Educating 21st Century Children : Emotional Well-being in the Digital Age

What is the nature of childhood today. Older, better educated parents are increasingly advocating for their children and playing an active role in their education. New technologies empower children's self-expression, information seeking and socialisation, and in times of need, help could be just a phone call or WhatsApp message away. On a number of measures, modern children's lives have clearly improved: better health care, public safety, and support for their physical and mental well-being. At the same time, there are signs of new stresses. Children in the 21st century are reporting more anxiety, including from increased pressure to exceling an ever more competitive educational environment. Technologies that help parents stay connected to their children also make it more difficult to monitor children's behaviour once they have their own devices. And the omnipresent nature of the digital world means that risks like cyberbullying follow children and youth from the school yard into their homes. There is an urgent need to examine the lives of modern children and better understand what this means for education. How can teachers and schools work together with parents and communities to protect and guide children while still allowing them to be children, and learn by making mistakes? This volume explores the potential of education systems to proactively adapt and develop along with our societies, focusing on children's emotional well-being and use of digital technologies. [Executive summary, ed] What is the nature of childhood today? On a number of measures, modern children's lives have clearly improved thanks to better public safety and support for their physical and mental health. New technologies help children to learn, socialise and unwind, and older, better-educated parents are increasingly playing an active role in their children's education. At the same time, we are more connected than ever before, and many children have access to tablets and smartphones before they learn to walk and talk. Twenty-first century children are more likely to be only children, increasingly pushed to do more by “helicopter parents” who hover over their children to protect them from potential harm. In addition to limitless online opportunities, the omnipresent nature of the digital world brings new risks, like cyber-bullying, that follow children from the schoolyard into their homes. This report examines modern childhood, looking specifically at the intersection between emotional well-being and new technologies. It explores how parenting and friendships have changed in the digital age. It examines children as digital citizens, and how best to take advantage of online opportunities while minimising the risks. The volume ends with a look at how to foster digital literacy and resilience, highlighting the role of partnerships, policy and protection