Opinion

Opinion >> Navigating the Digital World Together –A Personal Reflection

I remember the first time I flew by myself to London. I was 19 and somewhat nervous to be traveling from San Francisco without friends or family. I was confident that I could manage the airports and the flight because I had frequently traveled with my grandparents when I was younger. I was more nervous about taking the Tube, finding my way to the hotel and knowing what to do if something unexpected came up.

My mother was worried about my being safe and naturally had instructed me to call as soon as I got settled. Car phones were the new fad at that time while mobile phones were rare, nearly unheard of; so international calls were conducted most frequently using an operator and a phone card from a land line. How scary for her to know that she had to wait on me to contact her first.

How things have changed! Now we live in a world where anyone can connect with anybody else simply by using the personal device that they have in their pocket. Nearly every adult in the world carries a mobile phone according to the Pew Research Center and many teenagers and young children have personal devices as well.

You’ve heard it said that children are digital natives and those of us who were born before 1980 are digital immigrants. Our children were born into a world that is very different from the one that we grew up in, even if you are a young parent. Technology is advancing very rapidly.

Though our children are citizens of a world that may be a bit foreign and overwhelming to us, it is still our responsibility to guide them on how to navigate through that world. This is done best when we spend time together with them.

or tablet. I’m afraid that while most parents would worry about their child’s safety and capableness when sending them alone on a trip, they often allow their child to spend hours daily navigating the digital world completely on their own.

From an alternate perspective, did you know that many children are concerned about the amount of time their parents spend on a personal device? That children feel their parents have addiction issues with technology? That when parents engage with their personal device some children feel neglected?

Educators are just as guilty as the next parent. Schools are not the only place where children should learn how to navigate the digital world. Most children, aged 11 and above, spend as much as 6-9 hours on a computer or mobile phone after school hours (commonsensemedia.org). That’s why it’s so important that parents reflect on what’s happening with their child at home.

The digital world may seem foreign at times but it is important that families and the school work together to support children in being safe, confident and experienced digital travelers. Make a commitment to spend more time being together with your son or daughter using technology. Set boundaries about when and where technology can be used. Model for your child the way that you would like them to use their personal device. Let them know who they can turn to when they come across the unexpected. You do not have to know it all. Learn together. In doing this, you’ll prepare your child better for navigating the digital world on their own.

By Allen Lambert Director of Technology at Beijing City International School allen.lambert@bcis.cn