The Importance of Digital Education for Children
In the 21st century, children are born into a world of digital devices. This is why it’s necessary for them to relate to technology and communication in an effective way. To do this, we should provide them with a digital education at school and in their own homes.
But, how can we teach children new technologies? In this article, we’ll give you some useful tips you can put into practice at home. Take notes of these handy tips!
“Since we live in an age of innovation, a practical education must prepare a man for work that does not yet exist and cannot yet be clearly defined.”
– Peter F. Drucker –
According to the Spanish Organic Law for Improving the Educational Quality (LOMCE), digital competence is a key element in education. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Formation identifies digital competence as:
“The competence that involves creative, critical and safe use of information and communication technologies for obtaining results related to work, employability, education, free time activities, inclusion and society involvement.”
Therefore, during their school years, children should learn to:
- Identify rights, liberties and risks related to the digital world.
- Know and manage basic specific language: textual, numeric, iconic, visual, graphic and sound.
- Know all the main computer applications.
- Have access to different information sources.
- Use different technological resources for communication and problem solutions.
- Use and process information in a systematic and critical way.
- Search, obtain and manage information.
- Create digital content.
- Develop an active, critical and realistic attitude towards technology.
- Be curious and eager to learn and improve technology use.
- Value strengths and weaknesses of technology.
- Respect the ethical principles of digital media.
However, schools shouldn’t be the only ones concerned about this information. In fact, children should learn certain digital guidelines at home.
Digital education for children
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents should follow certain recommendations, in order to educate and prepare children to grow in a completely digitalized world. These recommendations are:
- Establishing basic behavior and communication rules within the virtual world, as in the case of the physical world.
- Setting limits and restrictions in the daily use of digital devices, especially during their children’s preschool age.
- Leading them by example. Because, parents should try to be a model of conduct when interacting with new technologies.
- Being aware of the content their children might be exposed to.
- Choosing the games, applications and programs children will have access to.
- Not using technology as a resource to keep their children quiet and calm.
- Creating technology-free environments at home, where family members can interact with each other. For example, avoiding screens in the dining room or the bedrooms, etc.
- Doing family activities, without technology involved.
- Promoting playtime, without digital devices.
- Trying to participate in their children’s digital activities. For example, playing video games with them, and helping them search for information, etc.
- Not forbidding teenagers to use digital devices to communicate with their peers. However, they should do it in a responsible way.
Importance of digital learning in childhood
To help your children grow and develop while they adapt to new technologies, you should follow the previous tips.
Furthermore, remember that they’re just kids. So, even though they seem to control new technologies to perfection, they need an adult’s help to use them properly.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Santa Clara County Office of Education (2016). Los niños y el tiempo frente a la pantalla. Secretaría de Educación del Condado de Santa Clara.
