Why do todays children need more 'visual stimulation in the classroom'?

Question

Is it down to more interactive toys in toddlerhood, and video games? I certainly didn't need visual stimulation - yes, some lessons were boring, but we still managed to get decent grades without an all singing, all dancing teacher/computer.

Following a programme on British TV this evening (Fiona Bruce, 7pm BBC) I have decided my children will not have computer consoles whilst under my roof. They may however have art materials, climbing frames, money towards team sports, ice skating lessons, ballet lessons, a trampoline, drama classes.... I could go on....

My child is only 18 months. I'm really worried that children currently in education seem unable to get on unless they are shown pictures.... is this not kindergarten for pre-teens....

What's going on? Your thoughts and experience welcomed. Thanks.

Answer 1

I don't think that it is today's Children that "need" visual stimulation, but rather it has been researched and identified that visual stimulation provides for a more lasting and less boring environment. I would agree that physical activities are much better than sitting in front of the new age babysitter in the form of game consoles and television. I would also argue that social skills are just as important as any other learned lessons throughout life which usually will include the knowledge of the newest game/movie and so forth. Computer skills are also a huge must in today's world as apposed to when you or I would not have needed (or at least did not know we needed them) these skills for our adult careers.

The last thing I want is for my children to be sitting in front of a Television or game console for the majority of any day and this is why I will not buy one for myself (being a man at any age, this is somewhat tough to give up). I also believe that a decent balance of everything would due good to build character in the form of responsibility and knowledge.

Answer 2

Everyone learns in a different way - whether visual, physically taking part in an activity or through listening.
Education must accomodate all or face the possibility of failing children! Society is now bombarding our children with all sorts of tehcnical devices and schools also have to introduce these - the jobs that many of the children beginning school now have not yet been invented! Children should, however, experience a wide, variety of experiences including all the play experiences we experienced.

Answer 3

I applaud you! I hope you can stick with your child-rearing philosophy. Parents take the easy way out and sit their children in front of the TV instead of playing with them or getting them involved in something healthy and creative. By the time the child goes to school, he wants to be entertained, since that is all he has known. The teacher is under a lot of pressure to compete with the TV and computer, so many teachers resort to showing videos and putting the lessons on the computer, just to get the children's attention. Children are no longer good listeners as we had to be -- they haven't been taught to sit and listen, or sit and read -- they want images going across a screen or they are bored. But there is very little learning going on because they haven't been taught to synthesize what they are taking in, or to think creatively.

Answer 4

They don't!!! I have no idea who is to blame for circulating this type of claptrap but children do not NEED more ANYTHING. What they do need is a far better education which centres around the basics, not pretty pictures and 'stimulating environments'. You only have to look at the millions of pounds being spent on improving school buildings in relation to the non-improvement of performance to discover that the money is being ill-spent. Shiny new buildings, modern technology and student centred learning will never make up for sub standard teaching, lack of discipline and unnecessary paperwork. Ignore the hype. Raise your children as you see fit, because you'll never have any say in decision-making in education.
Grrr! Don't get me started!!

Answer 5

Because many children these days come from homes with two working parents and instead of positive interaction with parents or outside activities, these children are now being raised and entertained by the television. I think TV and computers have definite places in education but they are no substitute for an involved parent or physical activity. I think you can attribute obesity and ADHD to the same thing.

Answer 6

Visual learning has always been a preferred method of learning. Howard Gardner, known figure in human cognitive research identifies eight human intelligence; linguistic, logical, musical, visual, kinesthetic, inter-personal, intra-personal and naturalistic. He suggests that a good teaching style includes all eight human characteristics. However, he and many others such as Richard Bandler and John Grinder, the founders of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) have identified three distinct learning styles3:

1-Visual: Learning through seeing.
2-Auditory: Learning through hearing
3-Kinesthetic: Learning through experiencing

In a study of 5000 young students from United States, Hong Kong and Japan Lynn O’Brien, director of Specific Diagnostic Studies of Rockville, Maryland concluded that the learning preferences have almost even spread for the above three styles, but when reaching adulthood visual preference is the dominant style. This is not surprising when you consider that 70% of our body’s sensory receptors are located in our eyes. Usage of visual aids to assist understanding and learning is not a new phenomenon.

Today kids, having been subject to games and TV, have developed the zest for such sources and hence their attention span has shortened. So really using graphically conducted lessons are to combat this short and shortening span of their attentions.

On my website, I have combined animation and audio to explain and display what goes on in the mind of the educator in very short bursts of knowledge transfer. This is my way of combating our learners short attention span.

Answer 7

seen is larger, yet telephone stimulation ought to nicely be relaxing too..fantastically if she whispers in spanish.. I somewhat have a good mind's eye tho..provide me both seen and my mind's eye. what a great time even with the undeniable fact that the authentic element is alot more effective=)

Answer 8

it is easier to learn using visual diagrams and pictures. Like at my school. Every classroom is now fitted with an LCD projector. And all the teachers have been given laptops. They all use PowerPoint presentations. 2 Reasons it is easier for us to understand and the teacher is too lazy.

Answer 9

Due to today's technology of games consoles,t.v 24/7,children don't have the ability to use their imaginations.They are instead,relying on the interaction of computer graphics and video games to make lessons easier,where in fact i believe it's making them lazy.
They are not using the grey cells in their heads,for what they are meant for.

Answer 10

you will change your mind we all have these good idea when our children are younger but you will be isolating your children from there peers as they get older children get used to visual stimulation in today's culture and expect this and if all the senses are stimulated learning become easier and my son who suffered from attention deficit was helped by computers as they held his attention by the way he is at university now and is a very pleasant young man who everyone likes