Information for media
In today’s digital age, children and young people have access to an enormous amount of information, yet many of them lack the skills to evaluate it analytically and critically, experts believe.
Estonia has found a successful approach to this issue by introducing programming lessons in schools from an early age.
“This develops critical thinking in children, which is a very necessary skill. Today, when an extremely large share of all kinds of processes takes place primarily in the virtual environment, those who can program will best understand the principles by which ‘things work’,” explains Ilva Skulte, Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Studies of Rīga Stradiņš University.
The digital age has affected the media consumption habits of almost the whole of society – there is a growing need for faster circulation of information and constant interaction.
While young people up to the age of 24, the so-called “digital natives”, use virtual media more as a tool for realising ideas, for entertainment and for socialising, the needs of the older generation, the “digital immigrants”, are much more practical. These different approaches to the medium often create a “digital divide” between generations.
“Children today, one could say, are born with the ability to interact with the virtual environment. New technologies help them develop imagination and creative thinking, and they are able to use all the opportunities that technology offers. It is safe to say that the internet and digital technologies will be the leading medium for future generations,” says Skulte.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of the older generation in the digital age is being promoted by the latest applications and mobile devices.
“They, as it were, ‘tread the path’ and make processes easier for less experienced internet users by performing certain actions on their behalf. As a result, there has recently been a growing trend of an increasing number of internet users among people over the age of 50,” explained Andris Griķis, Chairman of the Board of SIA “Inbokss”.
Overall, such developments mean that traditional media – television, radio and newspapers – are gradually losing their audience, as they can no longer meet its demands for engagement, speed of response and dynamics.
“At the end of August, the research company ‘eMarketer’ estimated that this year, for the first time, US residents will spend more time online than watching television. Similar correlations can be observed in Latvia as well – as internet access increases, the number of its users is gradually growing. According to ‘TNS Digital’ data, this spring 73% of Latvia’s population had used the opportunity to access the World Wide Web during the previous six months. I think that with the spread of ‘smart’ mobile devices and people’s desire not to overpay for television services, this figure will only continue to grow,” believes Griķis.
Experts agree that school curricula and teaching methods must keep up with the latest trends. It should be especially borne in mind that most teachers belong to the generation of “digital immigrants”, which is why they may find it difficult to keep pace with young people’s quick reactions and to maintain the necessary dynamics.
“Maintaining the competitiveness of our young people at a global level must be a priority decided at the national level. It is good that a lot of attention is paid to lifelong learning and to training the older generation in the use of various technologies, but we must consider whether our education system – both schools and universities, where new teachers are trained, – meets the requirements of the digital age,” analyses Griķis.
For more than ten years, “Inbox.lv” has been the largest multifunctional portal in Latvia, offering its users a wide range of services – from e-mail and file sharing services to entertainment – games, the possibility to upload and share your photos, etc. According to the latest TNS data, “Inbox.lv” has more than 806 thousand active users, and for the fourth year in a row “Inbox.lv” has been in the TOP3 of Latvia’s most loved brands.
Additional information:
Tija Ezeriņa
Project Director, Public ID group
M: 29719893
E-mail: tija.ezerina@publicid.lv
