Parents, teachers and technology

This week I was asked to write an answer to the following prompt for a publication called 'Abu Dhabi Week.'

"The impact of gizmos, tablets, gaming consoles on children's mindset - what parents and teachers think should be done..."

This is my draft response - we'll have to wait and see what the final edit brings but I've had fun writing it... comments welcome!

The relatively recent explosion of consumer digital technology, in particular, smartphones, tablets and sophisticated gaming devices, has understandably given rise to serious concerns for parents, teachers, school leaders, educational policy-makers and all others involved in the education and welfare of today’s children.  The late US President Harry S. Truman predicted over half a century ago that technology may advance at a faster rate than we are capable of using it responsibly.  And therein lies the challenge.  

Distraction, technology addiction, cyberbullying, access to inappropriate content, risky online interactions, obesity, eye-strain, underdeveloped social skills, sleep and eating disorders and largely unknown radiation risks.  These are just some of the dangers we must better understand and actively guard against if we are to help our children safely navigate a path through what is now undoubtedly a digitally connected world.  It is easy to see just from this short list why there is so much fear around our children’s use of technology.  I do believe that we can prove Truman wrong - but we have to act together and act quickly, with a sensible, measured and balanced approach to the challenge before us.

Dr. Paul Howard-Jones, Reader in Neuroscience and Education at the University of Bristol in the UK, provides compelling evidence that video games can have a positive effect on brain development and boost learning significantly.  He argues that the technology itself is not inherently dangerous, rather it is a question of when, how much and what you do with it that counts.  

I remember when NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle pilot, Barry “Butch” Wilmore visited GEMS schools in the UAE several years ago.  He was asked by a young student at one of our schools, “What do I need to do to become an astronaut?” Wilmore’s answer was very interesting:  “Study hard, go to college and major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics - and play video games… lots of video games.”  He was in no doubt of the potential that modern technology has to develop key skills and transform learning.

Of course, not many children will become astronauts and technology is not all about video games - even though ever more sophisticated games are now being developed which teach and assess real life skills such as collaboration, negotiation, critical thinking and decision-making.    Nevertheless, according to the European Commission, by 2020, 90% of jobs will need digital skills.  It is, perhaps, hard to imagine what the other 10% will be!  Digital literacy is now a key skill and schools are embedding this as an integral part of the curriculum.  Indeed, the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau now expects students to “use technology effectively to support their learning” and the Abu Dhabi Education Council, through various initiatives and substantial investment, has taken significant steps towards its stated educational goals, as policy-makers, educators and industry partners look to “harness students’ technological prowess.”

As well as the on-going efforts of those of us privileged to be working in education, it is essential that we also acknowledge the key role of parents in meeting the digital challenge and that we work to form effective partnerships between the home and school.  As parents, we are our children’s first, longest-serving and most important teachers and research shows that effective parent engagement can add the equivalent of between two and three years to a child’s schooling.  Numerous studies and guidance from organisations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics also stress the importance of parents in monitoring their children’s use of media and providing a range of digital and non-digital activities, as well as ensuring that any digital media consumed is of high quality and that the parents actively engage with their children.  As Paul Howard-Jones contends, the technology itself is not the danger - if used correctly and responsibly, it can bring significant benefits.  

So I do believe we can prove Truman wrong.  The key to eliminating the dangers of technology is education and I believe it is an exciting time to be both an educator and a parent.  We need to understand and embrace the opportunities digital technology is offering to the new generation and come together as a community to realise the positive impact it can have on our children’s life chances, whilst promoting, teaching and modelling a balanced and healthy lifestyle.  ‘Digital citizenship’ and digital learning skills are fast becoming  key components of the modern curriculum and sites such as https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ are providing outstanding resources and guidance for both schools and parents.    

Common Sense Media, a US-based non-profit organization dedicated to helping children and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, recently certified GEMS World Academy-Dubai as a Common Sense School for educating its students to be safe, smart and ethical digital citizens.  The Academy is the first school in the Middle East and the first GEMS school worldwide to be certified.

“We applaud GEMS World Academy-Dubai for embracing digital citizenship as an important part of their students’ education,” said Rebecca Randall, Vice President of Education Programs for Common Sense Media.  “GEMS World Academy-Dubai deserves high praise for giving its students the foundational skills they need to compete and succeed in the 21^st-century workplace and participate ethically in society at large.”

Other GEMS schools are now working towards this certification as they look to further enhance their digital citizenship provision for all students and to support parents in this key area.    

In Abu Dhabi, GEMS American Academy (GAA) is also blazing a trail in the community with their innovative online digital citizenship portal.  David Rynne, the Academy’s Digital Leader, explains:  “The integration of daily communication into the digital landscape requires that we ensure explicit preparation is given to young learners to make them thoughtful and careful users of social communication. The GAA digital environment prepares our students to be aware of the social aspects of online communication.  In this secure and managed environment, students have access to all the features of a social networking site and are able to develop familiarity with concepts such as instant chat, managing friend requests, creating and managing groups, creating and managing avatars, writing and tagging blogs and making thoughtful comments as part of an online community.”

In many ways, technology has transformed the world and schools are now embracing the best tools and methods to improve their students’ learning.  What hasn’t changed, however, is the need for our children to become well-rounded citizens, who know how to be successful and to live happy, healthy lives in perfect balance.  It is everyone’s responsibility to rise to this challenge and I believe that, by working within and across communities, we can harness the combined power of technology and humanity to make the world a better place.   The work continues.

Phil Redhead

Senior Advisor, Digital Learning  

GEMS Education

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Digital Balance: Top Tips for Parents

1.      Model the behaviours you want to see in your children.  If you are constantly checking emails and Facebook on your phone, this sends a powerful, negative message to your children.  Put your own technology out of reach (e.g. upstairs) at certain times when the kids are around.

2.      Have dinner together whenever possible.  Switch everything off and talk!

3.      Build relationships, based on shared interest, practice, accountability and trust.  Take an interest in your children’s technology and what they do with it.  Play the games they play and familiarise yourself with the sites they use.  The more interested you are in what interests them, the easier it will be to share in other, non-digital activities together.

4.      Keep all technology, including chargers, in shared areas.  There is simply no justification for children to have any sort of screen in their bedrooms.  That’s where they really need to sleep.

5.      Plan activities with and for your children that do not involve screen-based technology.  From karate to cooking, ballet to basketball, it is essential that we actively help our children to engage in a wide range of learning and leisure opportunities.