In Mexico, according to AMIPCI (Internet Mexican Association), most of the children start using the Internet at age 10, with two main purposes; entertainment and school assignments or projects. But as in many countries, Mexican children that are using technology both in schools and homes have no education in Digital Citizenship and/or Cyber Civics.
Most of Mexican children assist to public schools, where in many cases, there is no technology or they are just starting using computers, as a result of a program made by Mexican government. The quality of the Internet in this type of schools it´s not enough to have all students online at the same time, as issue that makes even more difficult to use technology efficiently for educational purposes.
But this lack of technology in schools doesn´t mean that this children doesn´t have technology in their homes. Many of them have access to a family computer, tablet or even a smartphone, and internet access from home or public WiFi.
In private schools this is different, families have more income and therefore, schools have their own laptops, tech labs, children take their own mini iPads, or even have computers, electronic boards on classrooms. All this makes easier the use of technology in education on a daily basis, not to mention that at home, internet connection is common, and most of them have a computer and/or tablet for educational and entertainment purposes.
Today in most private schools, students are working with technology, especially in high-school and universities. In K-9 schools new technologies are being introduced as part of the curriculum, adding an “extra value” to academic programs, or helping students with subjects or areas in which they need some extra support (like using for example Khan Academy for math).
In both, public and private schools, children have no Digital Citizenship integrated into educational programs. There are no statistics or recent studies in Mexico about the consequences of not having digital citizenship integrated into educational programs.
Challenges:
As parents and citizens we hear about teens and children dealing with cyberbullying, identity theft, digital fraud, lack of information about copyright and Internet safety. Here in Mexico, public and private schools, parents and teachers are concerned about how to educate this new generation of “cyber kids.” They have the need to know about digital citizenship, but who will teach our children to be a good digital citizen if no one even knows about it?
Some important facts:
· In Mexico, digital citizenship is a concept that very few people know about.
· Public and private schools are implementing technology programs without any education on internet security, cyberbullying prevention programs, etc.
· As a mother and a school technology facilitator in my daughter´s school, I can talk to parents and I can observe different trends in parents;
1. Those who "fear" to new technologies and do not allow their children to have access to them at all, for example, kids can play electronic games, but not join any social networks, when actually many online games have chats and can be used as a “social network”.
2. Those who ignore how to use new technologies and prefer their children "not to use it", especially at home. Many parents feel that they would never be “smart enough” with technology as their children.
3. Parents who know that education and limits are necessary for children to the use electronic devices and Internet, but do not know "how to do it".
4. Parents that don´t know much about technology and give their children unlimited use and access to their electronic devices, online games, social networks, etc. and are not aware of how they are using them.
Digital citizenship is extremely important and it needs to be included in our education programs, and yet today, there is nothing in place in homes or schools. There are no “two lives perspectives”, Digital Citizenship is a big educational need for parents, teachers and students.
Yes, our Internet population is growing fast and Mexican children are using mobile devices and computers more and more every day… but as we can read in Common Sense Media, they don´t have any idea of the great responsibility that comes along with the great power technology can give them.
As more devices get used in schools, it is a major responsibility of parents, teachers and the government to make sure they learn how to use technology safely and wisely, and it needs to be soon.
Most of Mexican children assist to public schools, where in many cases, there is no technology or they are just starting using computers, as a result of a program made by Mexican government. The quality of the Internet in this type of schools it´s not enough to have all students online at the same time, as issue that makes even more difficult to use technology efficiently for educational purposes.
But this lack of technology in schools doesn´t mean that this children doesn´t have technology in their homes. Many of them have access to a family computer, tablet or even a smartphone, and internet access from home or public WiFi.
In private schools this is different, families have more income and therefore, schools have their own laptops, tech labs, children take their own mini iPads, or even have computers, electronic boards on classrooms. All this makes easier the use of technology in education on a daily basis, not to mention that at home, internet connection is common, and most of them have a computer and/or tablet for educational and entertainment purposes.
Today in most private schools, students are working with technology, especially in high-school and universities. In K-9 schools new technologies are being introduced as part of the curriculum, adding an “extra value” to academic programs, or helping students with subjects or areas in which they need some extra support (like using for example Khan Academy for math).
In both, public and private schools, children have no Digital Citizenship integrated into educational programs. There are no statistics or recent studies in Mexico about the consequences of not having digital citizenship integrated into educational programs.
Challenges:
As parents and citizens we hear about teens and children dealing with cyberbullying, identity theft, digital fraud, lack of information about copyright and Internet safety. Here in Mexico, public and private schools, parents and teachers are concerned about how to educate this new generation of “cyber kids.” They have the need to know about digital citizenship, but who will teach our children to be a good digital citizen if no one even knows about it?
Some important facts:
· In Mexico, digital citizenship is a concept that very few people know about.
· Public and private schools are implementing technology programs without any education on internet security, cyberbullying prevention programs, etc.
· As a mother and a school technology facilitator in my daughter´s school, I can talk to parents and I can observe different trends in parents;
1. Those who "fear" to new technologies and do not allow their children to have access to them at all, for example, kids can play electronic games, but not join any social networks, when actually many online games have chats and can be used as a “social network”.
2. Those who ignore how to use new technologies and prefer their children "not to use it", especially at home. Many parents feel that they would never be “smart enough” with technology as their children.
3. Parents who know that education and limits are necessary for children to the use electronic devices and Internet, but do not know "how to do it".
4. Parents that don´t know much about technology and give their children unlimited use and access to their electronic devices, online games, social networks, etc. and are not aware of how they are using them.
Digital citizenship is extremely important and it needs to be included in our education programs, and yet today, there is nothing in place in homes or schools. There are no “two lives perspectives”, Digital Citizenship is a big educational need for parents, teachers and students.
Yes, our Internet population is growing fast and Mexican children are using mobile devices and computers more and more every day… but as we can read in Common Sense Media, they don´t have any idea of the great responsibility that comes along with the great power technology can give them.
As more devices get used in schools, it is a major responsibility of parents, teachers and the government to make sure they learn how to use technology safely and wisely, and it needs to be soon.