[July 21, 2011] Students dial back tech obsessions Tweet May 25, 2011 (Arab News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Are you addicted to technology? It was a question the students at Bayan Gardens School (BGS) in Alkhobar asked themselves and their guests who turned out for the school's annual science fair. Over the past few months, BGS students have investigated the positive and negative aspects of the use of computers, mobile phones and gaming consoles. While most BGS students believe that they don't spend too much time staring at a screen, now everyone at the school understands how easy it can be for the virtual world to intrude into real life. The school's administration selected the topic of technology addiction for this year's science fair because teachers noted that they were seeing clear trends in students facing issues in time management particularly in regards to the use of computers and other electronic devices. "When a student is drowsy in class because she's been up all night with her mobile phone or a youngster cares more for his gaming console than his studies, it's time for an attitude readjustment," said BGS Director Yasmeen Husain. "It's usually not a good choice to single out individual students and try to force a change in behavior. We find it's much better when students have the opportunity to discover what's best for themselves. That way they'll be convinced to make appropriate lifestyle changes." Every class in the school from pre-kindergarten through 11th grade, researched some aspect of technology addiction. Younger students were asked to consider what they miss out on in life when they spend all day with a video game console. Older students investigated health issues that can arise from hours spent slumped over a computer. Some even polled the student body to find out how much time students spend daily with some sort of gadget. The months of work culminated with exhibits on the topic presented to the parents last Wednesday and Thursday. "This year's exhibition was very useful because our generation is facing this problem," said eighth grader Sarah Bushnag. "Our mothers took a lot of interest in the topic and were very interactive with the material we shared with them." The students discovered that improper posture and long hours with a keyboard can lead to a myriad of health issues. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, dry eyes, scoliosis and obesity are just a few of the physical disorders that the students investigated. Teachers led discussions as well into the mental disorders that can result when people spend too much time with technology and abandon family, friends and other interests. While the Internet is a great resource to use in preparing for a science fair, the students were encouraged to show what they could do using offline creativity. One class developed a hand drawn comic book about technology addiction. Others crafted scale models which demonstrated the damage done to parts of the body abused during time spent on computers and video game consoles. Essays were handwritten, rather than typed out on a PC. The younger students turned to song and dance to express the importance of a balanced lifestyle. Classes went on field trips to an optometrist and the physical therapy department of a local medical center. "Some of the parents who work have already had to cope with the physical problems caused by improper computer use," said Zeinab Al Beesh, 14 years old. "It shows the importance of being aware of the time spent with a computer or video games and I'm okay with my parents setting limits for that." The science fair wasn't just an exhibit about the dangers of technology abuse. The students also offered practical tips and advice to their parents on how to use digital resources wisely. Guests to the science fair received handouts from the students on how to do stretching exercises at work and massage therapy to reduce facial tension. There were presentations on how to identify whether an individual is addicted to video games or the Internet. Parents were counseled on the negative effects of violent video games on children and were asked to remove such gaming titles from their homes. Over and over again, students put out the message that the internet and other digital technologies are highly beneficial, but that parents must understand and control how their children interact with the digital world. "I used to be addicted to video games," said Sarah Al Hulaibah, 16 years old. "Then my Mom put limits on how much I could play and after that my computer broke. Now I'm not allowed to have my phone in my room at night either. My parents already were aware of many of these issues and are trying to control technology use at home." Many of the students were very serious about the significance of the information they were trying to bring to people's attention. "It's important for people to understand that if they're online all the time, then there's no face-to-face interaction," said Howaida Taraboozni, 13 years old. "These days people know there's something missing in their relationships but they don't know what that is. I'll tell you. It's face-to-face interaction." During our visit to the science fair, Arab News asked many of the students how many hours each day they spent with digital resources. The majority of the students said their parents limit their video gaming to an hour on a school day. A few students stated that they aren't allowed to use a PC alone at home. Parents set tighter controls on the younger students, with quite a few of the older students using digital resources for four hours or more during school days. "Our goal with this year's science fair was to start a discussion in our community about this topic," Husain said. "Parents everywhere in the world are trying learn what's best for their children when it comes to interacting with digital technologies. I hope the information that the Bayan Gardens community has learned through this science fair will be spread to relatives and friends, so that many more families can benefit from this experience." -- MYBI To see more of the Arab News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.arabnews.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Arab News, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]