Understanding The Everyday Digital Lives of Children and Young People

This book explores the use and impact of digital technologies by learners ages 5-18, framed by the ecological-systems theory and situated across four domains: home, leisure time, education, and civic participation. It uses innovative methodological approaches to analyze data collected in a large-scale EU Horizon 2020 project, highlighting beneficial and harmful effects and empowering children to enhance digital competence with support from education stakeholders.

Format: Hardback
Length: 533 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2024
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This Open Access book presents an in-depth portrait of the use and impact of digital technologies by learners ages 5-18 years in their everyday lives. The portrait is framed by the ecological-systems theory and situated across four domains: home, leisure time, education, and civic participation. Various methodological approaches are used in innovative ways to analyze data collected in a large-scale EU Horizon 2020 project. The purpose of this edited collection is to shed light on both beneficial and harmful effects of digital technology from a perspective that children are active agents who are empowered to accentuate the positives of digital technology use and over common challenges that inhibit digital competence with support from education stakeholders.

This book explores the multifaceted ways in which digital technologies are shaping the lives of learners aged 5 to 18, encompassing their experiences within the domains of home, leisure time, education, and civic participation. Drawing upon the ecological-systems theory, the authors present a comprehensive analysis of the ways in which digital technologies are integrated into these various aspects of young people's lives.

To achieve this, a diverse range of methodological approaches is employed, leveraging innovative techniques to analyze data collected as part of a large-scale EU Horizon 2020 project. The authors aim to shed light on both the positive and negative effects of digital technology on children, recognizing them as active agents capable of leveraging the benefits of digital technology while addressing common challenges that hinder their digital competence.

The edited collection serves as a valuable resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers interested in understanding the evolving landscape of digital technologies and their impact on young learners. By presenting a child-centered perspective, the book emphasizes the importance of empowering children to actively engage with digital technologies and develop the skills necessary to navigate the digital world safely and effectively.

Furthermore, the collection highlights the role of education stakeholders in supporting children's digital competence development, recognizing the need for collaborative efforts to create inclusive and equitable learning environments that harness the potential of digital technologies to enhance educational outcomes.

Overall, this Open Access book offers a rich and insightful exploration of the use and impact of digital technologies by learners ages 5 to 18, providing valuable insights into the complex relationship between children, technology, and education.

Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031469282