Generations Z and Alpha may have spent their entire lives surrounded by screens \u2014 and the deluge of content constantly streaming from them \u2014 but Brock University experts say it\u2019s important not to confuse digital comfort with digital literacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an assumption that this is just the world they live in as they have always had access to these technologies, but digital natives may, more than ever and more than anyone, need some kind of pause,\u201d says Associate Professor of Communication, Popular Culture and Film Studies Jennifer Ellen (Jenellen) Good.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we sit down in front of a screen, we do it because we enjoy what\u2019s happening,\u201d she says. \u201cUnderstanding screens doesn’t then mean that those screens don’t have influence over us.\u201d<\/p>\n
And that influence continues to evolve alongside technology.<\/p>\n
Parents and educators now need to consider not only how children are interacting with the internet, but also with artificial intelligence (AI).<\/p>\n
Assistant Professor of Digital Pedagogies and Technology Literacies Mohammed Estaiteyeh says students can begin learning basic concepts of AI literacy as early as Grade 4, with key strategies involving teaching verification skills such as fact-checking and reverse image search, promoting transparency in AI outputs and encouraging skepticism toward content.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this stage, they are already interacting with AI in everyday tools such as voice assistants, video recommendations and personalized learning platforms, even if they don\u2019t realize it,\u201d he says. \u201cIntroducing age-appropriate concepts early on helps lay the foundation of AI for deeper understanding later.\u201d<\/p>\n
More complex topics \u2014 like data bias, ethical concerns (such as the exploitation of cheap labour in poor countries for data mining), and the applications of AI in other fields like medicine and robotics \u2014 could be discussed with older children.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents must also reflect on issues of privacy, evaluating how their own data might be collected and used, and responsible use of AI in their own learning,\u201d Estaiteyeh says.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly exposure would specifically benefit students from marginalized communities who are typically left behind,\u201d he adds. \u201cAI literacy is not just about understanding technology; it is about equipping students to navigate, question and shape the digital world they\u2019re growing up in.\u201d<\/p>\n
That begins with children and teens going beyond simply being comfortable using digital tools and social media and learning to use them in a \u201ccritical or reflective way,\u201d says David Hutchison, a Professor in the Departments of Educational Studies and Digital Humanities.<\/p>\n
With so much information \u2014 and misinformation \u2014 readily available to youth through platforms such as TikTok, discussions on navigating what children are viewing need to begin \u201cright away,\u201d says Professor of Child and Youth Studies Shauna Pomerantz.<\/p>\n
\u201cPretending like socials don\u2019t exist and hoping your child won\u2019t be exposed to potentially difficult information online is unrealistic; burying our heads in the sand is not an option,\u201d she says. \u201cWe need open and honest communications with kids about the joys and challenges of social media existence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most young people understand the role of algorithms fairly well, Pomerantz says. However, it\u2019s important to remind them their feeds \u201cexist in an echo chamber, where their recorded \u2018likes\u2019 are reflected back to them through an algorithm that knows what each viewer wants to see, reinforcing the young person\u2019s pre-existing perspectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u2019s \u201calways more to the story,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
\u201cInformation is rooted in the political agenda of the media outlet or person putting it online, and we need to confirm facts via other sources, such as print media, parents and teachers, and alternative websites,\u201d Pomerantz says. \u201cWe should also be talking to all genders about how social media amplifies hate and makes extremist views appear normal and necessary \u2014 this is perfect dinner conversation.”<\/p>\n
Hutchison says students also need to be taught the fundamentals of navigating an online existence with the caveat that the guidelines for discerning fact from fiction are constantly shifting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a sense, we\u2019re in a post-truth world where a reliance on traditional forms of what is considered to be valid data or knowledge are actually under attack,\u201d he says. \u201cThere are also people intentionally putting out content that is meant to mislead \u2014 unapologetically so. And there is also the issue of AI-generated information.\u201d<\/p>\n
Equally important to teaching children how to critically engage with the online world, including the moral and environmental ramifications of their digital footprint, is spending time away from the never-ending scroll, Good says.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of this content is being created without context and it\u2019s important for young people to not only be without their phones, but to also be without their phones running around, playing and interacting in the world, rather than through a screen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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