A counteragent to gadget addiction

Everybody will agree on the fact that gadget addiction is the worst fear of the 21st century. However, many will shrug their shoulders if they have asked to develop a solution for it. Electronic devices are not just addictive for adults as well as for kids. The hustling lifestyle of modern parents is causing them to strain their bonding with children. Many kids are left with no option to spend their time or release their energy; thus, they resort to the comforts of the games and the internet. 

 During the days of the pandemic, this phenomenon has elevated to another level. The psychologists and counselors opinionated that student who attended online classes became compulsive addicts. A paper called ‘The impact of Covid-19 lockdown on Internet use and escapism in adolescents’ states Covid-19 outbreak has adversely challenged adolescent internet use and psychosocial well-being globally. Experts assume that gadget addiction is a stumbling block upon the long-term creativity of the child.

Gadget addiction causes a lot of eye stimulation. As a result, many distractions could happen during that time, including hyperactivity in the vestibular area. The vestibular area is a sensory system that informs the brain about motion, head position, and spatial orientation. It coordinates all the information received from the other sensory systems to create an equilibrium.

The kids these days live in a limited social space. So, it is human that social animals seek a companion. Unfortunately, their companionship ended up with gadgets. And the children fail to discern the limits of this incongruous relationship. Thus, they end up becoming slaves to gadgets. Understanding this thread, parents may try to suddenly grab it away from them. Changing the gear must be a thoughtful process. As we declutter their mind, it is also advised that we must fill it with the right things. 

A dynamic cure: Project-based activities can be introduced to the child. 

Strawbees is a construction set consisting of color-coded straws measured and registered enough to resist daily use with 1 to 5 legged coded connectors to fit the straws on their legs. The straws can be slid through the holes punched in the connectors. It is a durable and reusable set capable of reproducing various projects. This, in turn, helps the kids develop skills to think creatively. Multiple possibilities of this set include:

• Creating static geometric structures.
• Kinetic inventions like the mechanical arm.
• Even walking robots are attached to electronics.

Strawbees can be complemented with cardboard or even with other electronic materials to create innovative projects. This engages children in project ideas in how they see the world, which reproduces creative thinkers and invention literates.

Strawbees learning encompasses custom project ideas through which teachers are helped. It formulates hands-on learning combined with the pedagogical framework. The product is the brainchild of the Lifelong Kindergarten group of MIT. Lesson plans are focused on helping teachers how to create situations where students can engage in creative thinking. It enriches the kids with 21st-century skills and other compatible qualities.

The virtual store of Strawbees facilitates the download of coding cards, blueprints, PowerPoints to aid in learning. Strawbees develops coding skills from early years through the Quirk board. Quirk board is an Arduino-compatible microcontroller that controls electronics such as leads and servo motors. To program the Quirk board, there is an app called Strawbees code. Using the Strawbees code, you can reset the quirk bot and start building the movements and lighting without programming it at first. Additionally, Strawbees enables you to create your programs for the quirk bot. There are three ways of programming style for using Strawbees called flow, scratch base blocks, and writing in C++. Coding cards help you and your students to get started with physical computing. 

Gadget addiction is not trinket stuff that can be simply snatched away from your child’s hand immediately. It is a hodgepodge that must be uprooted with planned action. Tools like Strawbees can replace this addiction with rewarding skills. Visit www.leaderedutech.com to carve out a genius in your home by incorporating essential brain activity.