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MT 26 November 2017

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maltatoday SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2017 News 11 We could sum up their response from now, but it won't please those looking for an easy answer to the question of, "How can we make sure kids aren't damaged by their exposure to newfangled techno- logical innovations?" Unfortunately, it's all best summed up with, "There's no one- size-fits-all solution." Respect the differences In fact, Prof. Charles L. Mifsud, Director of the Centre for Literacy at the University of Malta, stresses that, "Your child may be ready [to be exposed to digital technology] sooner or later, depending on their abilities and the level of supervi- sion required," while Loreen Far- rugia – a PhD researcher focusing on pre-adolescents' social repre- sentations of risks in new media technologies – states that, "There are different factors that need to be taken into consideration". "The child's interests and ap- proach towards technology, the family's situation, type of media- tion employed by the parents and the cultural background could all have a role in how the children engage with technology," Farrugia, who is also a member of the Ad- visory Board of the Maltese Safer Internet Centre BeSmartOnline!, adds. Nevertheless, there are some iron-clad rules that one can follow. A hard balance When it comes to the role these technologies have on the educa- tional process, Prof. Mifsud be- lieves that quality is what will make all the difference. Stating that the Centre for Literacy is putting its efforts into offering guidance to parents and teachers about how to use age-appropriate apps and to take into consideration the abili- ties and the interests of the child, Mifsud adds that they would also be "guided... to choose apps which are rated highly by educators and parents, both in terms of their graphics, literary appeal and edu- cational value." Another important aspect of the process is the necessity of sharing the process with the young child rather than simply allowing them to passively consume the apps in question. In the case of a story- based app, to mention one exam- ple, Mifsud recommends "talking to the child and asking them about the story, all the while pointing out different aspects of the content". Similarly, though speaking in a broader context, Farrugia claims that the changing pedagogical landscape poses a concrete chal- lenge to parents and teachers – namely, that a balance must be struck between "over-reliance on such devices on one hand and treating them as mere cosmetic enhancements on the other". "Using technology in the class- room cannot replace the teacher and the education process. These, together with the interaction with classmates remain important ele- ments in the child's learning. We must strive to integrate technol- ogy as a fundamental part of the child's education while also keep- ing in mind the individual child's interests, needs and background," Farrugia adds. The dangers are real, as are the benefits As my conversations with both Prof. Charles L. Mifsud and Lo- reen Farrugia go on, it becomes increasingly clear that we need to focus not on the 'what' of these new technologies and how they relate to our children's develop- ment, but on 'how' they attempt to do so. This means accepting that the progress of these things will be fast and fluid, and that we need to remain vigilant with regard to the latest updates, and mindful about how they will be applied. Farrugia, for example, is keen to keep an eye on the emergence of "smart toys" – which come with readymade in- ternet accessibility and so pose an immediate privacy concern – but is also quick to point out how, in- stead of allowing "media panics" to dictate their actions, parents and educators should be encouraged to find pro-active ways with which to reap the very real pedagogical ben- efits these devices also present. "There are way too many op- portunities that children would miss if they are not online, and parents need to have enough sup- port themselves to be able to help their children navigate the online world." Similarly, Prof. Mifsud stresses that every single educational com- ponent emerging from a digital device will need to be matched by a 'real-world' counterpart in order for it to be effective. "Media-free times together with parents should be designated for children... the real world is a very important place for children to develop cognitive, social and lan- guage skills," he states. On this, however, Farrugia be- lieves that while the "balance be- tween online and offline activities might also be tricky to achieve… in general, having adequate critical media literacy skills is key for par- ents, educators and the children themselves". It's not going to be easy, but it has to be done. The village certainly has its work cut out. This article was developed from 'Growing up in the digital age' – a feature originally published in THINK Magazine treljic@mediatoday.com.mt. QUESTIONS FOR PARENTS Is my child physically healthy and sleeping enough? Is my child connecting socially with family and friends (in any form)? Is my child engaged with and achieving in school? Is my child pursuing interests and hobbies (in any form)? Is my child having fun and learning in the use of digital media? Source: Blum-Ross, A. and S. Livingstone (2016) Families and screen time: Current advice and emerging research. Media Policy Brief 17. London: Media Policy Project, London School of Economics and Political Science. Digital technology and children: a touchy subject, if there ever was one. But TEODOR RELJIC discovers that, while one-size- fits-all solutions may not be an option for parents and educators, remaining vigilant should be an obligation

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