Education | Peter "Just Loves Flying"

iPads in the classroom – transforming education or unnecessary distraction? – BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

May 19, 2016

Peter Singhatey Education, Reports, Research, Social Media Education, ipads a distraction, ipads in school, peter singhateh, Peter Singhatey Leave a comment

For the past eight months, my teenage son has been required to use an iPad for some schoolwork and much of his homework. And it seems he’s not the only one; tablets are now commonplace in schools and some schools are starting to insist all pupils have one.

But there’s been little debate about this new development. And that’s why the ATL teaching union commissioned a major survey on tablets in the classroom.

A total of 376 parents and teachers from across Northern Ireland responded and there was a clear consensus on a number of issues.

Most (78%) believed tablets do have at least some educational value in the classroom, but there was widespread concern about certain significant potential drawbacks.

Some 82% of respondents were worried about the ‘distraction factor’ if pupils were expected to use tablets for homework; will children diligently do their homework when they can check messages or play games on the same devices?

But perhaps the most alarming finding related to child protection; 64% of teaching staff who had educational experience of using tablets felt there was a risk that pupils might access inappropriate material when the devices were used in the classroom.

Some schools are starting to ask or require parents to pay for tablets or other digital devices. Most respondents (71%) firmly opposed any move to make parents pay on the grounds that not all families can afford the cost.

Indeed, a large majority of respondents (81%) wanted official guidance on the use of tablets in schools – so perhaps that can be one of the first tasks for our incoming Education Minister.

So where do parents and schools stand?

Source: iPads in the classroom – transforming education or unnecessary distraction? – BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Why overpraising may be responsible for a generation of narcissistic children – Independent.ie

March 20, 2015

Peter Singhatey Education Early Education, peter singhateh, Research, Self-Esteem Leave a comment

Why overpraising may be responsible for a generation of narcissistic children – Independent.ie.

A new study – carried out by Eddie Brummelman and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam – suggests that the constant praising of our children’s smallest accomplishments may have the unintended side effect of creating over-inflated egos.

The study evaluated more than 560 children between the ages of seven and 11 over 18 months. It found that parental overvaluation was the largest cause of narcissism in a child, but did not necessarily provide them with good self-esteem.

So, while we think that telling our children they’re fantastic all the time is building up their confidence, it doesn’t necessarily have that effect.

“People with high self-esteem think they’re as good as others, whereas narcissists think they’re better than others,” said Brad Bushman, the co-author of the study.

“Children believe it when their parents tell them that they are more special than others. That may not be good for them or for society.”

Parents need to be careful. Raising a child who thinks they are superior to others and believes they deserve special treatment can have serious consequences, both in childhood and later on in life…

‘Africa Rising’? Not really, unless we invest more in girls – CNN.com

June 18, 2014

Peter Singhatey Education Africa, Education, Gambia, peter singhateh, Peter Singhatey Leave a comment

‘Africa Rising’? Not really, unless we invest more in girls – CNN.com.

What factor has the power to transform individual lives, communities, nations and the world?

The answer to this complex question is a simple one: education. While it is widely accepted that there is no one solution to lift the millions across our globe out of poverty, it is also equally accepted that a key cornerstone of addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges is through providing a quality education to all children, especially girls…

Reading Books Is Fundamental – NYTimes.com

January 24, 2014

Peter Singhatey Education Education, People & Society, peter singhateh, Research Leave a comment

Reading Books Is Fundamental – NYTimes.com.

“…we are now inundated with information, and people’s reading habits have become fragmented to some degree by bite-size nuggets of text messages and social media, and that takes up much of the time that could otherwise be devoted to long-form reading. I get it. And I don’t take a troglodytic view of social media. I participate and enjoy it. Write A Comment

But reading texts is not the same as reading a text...”

Government has no plans for sex filters | Irish Examiner

October 18, 2013

Peter Singhatey Education Education, Ireland, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Government has no plans for sex filters | Irish Examiner.

DESPITE the on going debate in Britain, there are no plans here to introduce pornography filtering in Ireland, according to the Department of Justice.

The Department of Education states that access to pornography on children’s phones is primarily a matter for parents as they are the primary educators of children…

Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer

July 9, 2013

Peter Singhatey Education Education, People & Society, peter singhateh, Research Leave a comment

Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer

via Modern life means children miss out on pleasures of reading a good book | Books | The Observer.

Hulton Getty

Reading for pleasure is declining among primary-age pupils, and increasing numbers of “time poor” parents are dropping the ritual of sharing bedtime stories with their children once they start school.

Research presented to the Children’s Media Conference in Sheffield last week found that, while parents read to pre-schoolers, this later tails off, and by the final year of primary school only around 2% read to their children every day. Once children can read competently, parents tend to step back, and this usually happens at the age of seven or eight.

The report, entitled Is Children’s Reading a Casualty of Modern Life?, also found that 82% of teachers blame the government’s “target-driven” education policies for the fact that fewer children are reading for pleasure…

In cyberspace no one can hear you scream

February 5, 2013

Peter Singhatey Cyberbulling, Education Cyberbulling, Education, peter singhateh Leave a comment

In cyberspace no one can hear you scream.

The perpetrator and the victim are familiar roles in any bullying scenario but a lot less attention is paid to the bystander.

Yet, statistically, your teenage son or daughter is much more likely to have the “walk on” part of bystander, particularly when the bullying is carried out in cyberspace. They may think they are doing nothing when they glance at hurtful comments aimed at somebody else tumbling in on a news feed on a social media page, but they are involved.

There are grades of bystanders, says clinical psychologist Sarah O’Doherty, which range from being actively involved and encouraging the bullying – “you may not be the person who instigated it but as soon as it starts up you jump in and start adding at the same volume” – right down the scale to somebody who is just watching and doing nothing.

“You are never neutral if you are a witness to bullying,” she explains. “You have a choice to either do something or not do something – either way you are making a decision about it.”…