Research about raising digital natives, with ideas from the kids

This TEDx talk by Devorah Heitner shares research by a media historian about raising digital natives. The notion of “not about them without them” is brought alive in her work. Letting children/youth be experts in the conversation — and in creating solutions, in this case through apps — can help adults consider the complexity of raising children in this digital age.

Parents and their anxiety is normal in a digital age, this researcher says.

“But a surprising thing? Their kids are on often the same page, and want help navigating the tricky ups and downs of life online. As part of her work researching the digital lives of groups of 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds, Heitner asked students to determine the biggest issues they face as connected kids, and challenged them to come up with app-based solutions. Contrary to what many parents may have guessed, Heitner says, kids often included parent input in their apps, and even made apps designed for parents themselves.”

“They have tech savvy, but we have wisdom [and life experience].”

“We need to get really curious about kids’ day-to-day experiences. We need to ask them what they’re thinking, and then we need to co-create solutions that take advantage of their creativity and our wisdom.”

This video is a must-watch.