Should Children be Learning More about the Internet & Social Media?

Should Children be Learning More about the Internet & Social Media?

The main purpose of our time in education is to learn skills that will be useful to us in our lives. In the modern, digitally driven world, what could be more useful than the Internet? The internet – and social media by extension – have changed the way we live in this world. Current news about events on the other side of the world can now be researched in a matter of seconds, to such an extent that if I want to know what someone in Malaysia is eating for breakfast I only need to type in a one word hashtag in order to find out. But the internet isn't all about pictures of food, watching cats play the piano or turning foolish people international superstars. There is a deeper, business minded side to the internet. If this potential could be harnessed and taught in our schools, we could be setting up the future generations with all of the tools they require to go out into the world and make a success of themselves. Forecasts are suggesting that business-to-consumer ecommerce sales across the globe will reach a staggering $1.5 trillion this year, with that number almost doubling in the next following years. China is expected to overtake the US and become the leaders in the ecommerce market sector with control of almost 30% of the sales. And the very nature of the internet means that it isn't only China who will be taking a huge slice of things, South America and Europe are predicted to grow in the coming years as well.

Marketing: The Huge Importance of Social Media

Studies have shown that 6 out of 7 people in the world have connected to the internet, and 25% of the world population is active on some form of social media website (Twitter, Facebook etc.) These figures mean that any business or company who wants to spread out and reach a wider audience needs to be active on social media as well. The ability to connect with potential customers is key to forming a potential business relationship. Journalism is another key player in this system. The expression “The pen is mightier than the sword” has never been more relevant than what it is today. With critics, reviewers and reporters everywhere, companies can be made or destroyed with just a few words. This scenario is no different in theory to how it has always been in the past, but with nearly everyone in the world having access to the internet, everyone is eager to remain on the 'made' side of things rather than the 'destroyed'.

Over to You

What do you think about the rate in which the internet has grown and do you feel that we should focus on this topic in our schools? Share your views with us in the comments below.