Jac Thomas AOLE

Internet Safety for Children and Young People Today The Internet is an increasing part of culture, in particular for the children and young people of today. This is because of schoolwork, gaming and in particular social networking are among the most popular pastimes and reports suggest that young people spend more than 27 hours a week on the internet, and the extent of usage has rocketed over the past decade (Ofcom, 2015). People are spending twice as much time online compared to 10 years ago, fuelled by increasing use of tablets and smartphones. The biggest increase has been among young adults, with time spent online almost tripling from 10 hours and 24 minutes each week in 2005 to 27 hours and 36 minutes in 2014. E-safety is an essential part of children and young people’s lives and education in today’s digital world and it is ingrained from a very early age at school. The internet is an absolutely amazing resource and children can play, learn, create and con...

Pros and Cons of iPads in Schools The Department of Education recognises the need for iPads to be used in schools. January 2019 saw the very first piece of UK research on screen time from the Royal College of Paediatrics in Child Health. The reasoning behind this report was because of the way we have all become 'digital natives who grow up surrounded by digital information and entertainment on screens’. They believe that time spent on screens is a necessary part of modern education. This has caused much debate as they have stated that there is not enough evidence to conform that screen time is harmful at any age, thus making it impossible to recommend age limits on children’s usage. Dr Max Davie, who is the Health Promoting Officer for the College of Paediatrics and Child Health stated that parents needed to make an informed decision themselves on an individual basis and to focus more on positive activities such as playing, socialising, exercise and sleep. Davie stated if t...

Story Telling and Children Today Children have an ingrained love of stories, this is because they create magic and a sense of wonder at the world. Stories are amazing as they teach us about life, about ourselves and the people around us. Storytelling is a unique way for children to develop an understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures, and today as we live in such a multiracial society, stories can promote a positive attitude to children that are from different races and religions  (UK Government, 2016).   There are a number of ways in which storytelling can enhance intercultural understanding and communication. Stories can… ·         allow children to explore their own culture    ·         enable children to empathise with unfamiliar people ·         offer insights into different traditions ·       ...