Tech Tonic

The Alliance for Childhood has released a report on technology and children (“Tech Tonic: Towards a New Literacy of Technology”) that suggests seven key reforms:

• Make human relationships and a commitment to strong communities a top priority at home and at school.
• Color childhood green to refocus education on children’s relationships with the rest of the living world.
• Foster creativity every day, with time for the arts and play.
• Put community-based research and action at the heart of the science and technology curriculum.
• Declare one day a week an electronic entertainment–free zone.
• End marketing aimed at children.
• Shift spending from unproven high-tech products in the classroom to children’s unmet basic needs.

This is a wonderful initiative, because it takes seriously the creative role that technology can play in kids' lives, but suggests ways to manage the practices by which kids engage technology in healthy, holistic ways. I'm going to assign this report in my children's ministry classes, and promote it to churches who are serious about supporting children.