Three Ways To Enhance Your Children’s Learning With Technology

From finding lifelong passions to learning from inspirational role models, journalist and mother Rebecca Cox shares the benefits of EE’s pioneering LearnSmart platform…

Growing up in the cyber age offers a myriad of benefits, with a whole digital world of knowledge now existing beyond the classroom. When harnessed correctly, this technology can be a powerful tool, giving young people enhanced access to information, wider social networks and vast opportunities for online learning.

However, this digital shift comes with major safety concerns, with children now entering online spaces from very young ages. And with cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content being very real risks, keeping our children safe online has become a full-time responsibility.

This is something that EE is looking to rectify, creating its pioneering LearnSmart platform to encourage digital learning without the threat of online dangers. And from profiling healthy role models to instilling valuable new skills through interactive micro-learning, the educational hub is already inspiring positive change.

Here, journalist and founder of The Single Mother Edit Rebecca Cox shares her experience of EE’s LearnSmart platform, recalling the beneficial ways that it can shape your children’s lives.

Three ways to enhance your children's lives with EE LearnSmart

Learning new passions

LearnSmart is first and foremost an educational platform, offering bite-sized digital lessons to engage and inspire children of all ages. And with an array of short-form videos by leading academics, influencers and experts, there is an abundance of subjects, from music to gaming, for young users to explore.

Biomedical science expert Big Manny hosts backyard chemistry experiments, Dr Liv Grant leads micro coding sessions and Hollywood’s Daisy Edgar-Jones offers in-depth acting coaching, as well as many others. Most importantly, the platform also provides career guidance, offering practical advice and detailed tutorials for turning your passion into a profession, from creating a brand to monetising your skills.

“The teenage years are a really key time for kids to discover what their passions are that will really shape them as they become adults,” explains Rebecca. “So finding ways to develop your passions into skills that could potentially then lead onto a career is really important. LearnSmart provides that guidance, helping kids to see how their interests can lead to professions.”

Finding positive role models

Positive role models are proven to play an essential role in the development of children and teenagers, inspiring healthy values, attitudes and behaviours. And with EE, young people will now have unlimited digital access, with its LearnSmart platform offering motivational videos from a host of famous faces.

England footballers give tutorials in British Sign Language, as well as discussing online bullying and standing up for others. And with broadcaster Braydon Bent offering coaching on ‘how to say no’, and content creator Eliza Rain speaking on celebrating diversity, these digital mentors all offer a positive example to follow.

“My son and I both love football, and the LearnSmart platform features some videos starring the England players,” shares Rebecca. “He's much more likely to listen to them than he is to me. So when they're talking about things like inclusivity and sign language, it's really inspiring for him to see his heroes promoting those values.”

Setting boundaries with technology

Building a healthy relationship with technology is essential for children. And in order to achieve this, it’s important to learn and establish positive online boundaries. For this very reason, EE has created its new P.H.O.N.E. Chat guide, in partnership with Internet Matters - providing useful online safety tips for both parents and children.

LearnSmart also plays an invaluable role, with the platform offering safe and age appropriate content - particularly when used with EE’s WiFi controls feature. The industry-leading tools allow parents to set and ensure boundaries - enabling tailored parental controls by family members, age-appropriate filters and content blocks. Not to mention, it can help ensure a healthy balance of screen time and real life, allowing parents to pause the Wi-Fi, turn off the connection for individual devices and schedule some tech-free time.

“It's really important to me that what my son is doing online is age appropriate and safe, and EE LearnSmart is perfect for that,” explains Rebecca. “The great thing is that you can access it on a laptop or a tablet, so he can still use it on his own device without having access to a smartphone. And in the meantime, having access to parental controls means that I can time limit how long he spends online.

“Platforms like LearnSmart and EE's Wi-Fi controls make introducing smart tech to your kids much less stressful,” she concludes, “giving you invaluable peace of mind as a parent.”

Visit EE LearnSmart for more information on EE tech and how to harness it for both digital learning and online safety.