As the world shifted toward technology, everything has started to move at a faster pace, even education. The digital world has had an impact on children’s learning and development, and not always on a positive note. With more distractions that are available for young learners, it has been increasingly difficult for educators to engage students in the traditional classroom setting.
The good news is that parents can actually provide their children a curriculum that is richly designed richly and tailor fit to their learning styles, as they also put a premium on raising them up anchored on the right values, not just filling their minds with knowledge. And this, intentional parenting, is at the heart of homeschooling, the learning movement that has been fast gaining ground in the Philippines and in the world.
The perils of Digital Cocaine
Brad Huddleston, author of Digital Cocaine: A Journey Toward iBalance and The Dark Side of Technology: Restoring Balance in the Digital Age is an expert on the effects of technology in molding young minds. He talks about the dangers of digital addiction. “In its simplest form, when someone cannot do without their digital device, they are addicted. This not only applies to entertainment media accessed through digital devices, but also includes technology that is required for work and school. When any activity, including interacting with digital devices, interferes with normal life, they are addicted.” This poses a problem for both parents and educators, he adds, and goes around the world to help them mitigate the effects of tech.
He also explains that because the world is connected to the same “pipe” known as the Internet, the resulting problems created by this relatively new medium are generally the same around the world. “This means that the rise in ADHD, cognitive breakdown, depression and anxiety disorders, etc. are common regardless of country or economic status.”
Touch and Tech
With homeschooling, however, there is a way to harness the powers of tech to truly build up kids in their studies and make gadgets a healthy part of a holistic learning experience. As Debra Bell, homeschool mom and author of the best-selling book The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling explains, “Homeschoolers are early adopters of the technologies that are revolutionizing education and how we deliver learning around the globe. It continues to rise in the United States, as recent research has shown, and is on the rise dramatically around the world.”
The 21st century is about learning anytime, anywhere, through any means and homeschooling gives families the flexibility they need to balance work, family, travel, hobbies, and education. Bell expounds that parents can actually marry being high-touch and high-tech through homeschooling. How? “[By] learning right beside your children with an Ipad or smartphone in hand. Talking about what you are learning and they are learning online around the dinner table and throughout the day,” she advises.
The intentional parenting core of homeschooling keeps technology usage in check, wielding its power only for good so children #LearnBetter. This and other topics on how to enrich learning in the digital age and how to make intentional parenting work for you will be discussed by Brad Huddleston, Debra Bell, UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, and other expert educators at the much-awaited 1st Global Homeschool Conference (GHC 2018) on October 13 to be held at SMX Aura, SM Aura Premier BGC Taguig City. The event is organized by Homeschool Global (HG), a learning enrichment services provider with the vision to help change the world one family at a time through education.
GHC 2018 is not just for moms and dads, but also features special workshop tracks for teens and educators. It features exciting keynote messages and workshops by homeschool pioneers and alumni alike, a Homeschool Exchange (business opportunities for homeschoolers by homeschoolers), various fun-filled activities for kids, and more! To cap off the day, Homeschool Global will be hosting a “Showcase of Talents”, featuring talented homeschoolers who shine in their chosen fields, as well as sought-after band Ben & Ben, one of whose members, Poch Barretto, is a product of homeschooling.
To register for the 1st Global Homeschool Conference, visit http://www.homeschoolglobal.com/ghc2018.html.
To know more about Homeschool Global, visit their headquarters at the nd Level of Ayala Malls The 30th along Meralco Avenue in Pasig City. For more information about Homeschool Global, visit their website: www.homeschoolglobal.com; FB: /HomeschoolGlobal and IG: @homeschoolglobal or call (+632) 234-0432.
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