IMPACT OF E-LEARNING TOOLS ON YOUNG MINDS

In this Technological Era ‘E' is gaining too much importance—Email, E-health, E-learning, E-governance, E- marketing, E- commerce and so on. But, Are we losing somewhere Human Touch???. Here comes a big question mark. Recently, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple visited India, has some advice for parents: limit the screen time for children. He says: ‘'kids are born digital, they're digital kids now. And it is, I think, important to set some hard rules around it.'' Various surveys of Indian children show alarming findings. A Saurashtra University survey of more than a thousand children and their parents in Rajkot finds that 92% students prefer playing mobile games over playing outside and 78% students are habitual to having their phone while having meals. Digital gadgets are intoxicating childhood. We all know how important outdoor games are for physical, social, emotional, moral, mental development. E-learning is pushing them towards solitary confinement in their room along with gadgets. And it's not producing smarter next generation. Authors are not against technology. Excess of exposure and too much dependency on these gadgets is bad for behavioural, psycho-socio and emotional development. It affects their holistic development. Very young children learn to swipe, scroll and click before they learn to speak or walk. Children urgently need adult cooperation and help in fighting digital addiction. Because the neurochemistry of excessive smartphone usage is same as that of narcotic drugs.