The role of social educators in promoting responsible use of the Internet among vulnerable minors
Abstract
The study examines the role of social educators in promoting responsible Internet use among minors in vulnerable situations, taking into account digital risks and limited family mediation in disadvantaged contexts. The methodology employed was a descriptive and exploratory design based on a Likert-type survey (1–4), administered to 38 educators from a family support program of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. The analysis focused on identified problems, proactive and reactive measures, as well as the educators’ willingness to intervene. Data were analyzed using statistical tests of frequencies, percentages, comparison of means, and correlations. The results indicate that the most frequent issues were family disputes over device use and difficulties in management by adults. Educators demonstrated a high willingness to intervene with both proactive and reactive strategies. High digital competence was significantly associated with greater implementation of preventive measures. A statistically significant positive correlation was also observed between problem detection and reactive mediation. In conclusion, the findings highlight the need to strengthen digital literacy and active mediation in vulnerable contexts, including proactive and reactive strategies that complement each other. Furthermore, the importance of comprehensive training for educators is emphasized, including technical aspects as well as educational and communication skills to promote critical and responsible use of digital media in vulnerable families.
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