From Selfies to Siri: the Role of Parents and Educators in Tech Literacy

Bill Selak Talks

In this episode of Bill Selak Talks, I muse over the quirky yet insightful ways my children interact with technology, revealing a generational bridge that I, as a Xennial, find myself balancing. I’m the go-to tech guide for both my parents and my kids, yet I’m also the playful target of my kids’ tech-savvy trolling antics.

Join me as I recount the evolution of photo-taking, from toddler selfies to a near-impossible mission to snap a picture with my wife without our kids’ interference. I’ll share the amusing ways they’ve commandeered my Netflix account, transforming my watchlist into a carousel of Swan Princess episodes and how they’ve turned car rides into a battleground with Siri and Kidz Bop. ;)

But it’s not all light-hearted mischief. This episode dives deeper into the implications of digital fluency, debunking the myth of “digital natives” and stressing the importance of explicit instruction in media literacy and digital citizenship. I’ll explore how despite their intuitive grasp of technology, kids still require guidance to harness these tools for academic success.