MY EXPERIENCES OF DIGITALIZATION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

I have worked in early childhood education for over ten years. During that time many things have become more digital. For example the documentation, files and applications are online. We all need passwords and double verification to access this confidential information. Unfortunately I don´t know much about cyper security and I share the computer with my co-workers so we really should be more careful about the risks of open digital society.

For young children there are many digital learning games or other ways to teach digital skills for children. The only problem is that the kids are diginatives, we teachers are not. The digital leap happened so fast that we are still learning ourselves. I guess many early childhood educator would desperately need help teaching these skills.

FUTURE IDEAS – HOW THE LIFE AND WORK IS GOING TO CHANGE?

It´s been for almost ten years since one of the parents said to me:  “one day the children is going to have microcips and parents can watch their child all day long from the screen while working”. I laughted at this idea. Today it seems quite realistic. Robots or digitalization may not take my job but they could do it easier. They could supervise sleeping children and alarm when someone is up. By scanning a child employees could have important facts (given by parents) like severy allergys or neccessary medication. That would really help substitute workers.

In my personal life I´d really like to get relief from housework with the help of robotics and digitalization. I use online shopping when I do the grocery shopping. Today there is a person collecting my purchases, but someday soon a robot is going to replace a human. I have seen these cute food robots that are supposed to deliver small groceries from a market to home. We live too far away so I don´t get to try this yet. One thing I can not wait to get is a smart fridge that makes the shopping online by itself. I have also heard about smart windows that wash themselves. I don’t know how, but I’d really like to have those. It makes my life so much easier to know that the robot can do all the vacuuming  or my car’s heating goes on if I press the button on my phone.  Actually I hate driving so a car that is driving itself would be luxurious. This must sound like I have too many chores around my house 🙂

OPEN DIGITAL SOCIETY

Personal data such as name, address, location data, ID-card number are the kind of information we share a lot nowadays like it or not. Without sharing personal data it is impossible to use most online services.  I read about Data protection in the EU. Thinking pros and cons. The cons are easier for me since I hate it when I have to share some personal data to use digital services. One good thing came up when I read the Data protection reform. There is a huge need for the authorities to collect and excange data to prevent transnational crimes and terrorism. If collected personal data would help the authorities to solve these problems, I would see some benefits about open digital society.

CHAT GPT

I really like to play with AI. I think it is very interesting to test ChatGPT by asking everyday facts or explanation to things I wonder. I think AI is here to stay. So first I asked why do we need artificial intelligence. ChatGPT told me we need AI in many different fields and it can improve efficiency or predict future events better. AI can provide new oppoturnities for innovation. ChatGPT reminded that we must also address ethical issues  like data protection and impact on the labor market.

I asked ChatGPT to exlain to me “lapsen uhmaikä”.  That means child’s age of defiande. I got an ok answer, but it was written like a robot, not a human. I mean, I could not talk to anyone like that. Forexmple explain to the parent what is going on with a child when he/ she is three years old with these words would sound rude. Next I asked how to tell a child if someone is dead. For this problem ChatGPT gave me several great ideas that I could really use.

SELF-REFLECTION

The orientation material was impressive. I learned a lot by watching the videos. I have to admit I suck at cyber security or when it comes to robotics. Earlier I actually didn’t care too much what information is collected about me, I thought I was safe. The TED- video proved me wrong.

The video about a normal day in the future where everything in family´s life is digitalized made me think is that all necessary? Do we really want or need everything to be so quick and easy and digital? Somethings, like crime prevention using digital tecnology or improving health care using drones is absolutely important.

BLOG POSTS THAT I COMMENTED

• Johanna´s site
• Jane