Problem Statement
Advocates for early childhood education (ECE) should prepare tools to communicate a problem to decision-makers effectively, that is, parents and teachers. However, to achieve such an objective, one should know the components of persuasive communication while presenting potential supporters’ issues (Write & Jaffe, 2014). If the target population can be persuaded by the message, then the advocates will receive the decision they are seeking. Child advocates can utilize different communication channels to disseminate their messages against exposing children to unsecured technology consumption, such as social media, videos, and testimonials. Children have received digital technology’s adverse effects, like bullying, arrogance, and information sharing with anonymous persons. The prevalent issue in child advocacy is developing digital safety measures regarding the use of technology in early childhood learning in Saud Arabia. This paper outlines the elements of persuasive communication in message crafting and advocacy tools to overcome the challenges teachers face while integrating technology in ECE.
Discussion
Persuasive communication helps child advocates ensure that decision-makers and the public appreciate the key issues on internet safety. Communication tools employed by decision-makers and their allies in Saudi Arabia should be informative, persuasive, and not gender-biased (Burns, 2019). Such consideration ensures that the intended technological issue can help shape, reinforce, or change the audience’s responses. Through persuasion, a person’s belief about the meaning, interpretation, and attribution of digital technology changes. Since influence alters a parent’s or teacher’s thoughts, feelings, and actions, the approach appeals to their logic and emotions on safe internet for children. From the Aristotelian classical test, persuasion can be categorized as pathos, ethos, and logos (Write & Jaffe, 2014). In child advocacy, parents and ECE educators are encouraged to join efforts and promote internet safety compassion by regulating how children consume technology.
Even though establishing internet facts can be a challenge, like sharing data with unknown persons, child advocacy should appeal to logic since decision-makers cannot respond to vague concerns. Child advocates should demonstrate worded arguments supported by evidence for the unsafe internet to be appealing to the leaders. Evidence-based programs in Saudi, like ECE curriculum contents, can also keep a message during child advocacy. Child advocates can consider how the stereotypes were previously addressed to inform their decisions on internet-based discrimination. Moreover, the content should have an emotional appeal since decision-makers are likely to pay attention to compelling stories (Write & Jaffe, 2014). Such narratives trigger powerful emotions society holds towards children. Successful child advocates need to create messages that can evoke emotional responses instead of those delivered emotionally.
Proposed Solutions
Consequently, child advocates should avoid messages that blame parents or teachers for allowing children access to indiscreet internet content since it will trigger a defensive reaction. For instance, praise can easily convince decision-makers to uphold digital safety measures among children. Furthermore, Saudi parents and teachers should be involved in child advocacy at an early stage to enhance their contributions. Child advocates should be responsible for the decision-maker’s reputation in promoting safe technology consumption in early childhood. For instance, Plan International, World Vision, UNICEF, and other international organizations’ commitments are vital in accomplishing children’s digital technology use. Such collaborative efforts and facilitation will be fruitful in enhancing persuasion among the decision-makers. Since emotional appeals are stronger than logical ones in attracting the audience’s attention, they can be used by advocates in establishing personal connections between parents and teachers and internet safety. In such consideration, positive emotional appeals are critical to achieving the intentions of safe digital measures. All child advocates should have an appealing character to the decision-makers because they might reject safe digital efforts if the source or delivery is not credible. Such considerations are vital in changing the technologically-driven world among children in Saudi Arabia.
References
Burns, M. K. (2019). Introduction to school psychology: Controversies and current practice. Oxford University Press, USA.
Wright, A. C., & Jaffe, K. J. (2014). Six steps to successful child advocacy: Changing the world for children. SAGE Publications.