OECD’s Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher presents findings from the report 'Empowering Young Children in the Digital Age' at the OECD Education Webinar on 23 May 2023. Digitalisation and AI are transforming social and economic life at lightning speeds, creating new demands for education systems. The use of new technologies can help develop the digital skills of young children and enrich their learning environment. But what are the challenges? And how can we support parents and early educators and carers in creating positive technology experiences for young children whilst also understanding and managing the risks that exist? The webinar recording is available on https://oecdedutoday.com/oecd-education-webinars/

1. Starting Strong VII
Empowering Young Children
in the Digital Age
Andreas Schleicher
23 May 2023

2. Wide variation in the percentage of ECEC teachers who value digital
skills and feel confident to use digital technologies (2018)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Israel Türkiye Chile Korea Iceland Norway Germany¹ Japan
ICT skills of high importance in preparing children for their future
Sense of self-efficacy for using digital technology to support children’s learning
Figure 2.6

3. Five key challenges for early childhood education and care in responding
to digitalisation
Each of these aspects
brings opportunities
and risks

4. Five key challenges for early childhood education and care in responding
to digitalisation
Each of these aspects
brings opportunities
and risks

5. Young children must be better protected in digital environments
54% of countries reported
having guidelines for ECEC
staff on topics such as risks to
children’s well-being, amount
of screen time or privacy
protection
Only 28% of countries listed
“Preserving ECEC digital-
free” as a priority

6. Only 40 % of countries have standards or guidelines related to safety-
by-design for digital service providers (2022)
9
11
10
0
5
10
15
Standards for providers of digital services and content that may be used by young children
Formally regulated mechanisms Guidelines or recommendations Not in place
Number of responses
Table 3.2 (2)
Australia; Canada (Manitoba);
France; Germany; Iceland;
Japan; Korea; Portugal; Slovak
Republic
Australia; Canada (Quebec);
France; Germany;
Israel; Japan; Luxembourg;
Portugal; Slovenia; Spain;
Switzerland

7. Children (5-year-olds) from disadvantaged families are more
likely to be heavy users of digital devices (e.g. every day) (2018)
46
44
52
32
34
47
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
England* Estonia* United States
%
Bottom 25% Top 25%
By family socio-economic status:
Figure 7.3 (2)

8. Five key challenges for early childhood education and care in responding
to digitalisation
Each of these aspects
brings opportunities
and risks

9. Digital divides need to be tackled from an early age
Only 41% of countries
reported supporting
the provision of
“unplugged” material

10. What are the key dimensions of early digital literacy?

11. Five key challenges for early childhood education and care in responding
to digitalisation
Each of these aspects
brings opportunities
and risks

12. Early childhood professionals are central to a policy roadmap
In most countries, digital
competencies are commonly
included in initial education
programmes for ECEC
teachers, but not formally
required, with exceptions in
Denmark and Luxembourg

13. A model for developing the digital competencies of the ECEC workforce
3 levels
of competencies… … in 3 areas
For all staff – some understanding of how digital technologies can
be safely and meaningfully used with children
For ECEC leaders and some ECEC teachers/lead staff – e.g. proactively
implement safeguards, select digital resources, meeting reporting
requirements
For ECEC digital specialists – e.g. create and innovate in the digital space, share
resources with colleagues and best practices for using technologies with children

14. A minority of countries require and fund continuous professional
development on digital competencies at the national level (2022)
37
23
21
19
0 10 20 30 40
No support provided / not applicable / not known
Funding only
Requirement only
Requirements and funding for at least one category of
staff
%
Figure 5.4
Hungary; Israel; Portugal; Slovak
Republic; South Africa

15. 15 policy pointers to make ECEC responsive to digitalisation
Key challenges
Policy levers:
 Guidelines and
regulations
 Curriculum and pedagogy
 Workforce development
 Family engagement
 Monitoring and data
 Funding and
infrastructure
 Governance
15 pointers that
synthesise strategies
across policy levers

16. Five key challenges for early childhood education and care in responding
to digitalisation

17. https://www.oecd.org/education/school/earlychildhoo
deducationandcare.htm
Thank you for your
attention!