Today’s Kids Are At The Center Of Exciting Changes & Uncertainty- Both At The Same Time

A generation ago, IT and digital media were niche skills. Today, they are a core competency necessary to succeed in almost all fields.…

Let’s face it, Technology is impacting all areas of our lives and this impact is accelerating every day. So much so that Experts are predicting that 90% of the entire population will be connected to the internet within next 10 years. Experts are also predicting that almost 90% jobs of future don’t exist today. With the internet of things, the digital and physical worlds will soon be merged. While these changes announce new & exciting possibilities but at the same time, they are also creating uncertainty & insecurity.

Excitement– because these changes are creating huge opportunities and Insecurity– because our kids are exposed to huge risks at the same time. Risks that are very real, such as, cyberbullying, undesirable, obscene and violent content, radicalization, hacking, identity theft, scams etc. The problem becomes critical because the digital world is changing too much and too fast. And practical issues in updating the school curricula, the slow pace of internet governance and policies for protection of kids is adding to the problem.

We must also be equally concerned about the digital age gap. The usage of technology by kids and by adults is very different which makes it difficult for parents and educators to fully understand & appreciate the risks and threats that kids are exposed to online. As a result, adults are not able to advise children on the safe and responsible use of digital technologies.

So how can we, as parents, educators and leaders, prepare our children for the digital age? Without a doubt, it is critical for us to equip them with skills of the 21st century. As Parents, educators & leaders, we must use encourage our kids to acquire the digital skills and skills of the 21st century. And championships such as COMPUDON JUNIOR solve part of the puzzle by giving kids the needed digital literacy skills.

Credits: World Economic Forum Report July 2019