The debate of whether we should let our young generation access the internet no longer exists, thanks to the pandemic that swept us by surprise and left us shocked and dependent on online tools and platforms.
Online schooling has exposed children to the ocean called the “ Internet” and this exposure is here to stay. What parents and educators can do is empower them to navigate through this ocean appropriately.
Before we delve deeper into this, here is a set of questions for parents and educators to ponder about.
Most of us would answer a “Yes” to all these questions. If so, then we need to empower our children to navigate through the vast “online/digital world”.
Here are ways to support your child in inhabiting the online world safely :
Who said this? What is the source of the data? Which website/organization has posted this information? Are they authorized to comment?
For instance, My child comes up to me and says “ I saw a video which states that Paris is the best place to live.” I hear the child out and ask “ What are the parameters based on which the video recommends Paris as the best place? Who has posted the video? Are they authorized to evaluate and comment? Is it an opinion or a fact? Do you also subscribe to that opinion or do you want to evaluate it independently?” This sets them to think that they need to evaluate information objectively and distinguish between fact and opinion before buying any argument passed on as a fact in the digital world.
While most of the above pointers appear to be guidelines for parents, they are relevant for educators too. Students are spending time online to gather data and information for their learning experiences as well as assessments. Educators need to sensitize students about the rights and duties of being a digital citizen.
Parenting and educating children of this millennium was never an easy task and that challenge has grown manifold post COVID. Having said that, we must educate and empower our children so that they can inhabit both the online and offline world safely and responsibly. Best wishes to all the parents and educators out there!!!
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