The consequences and opportunities of the digital environment in early childhood

Abstract

The development and changes of the digital environment induce radical social processes. (Kapitány Á., Kapitány G. 2013) Digital environment is not the only ground for technological change, but it also affects our ideas about knowledge, knowledge building and its methodology as well. Most sources look at childhood as a global age section, largely based on generational theories (Prensky, 2001, Howe, Strauss, 2001) that are now debatable. However, it is worth examining this section in details, as the digital environmental effects may vary in different stages of development, depending on age characteristics. We cannot ignore these effects in any way, as they affect basic methodological categories and solutions. Mainly due to the proliferation of lay views of the digital environment, there are many misconceptions about the use of early childhood equipment and digital competences. Breaking them down is essential for defining the right directions for development. The study presents some aspects of the age-specific characteristics of childhood, which provide examples of how to take digital environmental impacts into account in education. It is definitely necessary to renew the methodology of early childhood education, in which the changes in the digital environment are not only a condition but primarily an excellent opportunity. The key question of future education is whether it can grab these opportunities or not at such a crucial stage for further development, as childhood.