
🐴 Baby agency + transforming screen time (#128)
🐴 Baby agency + transforming screen time (#128)
🐴 Baby agency + transforming screen time (#128)
In today’s edition:
- Why agency for young people matters more than you think
- New research reveals secrets of effective educational technology
- 3 practical shifts to transform your child's relationship with tech
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💡 THOUGHT
Agency Starts Earlier Than You Think
Be careful infantilizing your kids – even the infants.
A recent article in Getting Smart claims that even 9-month-old babies show more agency when you:
- Let them initiate interactions
- Respond to their cues
- Give them choices
Don't wait for "school age" to respect their learning capacity.
📊 TREND
New Study: The Secret to Making Tech Work in Education
While many parents worry about screen time, a new study from Bath Spa University (it’s legit - we checked) and Liberty University found that when children are given agency in their learning, they develop different relationships with technology:
- They tend to use devices for active learning rather than passive consumption
- They naturally develop digital literacy through interest-driven projects
- They find ways to collaborate with other learners across distances
The key finding wasn't about the technology itself - it was about the learning environment. When students are given the freedom to pursue their interests, technology becomes a tool for exploration rather than just task completion.
🔨 TOOL
Want to transform how your child uses technology?
Try these 3 shifts:
- Let them choose topics that fascinate them
- Show them how technology can help explore those interests
- Connect them with other learners who share their passions
That’s all for today!
– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)
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