Abstract:

Every generation is shaped by social, political and economic events. Today's generation grows in an environment rich in information and mobile technologies, and social media. Research has shown that new media make teenagers lonely, sad and depressed and has a negative impact on their social skills and even sleep [1]. Since birth, they have been surrounded by mobile technologies, and even in primary school they have access to social networks, and they do not even imagine living without the internet. Today's teenagers spend five to six hours a day using text messaging, chat, games, surfing the web, streaming and video sharing.

An important task of the educational institutions is to use the interest in technology and to teach young students how to implement them into a project or to solve a particular problem. These important skills will prepare the children for successful realization in their lives.
The realization of the modern generation is unthinkable without digital skills. Digital skills are seen as an element of "basic literacy", along with literacy and numeracy, according to the European Commission in the New Skills Agenda for Europe [2].

Digital skills are the basis for digital literacy, which is defined as the possibility of using digital technologies, communication tools or networks for finding, evaluating, using and creating information [3].

This article presents a survey that was conducted within a national IT competition. It is attended by pupils from the first to the eighth grades from all over the country - from small and large towns and villages, from small and big schools.

The competition takes place throughout the school year in three rounds - online, regional and national. Children from the first 60 places for each of the classes are invited to take part in the national round.

This article presents results of first and second grade students' projects through their work with a graphic editor. Their skills are examined on selected criteria and metrics. 60 projects of first grade students and 60 projects of second grade students are analyzed.

A few topics are offered to the children from which they choose which one to work on and create their own project. The age peculiarities of the study group suggest a strong influence of the student's teacher - he / she directs the child to the choice of the topic, what information can be included in the project, integration of symbolism, choice of working tools, color range, etc. Important skills that are intended to be achieved by working on the assigned projects and research tasks are creative and critical thinking.

The analysis of the results will make it possible to trace the current state of the problem, to draw conclusions and recommendations for the pedagogical practice regarding the possibilities for digital literacy at primary school age.

References:
[1] J. Twenge, iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us. 2018.
[2] European Commission. Ten actions to help equip people in Europe with better skills. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-2039_en.htm. Brussels, 10 June 2016.
[3] Digital Strategy Glossary of Key Terms. https://www.wholewhale.com/tips/beginners-digital-strategy-glossary/.

Keywords:

Technology, digital skills, graphics, research projects, project task.