Are you a technology optimist or a technology pessimist? The amount of technology available to children today is greater than in any previous generation, and it is more specifically designed to capture their imaginations. There is heated debate as to how the digital influx is shaping children's development and experience.

Are social media changing the way that children form relationships? How is technology changing the way that children think, and how will it shape the classroom of the future? This exciting new free course pulls together the latest evidence from experts in the field to explore these and other questions.

Join us as we delve into the lives of children and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of technology in their lives.

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• describe the range of digital technologies used by children
• list the main concerns that have been raised about harmful effects of digital technologies on children's development
• discuss differences among types of digital technology
• evaluate arguments for and against digital technologies being beneficial for children's development
• suggest ways in which children can be helped to benefit from engaging with the digital world and to avoid the risks.