Digital health, literacy should be taught in schools, say educators

Digital health and digital literacy should be an integral part of the school curriculum, experts at an educators’ conference argued on Wednesday. The confluence, titled "The New School of Thought: Rethinking Learning, Reimagining Leadership, Shaping a New Generation," was organized by The Hindu In School in collaboration with Blue Scorp.

The discussion centered on the role of educators and parents in shaping children's digital habits and reading patterns, as well as the challenges posed by emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Lakshmi Vijayakumar, Founder and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at VHS, recommended limiting children's digital exposure until the age of seven and providing guided exposure after the age of twelve, with strict controls in place. Vijayakumar stressed that teachers and parents must be aligned on this issue. Ramya Venkataraman, Founder and CEO of the Centre for Teacher Accreditation, acknowledged the growing influence of AI and the need for educators to understand and leverage the technology while setting clear boundaries.

Sridhar Aranala, Chief Sales and Distribution Officer of The Hindu Group, highlighted the decline in reading habits among children and the shrinking attention spans, posing a new challenge for the newspaper industry. He emphasized that captivating content is crucial to grab students' attention. M. Thiyagarajan, General Manager – Sales and Distribution at The Hindu Group, concluded the event with a vote of thanks.