Dubai: Over 40 per cent of UAE parents think children should be over the age of 15 before they get smartphones, a new survey has revealed.
The ‘Technology and Social Media Survey’, conducted by online educational consultancy Whichschooladvisor.com recently, found that these parents were in the majority – 40.91 per cent – compared to 30 per cent who thought it was okay for kids to get smartphone access by 12 while the remaining few felt children should stay connected as early as eight, often for safety reasons.
The majority of the respondents, based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, were from Indian or British schools.
The findings were similar when it came to the issue of social media access with 34 per cent of parents saying access to social media - Facebook, Instagram or Twitter - should be given to children only after they turned 15. In fact, no one in the survey thought social media access should be given to children until they reach a relatively advanced age of 10. “Even the best informed and committed parents face massive challenges when managing their children’s access to technology,” said James Mullan, co-founder, WhichSchoolAdvisor.com. “The opportunities that technology afford children are huge but so are the potential threats.”
Parents’ feedback
The vast majority of parents interviewed said they monitored their children’s online activities. However five per cent admitted, “In reality, I have no idea what my children see or do online”. Fifty-four per cent of parents said they give general guidance and trust their children act responsibly. Fifty per cent said they do random checks of what their kids look at online, 43 per cent regularly check and over a third (34 per cent) have controls implemented on computers that filter out certain types of websites.
While UAE schools often promote the integration of digital technology as a unique selling point, one in three parents felt teachers were overusing technology in the classroom.
“While iPads and smart boards and devices in general make a school look like it’s integrating future practices and ways of learning and discovery into activities, over one in four parents (27 per cent) told us they feel teaching can be hindered inside the classroom by an over-reliance on technology as compared to traditional teaching methods. That figure rose to over 31 per cent when notebooks, tablets and smartphones become the medium for lesson delivery outside the classroom. This is something schools should take note of,” said Mullan.
Shaun Robison, managing partner of the Education Intelligence Group, an education consultancy that advises schools, said, “The fact remains that technology is an important and powerful tool but a tool nonetheless in the portfolio of pedagogy available to teachers.”
Perhaps the biggest concern for parents pertained to their children’s social skills and personal development, with over a third (34 per cent) believing that technology has actually hindered the development of their child. According to the survey, the younger the child, the greater the concern.
One of the key challenges for parents is keeping up with their children when it comes to technology. One in four parents admitted that their children knew more than they did. And that it is difficult to assess, let alone manage and control threats, when they are not fully understood. Children also learn and adapt far faster than their parents. Cursty Hoppe of WhichSchoolAdvisor.com said, “As parents, we wouldn’t dream of letting our children as young as two and three roam free in neighbourhoods, towns or cities, yet many parents have absolutely no idea what their children are doing and who they are speaking to online. Just as we teach real-life ‘stranger-danger’, we also need to teach children online safety.
As we show children how to cross the road, how to navigate their own neighbourhood, how to use public transport and what to do if they get lost, the same rules apply to their virtual lives online.”
Respondents believe it is the same issue at schools, with 21 per cent saying their children’s schools have the ability to effectively understand or control internet and tech policies in general on their campus.
“Schools are constantly playing a game of cat-and-mouse when it comes to controlling internet access and the use of social media within their confines,” said Mullan.
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