| Abstract [eng] |
With the rapid spread of online social networking sites around the world, they have become an integral part of the lives of many children. Research shows that the number of younger school-age children (6-11 years old) using online social media has increased significantly in the last few years. Careless use of social media can expose them to various threats and dangers and violations of children's rights. Thus, due to the trend of social media use and the spread of threats in the virtual space, the role of parents (guardians) and educators becomes especially important. It is therefore their duty to look for preventive measures that can help protect primary school children from the negative effects of public information on social media. Scientific problem - what opportunities for preventive activities of teachers and parents (guardians) can protect primary school children from the negative impact of public information on social media? The object of the research: the possibilities of protecting primary school children from the negative impact of the public information on social media. Aim of work is to reveal the possibilities of protecting primary school children from the negative effects of public information on social media, based on theoretical and empirical aspects. Tasks: 1. To theoretically analyze the peculiarities of children's use of online social media, laws and prevention programs designed to protect children from negative public information on social media. 2. To empirically investigate the attitude of educators to the possibilities of protecting primary school children from the negative impact of public information on social media. 3. To empirically investigate the attitude of parents (guardians) to the possibilities of protecting primary school children from the negative impact of public information on social media. 4. To prepare recommendations for educators and parents (guardians) that would help protect primary school children from the negative impact of public information on social media. Methods of research: analysis of scientific literature and documents, written survey online, statistical data analysis SPSS program (Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann Whitney test, Spearman correlation coefficient, Cronbach α criterion) and Microsoft Excel program, quantitative and qualitative analysis of data. An online survey method (questionnaire) was used to interview teachers and parents (guardians). A total of 105 primary education teachers working in Klaipėda city county schools and 102 parents (guardians) living in Klaipėda city county participated in the survey. The results of the study revealed that a large proportion of primary school children already use social media and spend about 1-3 hours a day browsing through them, although the recommended time spent on screens should not exceed 2 hours. Both parents (guardians) and educators agree that primary school children face various threats and dangers and violations of children's rights on social media. So it is clear that it is necessary to educate children about safe behavior on social media. However, the results of the research showed that educators are not inclined to take responsibility for educating children in this matter, in their opinion, parents (guardians) or qualified specialists in this field should do it. The results of the study also showed that educators have little involvement in projects and programs that teach children how to behave safely on social media. There is little talk of safe behavior of children on social media during lessons, extracurricular activities, little organization of events, trips, etc. Educators indicate that they mostly use personal conversations to educate children and parents (guardians) about safe child behavior on social media, but the results of a survey of parents (guardians) show that they receive too little information from educators. The results of the survey showed that the best-valued preventive action options for parents (guardians) and educators to protect primary school children from the negative effects of public information on social media are as follows: • Parents (guardians) to engage in their child's online education; • Limit children's time on social media; • Install online content filtering and monitoring programs on devices; • Counseling of parents (guardians) when their child is threatened by social media; • Conducting lectures at school for parents (guardians) and children about the dangers to children social media and security options. Educators additionally single out the following opportunities for preventive activities: • Encouraging children themselves to take an interest in the dangers of social media and security capabilities; • Teacher training to provide knowledge about the dangers in the social media, their causes and consequences, the possibilities of responding and the ways of educating and counseling children and parents (guardians) in this regard; • Organizing events and trips at school to help deepen children’s knowledge of the dangers of social media and security techniques; • Information on threats and safe behavior social media into subject lessons. Thus, the results of the research show that in order to protect primary school children from the negative impact of public information on social media, preventive activities in schools are insufficient, the school lacks diversity of preventive activities and cooperation between school and parents (guardians) is poorly developed. With this in mind, recommendations have been developed for parents (guardians) and educators. |
