Forget “hand-me downs.” Some parents are coming to grips with the notion of “hand-me ups” when it comes to technology, TechHive reports. A study from Optus revealed Australia’s moms and dads now have to wait in line for their children’s cast-offs when it comes to technology like old mobile phones and tablets. Optus surveyed 1256 parents of children aged 12 to 30 years, distributed throughout Australia. By waiting for their children’s “hand-me ups,” parents are fast being knocked off their pedestal as the family tech expert…
…Read MorePodcast Series: Innovations in Education
Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.
15 current technologies a child born today will never use
From the moment that I found out my wife was pregnant with our first child, a son, I’ve thought of his development in terms of tech, says Avram Piltch for LiveScience. When pregnancy sites described our six-week-old fetus as the size of a “lentil,” I referred to him as the length of an RFID chip. When the doctor said he had reached 1.3 pounds, I told all my friends that my son was the size of an iPad. When he was born this week, he was about the size of an HP Envy 15, though unfortunately his cries did not use Beats Audio. As my newborn son grows to match the size of a mid-tower desktop, a large-screen TV and eventually a server rack, I can’t help but think about all the gadgets he won’t even remember using that were so important to his dad. I’m not talking about long dead-and-buried technologies such as the VHS recorder or the 35mm camera. Rather, I’m thinking about devices and concepts most of us use today that will fall out of mainstream use so soon that he either won’t remember them, or will only have very hazy memories of having lived with them…
…Read MoreKids predict the future of technology
There might be a reason why the iPad is so popular with young children: It’s intuitive, touchable, and an extension of oneself—features that, according to a new survey, young children are asking for.
According to the study, titled “Children’s Future Requests for Computers & the Internet,” kids ages 12 and under are predicting that the future of media and technology lies in better integrating digital experiences with real-world places and activities.
They’re also suggesting that more intuitive, human-like interactions with devices, such as those provided by fluid interfaces or robots, are a key area for development.…Read More