The impact of mobile first technology on the digital competence of gifted children in the supplementary education system

One of the central problems of modern education, caused by the rapid development of digital technologies, is the decline in skills in working with desktop devices against the background of the dominance of mobile technologies. The article analyzes the positive and negative aspects of using various digital tools in working with gifted children in the system of supplementary education, as well as the influence of the "mobile first" philosophy on the formation of digital competence of students. The authors focus on current trends in the integration of mobile devices into the educational process, their role in the development of key competencies of students and the consequences of shifting the emphasis from desktop platforms to mobile ones. The study is based on the analysis of data obtained during the assessment of the digital literacy of 500 highly motivated and gifted students of Chelyabinsk Oblast aged 11-14 years, participating in the programs of the Regional Center "Kurchatov Center". The results of the study demonstrate that students are much better at using mobile devices than desktop ones. The authors highlight the key factors contributing to the decline in desktop skills: the widespread use of mobile technologies in everyday life, simplified mobile application interfaces, and the lack of systematic training in working with PCs in educational institutions. At the same time, the "mobile first" philosophy, focused on adapting content to mobile platforms, leads to the fact that even gifted children face a deficit of skills that are critical for academic and professional activities. For example, 45% of students demonstrate a low level of understanding of security and privacy principles on mobile devices, while on a PC this figure rises to 63%. This is due to the lack of a habit of deeply customizing parameters and the prevalence of superficial interaction with digital tools. The experience of the Kurchatov Center demonstrates that the introduction of distance learning programs based on mobile platforms increases student engagement, but at the same time exacerbates the problem of the deterioration of PC skills. This indicates an insufficient formation of meta-subject competencies necessary for academic success. In conclusion, the authors emphasize the need to maintain a balance between mobile and desktop technologies in the educational process. To develop the digital competence of gifted children, it is important to integrate both types of devices, focusing on training in working with a PC, in-depth data analysis, and the formation of a systematic approach to solving problems. Only such an approach will overcome the negative consequences of the dominance of the "mobile first" philosophy and ensure that students are prepared for the challenges of the digital age. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

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