CYP6055 - Children, Young People and Technology: Growing Up in a Digital World

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 - Analyse and interpret the range of challenges that children, young people and families encounter in a digitally mediated world, evaluate methods of effective support and intervention, and critically debate the tensions between family rights, state regulation and government approaches to online safety and digital participation. (K15);
2 - Critically evaluate theoretical and practical models of professional reflection and development in relation to digital technology, and synthesise these to inform evidence based approaches to supporting children and young people in digital environments. (K14); and,
3 - Critically analyse how digital technologies intersect with and influence social inequalities by evaluating the economic, political, cultural and social factors shaping the digital experiences of children, young people and their families across different age groups. (I8).

Content:

This module introduces students to key theoretical perspectives on childhood, adolescence and digital culture, encouraging critical engagement with how the lives of children and young people are shaped by digital technologies. Students will explore contemporary ideas around participatory culture, digital citizenship and the sociology of technology, developing a nuanced understanding of what it means to grow up in a digitally mediated world.

The module examines digital practices across early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence, considering how developmental stages influence the ways children and young people interact with digital tools. Attention is given to the cognitive, social and emotional dimensions of digital engagement, and how these differ across age groups. Building on this, students will analyse the use of digital technology in play, communication and learning, including the development of digital literacies, the role of online identity formation, and the influence of peer cultures.

Students will critically review how children and young people use social media, online communities and digital news sources, exploring themes such as online influence, belonging, misinformation and the shifting nature of digital participation. Alongside this, the module engages with the risks, challenges and inequalities that shape digital life. This includes the study of online safety, digital divides, algorithmic bias, digital poverty and the broader social, cultural, political and economic factors that influence who can fully participate in digital environments.

The role of parents, carers, guardians and professionals is explored in depth, with a focus on how adults support, mediate and negotiate children’s digital experiences. Students will examine approaches such as co use, digital role modelling, guidance, monitoring and the complexities of ethical decision making in the context of digital parenting. The module also investigates policy and regulatory frameworks, encouraging students to critically consider government strategies, international policy developments and the inherent tensions between child autonomy, family rights and state intervention.

Throughout the module, students will engage with reflective models and professional development frameworks relevant to practice in digital contexts. They will draw on evidence informed approaches to understand how practitioners can support children and young people effectively in their use of technologies. The module concludes by enabling students to apply their learning through the conceptual development of a supportive digital intervention or resource that addresses a specific need, challenge or inequality experienced by children, young people or families.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The teaching and learning methods for this module are underpinned by programme strategy that aligns with Leeds Trinity University Learning, Teaching and Academic Experience Strategy (LTAE 2022-2026) in that it aims to transform the way we work co-creatively with you, the student, how we connect you and our learning and teaching with the outside world and societal issues. Through this approach we support you on a personalised, values-based and career-led journey through your studies. You will be taught in a variety of methods including problem-based learning using case studies, reflective practice workshops, flipped classrooms; traditional lectures; including participatory workshops which utilise co-creative exercises that will also influence learning and teaching methods. Additional online material will be supplemented using a variety of media and resources, ranging from videos and selected textbooks and articles. The teaching will be face to face and online tutorials may be used to support student progression. Guest speakers will be used to develop an understanding of current educational practice. The practice of relational pedagogy and person-centred planning will be showcased by staff in their delivery style. Further detail on the specific teaching and learning including how these have been developed in response to student feedback, can be found in the module handbook.

Lectures
Hours: 20
Intended Group Size: 40

Workshops
Hours: 5
Intended Group Size: 40

Guided independent study
Hours: 125



Further Details Relating to Assessment

The assessment will take place at the end of semester 1.

You must meet all the learning outcomes as part of your assignment. This will be discussed in detail is classroom sessions.

You will negotiate your chosen area of interest, developmental gap, or support for a child, small group of children, or family, which would benefit from a planned intervention around the appropriate use of digital technology. This will be a response to the current context.

Your intervention plan will include planned activities over a suitable timescale, focused on the identified needs, support or development gap of children, a child or family. Your rationale will critically evaluate the decisions made in creating this intervention plan, the research that informed those decisions, and future ways forward.

You will have an opportunity within the module for formative assessment support, to incrementally aid the completion of summative assessment tasks. Formative assessments may take the form of peer review, guided self-reflection, tutorial, and draft feedback.

Your module handbook and assignment brief contain more information. The assessment will also be covered in detail in classroom sessions.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 6
Credit Value - 15
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 6S1

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