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Lifelong Learning

Challenging Assumptions About Kids and Digital Technology

Emily Wade · Dec 5, 2020 · 4 Comments

Challenging Assumptions About Kids and Digital Technology

I was speaking to a senior teacher at my kids’ school recently (let’s call her Penny, for the sake of this story). We were discussing a grade four school camp that my eldest son attended, and one situation that Penny described (which happened during the school camp) prompted me to consider how making assumptions about kids and digital technology can do them a serious disservice. Such assumptions can also blind us, as older generations, to the connected and creative beings that young people so often are. Below is the story that Penny told me and some of my reflections on how we as humans can develop a positive and proactive relationship with technology.

Penny told me that on a farm visit during the school camp, she and the other teachers noticed a large group of boys sitting down on a log to observe, rather than interacting with the animals. She said that the staff were shocked to see such a big group of kids opt out of an activity, and even appear bored. She also said that this was highly unusual behaviour for 10-year-olds, and something she’d never witnessed in previous cohorts. Penny then went on to make several sweeping assumptions about the situation, saying that ‘today’s kids don’t know how to engage with the natural world. These are city kids and it was sad to see them miss out on an opportunity.’ She added that ‘too much ICT (Information Communication Technology) is doing this to kids’ and that ‘many are spending hours on their iPads before bed, playing Fortnite and watching porn.’

‘Young boy feeding the goat‘ by Nenad Stojkovic (CC BY 2.0)

There are elements of truth to what Penny said but her generalisations troubled me on several levels, and at the time I felt like launching straight into a strongly-worded set of counter arguments and questions to challenge her position. How dare you judge children like that! There must be some other explanation! Kids didn’t invent this technology, they inherited it! Did you even ask them why they were sitting down, or did you just jump straight to making assumptions?

Instead of saying any of this though, I calmly offered some potential explanations, while still trying to wrap my own head around the scenario. My main thought was, maybe the boys were tired? They’d had a late night and then spent the whole morning bodyboarding at the beach. But Penny swiftly dismissed this suggestion, saying that the boys ‘shouldn’t have been tired.’

The scenario continued to play on my mind after I’d finished talking to Penny; she hadn’t explicitly said that my son was part of the group but I had guessed that he was. Opting out of an activity didn’t seem like something my son would usually do, so I decided to ask him about it when he got home from school. When I did ask him, my son explained that he had actually been the very first one to sit down because his foot was hurting (he had injured it during the previous bodyboarding activity). Shortly after he sat down, one of his peers came over, asked if he was okay and sat beside him for company. Then, a third boy (who coincidentally, comes from a farming background) joined them. From there, it was a domino effect with more boys coming to sit with them over the next few minutes. A simple act of empathy and mate-ship from one child had snowballed into others following and taking the opportunity to rest. As I said earlier, these kids had spent all morning being highly physically active at the beach after a late first night at camp. They were tired!

I certainly don’t think this warranted a stereotypical judgement that the boys were sitting down because they weren’t interested in engaging with animals and nature or were bored because the activity didn’t involve a screen. Unfortunately, the teachers seem to have misinterpreted the situation, and even missed an opportunity to congratulate the kids on their self-sufficient and empathetic behaviour.

I’m not denying how much our lives have been transformed by the most rapid period of technological development in human history. I am acutely aware of the increased time most of us spend on digital devices, social media and gaming today, even compared to 10-years ago. However, I’m also wary of engaging blindly with dystopian rhetoric. We must continue to think critically about technology and its broader impacts on our societies and cultures, considering multiple human and technological factors that are at play in any given situation.

Photo by Emily Wade | Graphic created on Canva

Demonising the technology and culture that our kids have inherited can’t be useful for their development. Focusing on the negative only serves to ignore the many benefits that technology brings to young people, such as access to information, social connection, community building, and entertainment.

The challenge to us as older generations is to look – and really see – our young people for what they’re creating and learning and who they’re connecting with online. At the same time of course, we need to set clear boundaries and keep them safe online, just as we do offline.

It’s also up to us as humans, to actively work to create the world that we want to live in. To campaign for the best uses of technology to solve health inequalities and allow humans to flourish socially. These are the democratising potentialities of the internet that we’ve been imagining since 1969, but so far haven’t realised.

I’ve just started reading Sarah Wilson’s beautiful book, ‘This One Wild and Precious Life’ and in it she grapples with different philosophies to explain the feeling of disconnect (and discontent) that many humans are feeling today. When addressing the issue of technology and ‘the bloody scrolling’ she says that ‘we tend to blame technology for much of this despair…’ She urges us to instead ask the courageous question, ‘what does technology enable?’ This isn’t about what technology does. It’s about what technology enables and amplifies in human behaviour. Sarah likens this to the argument that guns don’t kill, people do.

If you’d like to hear Sarah Wilson talking about her latest book, you can listen to this brilliant podcast from Dumbo Feather! 👇🏼

Professor Genevieve Bell also references the idea of technology, and AI particularly, as magnifying pre-existing human problems of inequity in her 2017 Boyer Lecture titled ‘Fast, smart and connected: How to build our digital future’.

These voices are some of many that help me to navigate my own thoughts on reconciling our uses of technology with a life well lived. They inspire me to hope and advocate for a world where technology can solve some of our most pressing societal issues. I think one of the biggest keys to enabling this change is for each of us to move from a place of judgement and moral panic to one of accepting the choices of other humans, considering their motivations and fears, and taking control of our own actions and responses.

American actor, Alan Alda is quoted as saying, ‘begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.’

I think this is sage advice for moving forward with hope!

