or behave.
Applications for Infants, Toddlers and Children
There are a lot of computer applications developed for children from ages 0 to 11 years. Parents simply have to select from the wide array of applications.
Infants (0-2 years old)
Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby™
Intentionally developed by Leveractive, LLC for babies, the Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby aims to expose infants to shapes, numbers and the alphabets at a very young age. This is in the belief that this will become imprinted in the babies’ memory. In addition, the application uses colorful images and fun music to attract the baby’s attention. This application is conducive in facilitating for operant conditioning. Babies will be able to associate what they see from what they hearing. This would allow the learning of the alphabet easier because the words is presented with visuals. I recommend this application because it is education and infant respond positively to the sounds and the images in the application.
Toddlers (3-5 years old)
Paint Board™
This application enhances the child’s artistic abilities. The use of bright colors and the accompaniment of music makes painting more enjoyable for toddlers. This application is good to enhance children and encourage their artistic side. Kids today enjoy a different activity. Some might not be fond of the actually coloring activity because they tend to associate it to school works. This application encourage them thinking that it is play not study. I recommend this for parents who refuses to give their children writing materials out of fear that they will become messy and begin writing on the walls. Since it is less messy than the traditional art projects this will encourage parents while at the same time enhances the children’s skills.
Pre-Schooler (6-11 years old)
Where Are We? Learning Library Collection™
Many children do not appreciate science and geography as much. However, this application allows them to enjoy learning about the facts about the solar system, different landforms and bodies of water. It uses the storytelling style that children enjoy and appreciate. This is a good application because children are encourage to read with the interesting images and use of cartoons to discuss scientific information. I recommend this application to parents because it complies a lot of knowledge in a single application so that save them on learning materials.
Works Cited
Boyd, Danah. It's Complicated. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2014. Print.
Davis, Chris and Rebecca Eynon. "Studies of the Internet in learning and education: Broadening the disciplinary landscape." Dutton, William. The Oxford handbook of Internet studies. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2013. 328–349. Print.
