Tips to Foster Digital Curiosity
Introduction
Some practical tips to foster digital curiosity so people become more motivated to explore, understand and engage with technologies creatively and critically.
- Model Digital Exploration
- Show your own curiosity by trying new apps, tools or platforms in front of others.
- Share discoveries regularly (“Look what this AI tool can do!”).
- Be transparent when you're learning something new.
- Curiosity is contagious.
- Create Safe Spaces to Experiment
- Encourage low-risk trial-and-error with technologies, where failure is learning.
- Remove fear of “breaking something” or “looking silly.”
- Celebrate mistakes as a source of discovery, ie what did we learn from it?
- Encourage "What if?" Questions
- Prompt digital exploration with curiosity-based challenges:
- “What if we automated this?”
- “How might this app help us work differently?”
- Ask learners/teams to investigate technological trends and report the findings.
- Offer Choice and Ownership
- Let people pick which digital tools they want to explore.
- Provide self-directed projects with open-ended outcomes.
- Encourage side projects, hacks, or "20% time" for digital tinkering.
- Gamify Learning
- Use gamified apps or challenges to explore digital skills (eg, coding games, digital escape rooms, etc).
- Offer rewards for exploring new tools or solving technology-based problems.
- Curate Inspiring Content
- Share articles, podcasts, videos or newsletters about emerging technologies (eg, AI, VR, cybersecurity, etc).
- Highlight digital innovations in your field to show relevance.
- Pair Technology with Purpose
- Link digital exploration to meaningful goals (eg, solving real problems or improving processes).
- Ask: “How can technologies help us serve others better?” or “How can we do this smarter with digital tools?”
- Mentor or Buddy Up
- Pair less confident users with digitally-curious peers.
- Build communities of practice for digital exploration (e.g., learning circles, lunch & learns, etc).
- Integrate Reflection
- Ask: “What did you discover?” “What surprised you?” “What would you try next?”
- This deepens learning and builds metacognition around digital behaviour.
- Recognize and Celebrate Curiosity
- Acknowledge and reward digital curiosity in meetings, newsletters or awards.
- Profile “technology champions” who tried something new, even if it didn’t work perfectly.
(main source: Jeff Wetzler, 2025)