We Need Education, Not Just RepressionAlfonso Fuggetta

CEFRIEL – Politecnico di Milano

The Digital Age

• Immense opportunities

• Indisputable risks

• ... especially for kids.

What's The Answer?

• Too often, we just talk about repression and control

• Technical means

• Enforcing rules

• Do they work?

• Partially

• Are they enough?

• No

3

Why Are Not Enough?

• It is difficult to enforce them effectively

• We need to help our kids exploit the potential of digital technologies and Internet, not just protect them from their “dark side”

4

The “Digital Natives” Myth

• A “digital native” is someone born into an innate "new culture”.

• We often assume they know “how to use” digital technologies and the Internet

• What do we mean by “how to use”?

• This belief is significantly flawed and is causing a number of misunderstandings and mistakes.

5

What a Digital Native Really Is

• Someone who is familiar with the “mechanics” of digital tools and the Internet.

• how to operate social networks and messaging apps

• related jargon

• Too often, a person who is totally ignorant of key concepts and principles

• Which ones?

6

Some Examples

• Rules, criteria, and guidelines to

• search the Internet and assess sources

• use social networks

• browse web sites

• use digital communication tools

• share information

7

But There Is More …

• At Elementary School we learn

• How to read and write

• How to make simple computations

• Some preliminary concepts and notion in History and Geography

• What about the digital world?

8

Some Critical Notions

• The notion of algorithm

• The notion of information

• The notion of representation

• The notion of coding (e.g., Scratch)

• …

• Of course, tuned to the specific age and maturity level

9

Educating The Educators

• Who should help our children to learn and grow?

• Educators

• Who are they?

• Parents

• Teachers

• and also media (e.g., broadcasting companies)

10

The Critical Role of Media Companies

• Can we stop depicting the Internet only as the place of sins, risks, and “dark forces”?

11

A Very Critical Agenda

• For all stakeholders:

• Public bodies

• Education institutions

• Media

• Families

• …

• The essential role of Governments and Political Parties