The Impact of Gadget Use on Motor and Intellectual Development in Elementary School Children

Abstract

Gadgets are a communication tool that cannot be separated from human life. So in the current era gadgets are not only consumed by adults but also by children. The widespread use of gadgets among children can hinder the child's development process. Currently, the development of technology has a lot of influence on children, one of which is the use of gadgets. If a child is addicted and negatively impacted by gadgets, the child's development will be hampered. This poses a danger to children from gadgets. Playing with gadgets can pose risks to children's physical and mental health. Of course, here the role of parents and teachers needs to be expected so that children are not negatively impacted by the use of gadgets. The method used in this research is a descriptive approach. The aim of this research is to determine the influence of gadgets on the development of elementary school students. The developments discussed here are motoric and intellectual developments in elementary school students. The results of this research show that excessive use of gadgets has a huge influence on children's development, both in terms of psychology, physical and social development. Apart from having a positive impact, gadgets can also have a negative impact on children if they are not supervised by parents or teachers. The positive impacts that arise include broadening students' insight, helping children to think more clearly, adding new vocabulary to children, making it easier for students to communicate with teachers, and can develop children's fine motor skills. Meanwhile, the negative impacts are detrimental to health, children do not socialize well in their surrounding environment, have difficulty developing their speaking skills, get angry easily, imitate behavior on gadgets and are addicted to playing with gadgets.