Strangers in Digiland

Strangers in Digiland How Disconnected Are Parents from their Young Children’s Universe?

Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, SapienNa University

How Disconnected Are Parents from their Young Children’s Universe? Insight into parents’ ideas and concerns related to their children’s and their own digital literacy, based on the qualita8ve inquiry among 4-‐ to 8-‐year-‐old children, their parents and educators, Romania (March 2015 – August 2016). Methodology: 18 semi-‐structured interviews with parents, two focus-‐groups with teachers, guided observaNons of children using tablets, 48 children drawings. Framework: the research project Digital Literacy and Mul8modal Prac8ces of Young Children, part of the EU COST network IS 1410 – The Digital and Mul/modal Prac/ces of Young Children (www.digilitey.eu). Strangers in Digiland: Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, Sapien8a University

Key quesNons: 1.  Are parents disconnected from their young children’s universe? 2.  Which are the factors affecNng adults’ access to “digiland”? 3.  How are they bridging the digital literacy gap? 4.  How are educators coping with digital naNves? Work in progress, involving students from the CommunicaNon and PR masters. Strangers in Digiland: Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, Sapien8a University

Key concepts: – “smart divide”: ability gap in using smart ICTs (Lee, 2016) – “family literacy” (Compton-‐Lilly – Rogers – Lewis, 2012) – learning by playing: more effecNve (Wohlwend – Peppler, 2015) – educators may cathalize digital literacy (Blau – Hameiri, 2016)

Strangers in Digiland: Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, Sapien8a University

Key findings (I): 1. Are parents disconnected from their young children’s universe? Parents and teachers have different paferns of socializaNon and educaNon: as children they were not immersed in “digiland”. They have different worldviews in terms of values and experiences. “We did not grow up like this… we played outdoors, we played a lot. During the winter we sleigh-‐rode. In the evening, when the stars came up, we went home. Now the playgrounds are empty… for them all is about the internet, computers, smartphones… and so on. They do not read a book. I miss so many things from their life.” (37 years old mother) “In my opinion it is more valuable if somebody is educated and is literate, than searching on the internet” (53 years old teacher) “Children think in symbols. We wanted to read, we are very different.” (40 years old father)


Key findings (II): 2. Which are the factors affecNng adults’ access to “digiland”? Adults someNmes dislike digital technology: lack of knowledge, skills, experience “In my opinion the physical, emo/onal and cogni/ve development of a six years old is hardly helped by the digital devices. In a nega/ve way, maybe.” (40 years old mother)

Adults consider children are more skilful then them in digital environments: “Well, I think children should teach me. Last year there was a liNle boy in my group, who was very interested in technologies, and when we got a new device we called him to show how this is working…he was looking and he knew at once what buNon to push. I have the impression that they already know what I have to learn.” (47 years old teacher)


Key findings (III): 3. How are parents and educators bridging the digital literacy gap? If parents and teachers make serious efforts to understand digital habits of young children and develop their digital competence, they gain access to “digiland”. If adults gain experience in digital environments, they get immersed in this world. If parents co-‐par8cipate in children’s digital ac8vi8es, they can learn and play together – a way of strengthening family 8es too.


Key findings (IV): 4. How are educators coping with digital naNves? They can not cope with digital na8ves yet. “In my opinion, in the kindergarten we do not have to teach digital competence. They learn by themselves, anyhow…but what we teach now, they will not have the opportunity to learn later. Let’s see a 10 years old child to read a tail from a book, when he/she already does his/ her homework on the computer…he/she will not, never.” (53 years old teacher) “What to teach to them? I don’t have the competence…and we do not have devices on what to show and prac/ce.” (47 years old teacher)


Conclusions: – Parents and educators are digitally naive and shy – They do not understand children’s “Digiland” – FrustraNon, sense of disconnectedness – OveresNmaNon of children‘s digital competence Strangers in Digiland: Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, Sapien8a University

Strangers in Digiland How Disconnected Are Parents from their Young Children’s Universe?

Rozália Klára Bakó – Gyöngyvér Tőkés, SapienNa University