You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on young children.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write not less than 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
Nowadays, young children use computers so frequently that some even use them more than 10 hours every day. Although some people believe that the phenomenon has no harmful effects on young children, I agree that the disadvantages of it outweigh the advantages.
To begin with, the benefits of using a computer are widely admitted. As high-tech tools, computers provide children with diversified methods to help them learn efficiently. Animated web pages and incentive applications are designed for teaching and inspiring them to access more information and that process expands their horizons as a result. Also, children are attracted easily by the interactions in educational computer programs, so that they absorb knowledge effectively in a lively atmosphere, and it proves to be welcomed by both parents and teachers.
On the other hand, negative impacts of using a computer every day need to be emphasised. Since young children have only acquired inadequate self-control, they are likely to be addicted to computers, video games in particular. Spending too much time on computer games, children will lose their interest in studying as well as communicating with their peers. Moreover, their values and perspectives of the real world might not be well developed once they fall in love with the virtual world, which will have a detrimental influence on their future. Again, using computers for long hours has both physical and psychological effects that would be even more devastating for young children.
In conclusion, though computers are helpful to youngsters’ study, the adverse effects they bring weigh more. It is acceptable that youngsters use computers two or three times a week, but parents still need to be aware of the unhealthy information on the internet and video games addiction of their offspring.
[ by – Fumi ]
Model Answer 2:
The computer is considered as a wonderful invention of the modern world and somehow young people are more attracted to using computers than the older people. Like any other technology, computers have their own demerits if overused or negatively used, but I completely disagree that using a computer every day can have more adverse effects than positive effects for young children.
A computer is a bit different from other electronics tools or gadgets like music players, gaming devices or televisions. Someone requires a great deal of knowledge and an advanced computing capability to actually create something useful in a computer. How can someone become an expert graphics designer or programmer if s/he does not use computers daily from the early age? The negative effects that computers might bring are pretty ignorable and are mostly health related issue that someone can easily overcome with a little awareness and prudent lifestyle. But this negative effect is nowhere comparable with the advancement and flexibility the computer technology has bought for our life.
Young children who play games more than 7-8 hours or do unproductive tasks in a computer are actually bringing more negative points that learning the miracle machines. But think about a child who learns programming, play games, learn advanced computing 3-4 hours a day would become a great computer professional someday.
In conclusion, if the young people are spending their time for entertainment purposes in front of a computer, then s/he better be utilised in somewhere else. But someone with the determination to learn the computing and advancing his/her knowledge about computer software, hardware and networking would become a skilled person for the upcoming future. Hence the young people should be encouraged to use computers daily to enhance their knowledge while taking precaution so that this habit does not affect their health.
Model Answer 3:
As the role of technology has been very crucial in everyone’s life, children have been accustomed to the computers. One may say using computers will give great knowledge to computers or the more negatives than positives. I believe using computers can have more negative effects than advantages because the computer makes children lazy and violent.
If the children become addicted to computers, they will become lazy in their life and they will no longer concentrate on other important things they have to do. Day by day, as the computer steals their valuable time, they will not show an interest in studies and outdoor games. As a result, they will not only become lazy but also they will not be physically sound. For example, my father bought me a personal computer when I finished my 10th grade because I had got A+ in my 10th grade public exams. As I become more habituated to a computer, I became indolent to do my other activities such as studies, sports and the other extra routines. Consequently, my rank dropped to A- in my 12th standard. If anyone tried to take away my computer from me, I used to behave violently.
Kids act unnaturally if they want to own these electronic machines. This creates abnormal behaviours in children. In future, they will not be social. On the other hand, their important role in their schools will get damaged if this continuous.
Another major disadvantage using computers is, children may use adult sites (above 18 years old sites) instead of using a computer for beneficial reasons. For example, today almost in every website, there are ads which promote dating services, adult contents, etc. These ads and then the time spent on those websites by a kid are enough to spoil a good child.
My conclusion is that the parents should either supervise their children while using computers, internet and encourage them to use it for benefits or do not allow their children to use computers. Otherwise, their children will have to face a lot of problems.
[ by – Vijay Punna ]
Model Answer 4:
These days the computer has become a part of many families. Though it is useful for every member of the family in day to day life, its dark side is more dangerous for the children.
A child learns maximum from his surroundings. It is known that the computer provides massive material for a child to learn new things at the same time enjoy games. However, a computer is not intelligent enough to filter the contents based on the age of a person who is using it. For instance, a child might search for an action game on the internet and he might find the real war videos. Frequently, watching such violent videos could harm a child’s character. For example, a kid could be more aggressive in future.
Moreover, spending more time on a computer could build an isolated attitude that a child does not learn to socialise. Computers support interesting games and videos so a child would prefer to be in front of a computer as much as possible and enjoy them. Perhaps this could be one of the reasons that more and more kids suffer from eyes problems these days. Medical science has proved that a person blinks his eyes lesser time that required while using the computer. Apart from eyes, it could harm our backside as well. While sitting in front of the computer people do not realise that they are constantly sitting in the same position for longer hours which results in back pain problem.
I believe the computer is an amazing invention to reduce human efforts. However, if it is used excessively, it could turn into a weapon.
[ by – Naaz ]
Model Answer 5:
Over the past few decades, the world has been revolutionised with computerisation. In spite of, this trend being a boon to the sectors like Information Technology, Globalization and Networking. It has now become a serious deterrent for young children. This essay will discuss its negative impacts on them.
The primary reason is that children are exposed to several health hazards due to over indulgence in the use of computers. Most of the kids nowadays have eyesight problems. This is because of too much exposure to the video display units. For illustration, a child gets more fascinated by playing computer games than outdoor games which naturally makes them idle for longer hours.
The reason stated above sows seeds for another connected problem,” lack of physical activity”. The childhood days are meant to be spent in a hale and healthy way by involving in lots of energetic activities but this has been changed completely with the advent of computers.
Further moving on the same track, a lot more children are now being addicted to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This is not all, they have become more dependent on the internet for everything and are likely losing their thinking ability. For instance, the younger generation prefers surfing for the details they require for an academic task like assignment which may have been given to test their imagination and cognitive skills.
In a nutshell, It is believed that computers are likely causing more detrimental effects like vision, physical activity and more dependency on the internet. Thus, in my opinion, the ideal solution for this could be taken by parents by reducing the usage time of computer and restricting few sites on the internet to make use of technology in a constructive way.
[ by – Nivetha ]