As back-to-school shopping ramps up, tech experts are urging parents to be just as thoughtful about selecting electronic devices as they are about backpacks and school supplies.
With so many electronic devices on the market, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Vanessa Vakharia, a math and tech expert, says the answer may be simpler than expected — think old school.
WATCH Experts say choose single-use devices for back-to-school shopping
Instead of buying one device that does everything, Vakharia recommends choosing single-use devices, like a calculator. She says they help kids focus without distractions from the internet.
"Five states are moving to ban cell phones, some even laptops from the classroom because there's an understanding that when kids have a device that does a bunch of things, they're not necessarily going to be doing the thing you want them to be doing on that device, right? So, really ask yourself when you're purchasing tech tools, when you're evaluating the tech tools in your kid’s environment, does it do the thing I want it to do, and does it do that thing really well?" Vakharia said.
She added that any device with an internet connection is a problem — including smartwatches.
For parents buying a calculator, Vakharia recommends purchasing one now so kids can get comfortable with it before school starts. For advanced classes, she says to make sure the calculator has the functions the teacher requires.
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