Development of digital literacy in parents of preschool children

Abstract

The digitalization of all areas of society has entailed changes in the relationship between parents and children, parenting traditions, and has called into question the role of parents. The attitude of parents towards the digital world can be described as ‘anxiety and excitement’. A part of them treats the opportunities provided by the digital environment with uncritical adoration, while the other part is convinced that the digital environment is fraught with numerous risks and the children should be prevented from using digital media as long as possible. Neither approach is effective in promoting the development of children born into the digital age. Hence, the aim of the study is to assess the digital literacy of parents and, based on the obtained data, to design a program for the development of digital literacy in parents (legal representatives) of preschool children. The program aims at reducing possible disadvantages for preschool children in the digital educational environment. The study involved more than 500 parents of preschool children from different cities and regions of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. The level of digital literacy of parents of preschool children was assessed using an online survey. The results showed that the majority of parents have a low and average level of digital literacy. The obtained results made it possible to focus the efforts on creating a program for parents. The program aims 1) to develop skills in handling digital information flows, 2) to form a positive image of digital education, 3) to promote digital family literacy that encourages the development of digital literacy in children and the development of digital practices that support the development of literacy in a broader sense. The program assists parents of preschoolers in providing children with adequate resources to work safely and responsibly in the digital educational environment. This, in turn, will promote communication and trust between children and parents. The follow-up research includes the SWOT analysis of the developed program planned for the end of the academic year. It will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the program as well as its opportunities and risks.