Educational technology

In these days when technology is so powerful, it’s time to use it to our advantage.

It’s normal to feel lost about how to use technology safely and effectively. That’s why, in the following lines, we’ll give you some recommendations to integrate it into your daily life for your benefit and your children’s.

Technology is very close to all of us and is part of our lives. Just think, for example, of the devices we use to communicate, receive information, carry out procedures, etc. Making use of the technological tools at our disposal brings benefits such as improving administrative activities, reducing work time, and having virtual assistants available at any time of day to answer questions.

When we talk about introducing technology to children aged 6 to 12, the conversation usually focuses on finding a balance between taking advantage of its benefits and looking for ways to mitigate the risks they may face.

Among the benefits, you can help your children reinforce school content, making learning more motivating for them. On the other hand, it can help foster their creativity with editing and design programs. It’s also a window to information, allowing them to explore the farthest corners of the world or the most interesting facts about the universe.

To make the most of technology with your children, we suggest focusing its use on one of these points:

• Learning and playing. Use play as a pretext to help them connect with a school subject such as math, English, or reading.
• Searching for answers and creating new questions. You won’t always have all the answers to their questions, so use tools like trusted apps or websites to look for solutions.
• Exploring and discovering. Invite them to discover new places and nurture their dreams by learning about places, cultures, communities, etc., from all over the world.

When your children are using technology for any of the above activities, your role will be to guide or accompany them, get involved in what they do, ask questions, and help them discover beyond what they can explore on their own. The way you accompany them will strengthen your relationship and make them feel confident when using technology.

Some of the sites you can explore with your children are:

• Khan Academy, which offers content organized by educational level, with exercises and videos on different school subjects.
• Scratch, ideal for sparking interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, where they can create using programming language at different levels.
• National Geographic Kids, known for its documentaries and information about the environment, geography, cultures, community, and science. The site fosters curiosity and appreciation for the natural world.

In a sea of information like the one we have today, it is definitely imperative to consider digital safety. This is a mandatory conversation you must have with your children so they recognize the importance of not sharing personal information, identifying inappropriate sites, knowing reliable sources of information such as educational institutions or recognized organizations, and filtering the information they find using effective search engines.

To achieve this, you can create clear and simple rules to follow—not just prohibitions. Make the rules together, set time periods for screen use, and use them with a defined purpose.

It’s important to know that technology is a complement, a tool, not a substitute.

Preparing them for the future is one of the principles that distinguish us as an institution, since the world is constantly changing and we want your children to grow up happy and safe. Technology is a great ally to achieve this and is also part of their comprehensive development, which we care about. Remember that technology is an educational adventure for the whole family; learning together opens doors for your children to explore, discover, and go further.