Question :Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Educating children is a more difficult task today than it was in the past because they spend so much time on cell phone, online games, and social networking Web site. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Nowadays, people are more concerned about their children's upbringing. With the advent of technology and the internet, some people may think it is much more difficult to educate children. Although there might be some disadvantages to using cell phones, online games, and social media, these tools can have their own merits which actually help parents educate their children. Firstly, many may think cell phones are not necessary for students,and in fact, they may cause distractions from their lessons. In this regard, I think the merits of cell phones may be overlooked. Not only do cell phones help students to do their research online instead of going to the library and finding books related to their projects, but also cell phones can assist students to learn new materials related to their studies. For instance, if a professor in a botany class says something about some special kind of plant in the ocean and students have no imaginary picture in their heads, they can search the name of that fish and learn more about it. Admittedly, online games can be so addictive especially for teenagers, but students can learn strategic thinking and the art of deduction through those games. For instance, not only can they learn how to communicate with their peers during games, but also they can learn how to respond to emergency situations. Parents can control the amount of time their kids spend on their cell phones and in this way they can manage the problems associated with cell phones and online games. Social media, just like cell phones and online games, has its own pros and cons. Although people can feel depressed by comparing their reality with those happy stories of social media, they can learn more about the norms of society and ethics through those mediums. For instance, when I was eighteen, I learned about women's rights and LGBT community concerns through social media rather than learning those social norms in classrooms. To sum it up, many may think that educating children is a much more difficult task than it was in the past due to the advance of technology and the internet, but in my view, those tools can assist parents and teachers to educate youth. As mentioned above, the advantages of cell phones, online games, and social media outweigh their disadvantages .