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

Header Image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Five Ways to Stand Out and Create Work Opportunities in a Changing Job Market

Emily Wade · Jul 5, 2020 · 2 Comments

Five Ways to Stand Out and Create Work Opportunities in a Changing Job Market

The path to ‘success’ isn’t always clear, or easy. It will mean something different to each of us but in some capacity, we’re all working toward the career, family and lifestyle that we desire. Our workforce is also changing at a rapid pace and being adaptable to new conditions and opportunities will be vital for future-proofing our careers! Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way of finding work but there are five key things we can do to give ourselves the best chance of finding opportunities, and success.

A summary infographic to explain some key tips for seeking opportunities and finding success: be visible, network, volunteer and be a lifelong learner.
Infographic created using Canva

I co-convened a Communication Careers Forum at Deakin University in late-2019 and we invited several industry professionals to speak or participate in a panel discussion, from new graduates to ‘industry veterans.’ They all shared advice on how tertiary students can build their personal-professional brands and portfolios, so they can ‘stand-out’ in a crowd of new graduates looking for their first paid gig.There was so much valuable and inspiring advice shared, and at the end of the day, one commonality emerged. Every speaker and panelist had actively sought opportunities beyond those offered in their core studies or scope of employment. And not just one opportunity – they had consistently engaged in formal and informal professional development and fostered industry connections.

This thought about actively seeking opportunities reminded me of Stephen R. Covey’s book, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, in which ‘Be Proactive’ is the very first habit. Covey defines people who are proactive as being able to “achieve extraordinary results by consistently executing their R & I (resourcefulness and initiative) to break through barriers.” So, what are some steps we can all take to be proactive and seek the right opportunities?

Be visible

You might have heard it before, but in today’s digital world and competitive job market, being visible online is one of the best ways to showcase your skills and be ‘seen’ by others. What you publish will depend on your own skillset and goals, but blogging is a universal activity that can establish your credibility and personal brand, regardless of your chosen industry.

Blogging will showcase your ability to reflect upon, and document, your journey through learning and developing new skills. This is equally as important for those studying or working in criminology, healthcare or cybersecurity as it is for those in public relations, digital marketing or journalism. You can also publish your visual design work, podcasts, videos and any other multi-media creations.

Contrary to popular belief, a ‘portfolio’ of work doesn’t have to be a single, tangible piece. But, curating your best work on a website such as WordPress, a YouTube channel, Soundcloud account or other multi-media platform will be a wonderful asset to show potential employers and/or clients.

A website is often the most flexible in terms of format and the ability to host multiple media forms but there are dedicated portfolio sites designed for specialties. For example, if you have an Adobe subscription, they offer a portfolio site that you can upload your photography, video or designs to. Journo Portfolio offers a similar service for journalists, and there are many others out there too.

The final piece in the puzzle for being visible online is to share your work on social media. Every time you post a new piece or learn a key skill, share it; even posting reflections or observations while you’re in the middle of a project can help to establish your brand. The choice of platform is up to you but do consider which one is most suited to your brand. Often, sharing across multiple platforms and tailoring your content to each will be most effective.

Network

The word, ‘networking’ instills a sense of dread in many people, but it doesn’t have to. Making connections can be as simple as introducing yourself to someone in your industry and asking for some advice or feedback on your work. It can also mean strategically expanding your online network through social media sites, including LinkedIn.

The other way you can connect with others is to attend short courses and networking events connected to your community and/or industry, in real life. Often, the best way to reduce your anxiety around networking is not to think of it as a big task, separate to the rest of your life — the most natural way to do this is often by engaging in conversations. You could do this by complimenting someone on work that they have shared online.

When you approach networking with the intention of building genuine connections, rather than promoting yourself, people will often be more open to talking with you and sharing advice.

Tell everyone

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Tell friends, family and anyone you meet about what you’re studying or doing for work. If you’re a freelancer, talk to local business owners. Tell them what you’re doing and ask them about their business and goals.

Valuable connections are often made through the discovery of common interests or goals. You might be able to help someone else, or they could offer you some paid work. Job opportunities can come from the most surprising places – sometimes, through random connections between friends or acquaintances that you were never aware of before.

Volunteer

‘Working for free’ is not something that most of us jump at. However, doing some design, photography, writing, marketing or other work for a strategically chosen business or organisation can elevate your portfolio and reputation. Visit local businesses, online and in real life, to offer your services. I do recommend clearly defining the work you will do for them first; it can be an excellent strategy to do initial work for free but it’s unsustainable to do this forever. If a business continues to ask for service and time beyond your initial agreement, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask them for payment. You can either negotiate a fee and continue working for them, or if their budget doesn’t allow it, you might have to decline future work. Often though, a business will be very glad of your services and willing to provide a testimonial or reference in return. Even if they’re not, you will have a valuable addition to your portfolio.

Talking directly to business owners can be a nerve-wracking task but it is amazing how many opportunities are out there once you start actively looking for them! As with many things in life, it will get easier over time. It might also help you to consider what the worst thing is that a business could say? “No thanks”, or, you might not hear back from them. In either case, you can simply move on to those who do want your help!

Be a lifelong learner

Learning doesn’t stop at the end of formal education. Often, graduating from your certificate, course or degree is where the real learning begins. One of our speakers at the forum was PR ‘Warrior’, Trevor Young. One of his messages that particularly resonated with me was to “feed your curiosity.” Trevor extended on this by saying that we should always be critical – think things through. Make it your business to know what’s happening in your industry, continue evolving and you will see opportunities that other people miss. You can find Trevor’s blog, podcasts and much more at Digital Citizen.

Incidentally, Trevor never went to university, proving that success doesn’t necessarily come from formal education. It’s much more important to practice your craft, develop key skills, publish your work and share it online. Then, actively seek out networks and opportunities to find your success!

Header Image: Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash

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