The Question Isn't Whether Technology is Good For Your Kid

[Commentary] You’ve heard the worry -- or maybe you harbor it yourself: App mania, video games, and TV are sucking children into a vortex of mindless entertainment, replacing the social interactions they need to help develop their minds as well as the focused concentration on letters, words, and sentences they need to become strong readers. Digital media is so powerful that it is essentially crippling their chances of success.

But recently, guests at New America’s Washington (DC), office heard my co-author Michael H. Levine and me provide a different narrative. Yes, digital media is a powerful force in the lives of children and families, which is exactly why we have to harness that power to promote literacy. No more cheerleading for technology nor chastising parents and teachers for the use of it. Parents, educators, and policymakers should take a “third way” approach that is human-powered first and tech-assisted second.