In 1970, American children had their first contact with screens at age 4, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nearly 50 years later, the age of contact has dropped to four months thanks to the wide range of technological devices available. In fact, a Common Sense study average indicates that children under the age of 2 spend about an hour and average a day in front of a screen. 66% of the parents of these children believe that the use of technology benefits learning. How good is such an early exhibition ?

"As of today, there is no programs of study that establishes a clear benefit of technology in relation to early childhood learning," says Catherine L'Ecuyercollaborator of group 'Mente-cerebro' (Mind-Brain) of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra, and author of Educating in Amazement and Educating in Reality.

L'Ecuyer analyzes the myths about the benefits of technology for children in the article 'The use of digital technologies in early childhood: between slogans and pediatric recommendations', published in the dossier Digital Reading in Early Childhood of the Regional Center for Book Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLALC) of UNESCO and sponsored by the SM Foundation.

In it, the author explains that it is not advisable for children to be exposed to screens until they are two years old. In response to those who argue that technologies can favor development and Education, she argues that, at that age, they are not capable of transferring the two-dimensional experience to real life. "Children learn from human relationships and real experiences, not from screens," he says. In addition, overexposure can lead to learning deficits, mainly in language.

Six myths about the benefits of technology

Specifically, the expert highlights in her work six technological myths or slogans that many consider to be true but which, in reality, have no scientific basis.

• In order to educate in the use manager of technologies, it is necessary to introduce them in early childhood.

According to the educator, in front of a screen, the child does not have a sustainable attention, but a fascination with frequent and intermittent stimuli. This occurs because the young child does not have consolidated executive functions (attention, inhibition and report of work) so it is not able to control the use of technologies or make a use manager.

• Our children are digital natives; therefore, they have an easier time learning how to interact in the digital world.

The term 'digital native' makes reference letter to those who, being born in the digital era, are used to receive and process information naturally. Thus, they would have cognitive advantages that positively affect their learning. However, L'Ecuyer points out that programs of study shows that young people lack the critical and analytical skills to be able to understand the value and originality of information on the web, making them dependent on tools such as Google.

• core topic is to provide universal access to technologies: closing the digital divide can reduce socio-economic differences

One of the arguments put forward to favor social and economic development is universal access to technology, since the Internet would reduce the social gap. However, the expert quotation programs of study indicates that, although it is true that access to technology is lower in disadvantaged families, these have a more abusive consumption. Thus, she considers that a new gap would emerge: "On the one hand, families that are aware of the need to limit the use of new technologies and are able to do so, and on the other hand, those that are not".

• Reading on screen gives better or equal results to reading on paper

For the researcher, handwriting is core topic for learning to read. Writing on paper makes it possible to visually recognize letters better because of the specific movements made in handwriting.

• Technology is neither good nor bad, it depends on how it is used.

"Whether we like it or not," says the author, "technology has effects that we cannot ignore on the learning of our children and students" since childhood is a critical stage in the development. In addition, she warns that, while a child is in front of a screen, he or she stops doing other activities that are beneficial for his or her development, such as playing or reading. This is known as the 'Scrolling Effect'.

• Technology is here to stay, so it is useless to delay its introduction and preferable to bring it forward.

L'Ecuyer argues that constant technological changes belie this idea. "The technological devices we use every day have a shorter and shorter life cycle," he says. He advocates caution in the use of technology and considers its misuse "a public health topic " because, if it really causes any harm to the child, by the time it can be proven, years will have passed "when the possible damage has been done".

In conclusion, the expert defends the control by parents, who should accompany their children in the use of technologies. She also reminds parents and educators to be informed about the recommendations of pediatricians and to be cautious. "It is possible that the best preparation for the online world that we can offer them is to be found in the offline world. In the real world," he concludes.