Evaluation of parents' and teachers' views on digital parenting skills

The digital world, which has emerged with the era of technology, creates positive and negative sides for every individual who is a user. However, children are the biggest risk group in the face of adverse situations because they have not yet completed their cognitive and psychological maturation. For this reason, it is important that parents have digital parenting skills. This research is a qualitative study in which the opinions of parents and teachers about digital parenting skills are evaluated. Interviews were conducted with "semi-structured interview forms" prepared by the researcher. In the schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in the Merkez district of Bartın province, 25 parents and 25 teachers whose children go to primary and secondary school were interviewed. The obtained data were analyzed using the content analysis method. Most parents and most teachers have defined digital parenting as protecting children from the dangers of the digital world. The participants gave the following examples of their studies aimed at protection. Children do not have their own digital tools, time restrictions are imposed, their online activities are monitored by parents and they talk to children about dangers. The fact that the digital world and the Internet increase experiences and diversify learning is among the decently stated views. The researcher has reached the results that parents' and teachers' knowledge about digital parenting skills. It is focused on insufficient and a high percentage of negativity towards digital parenting skills. The vast majority of parents and teachers are also aware of this. The participants stated that they need training and content in order to improve themselves. In this research, it turns out that there is a need for training and media support prepared in accordance with adult needs and learning to be a role model for children, to become a guide by recognizing digital technologies, to be related to and communicate with children.