INFO FOR PARENTS
This presentation will give an overview of today's new digital/social media landscape, the impact that it has on students (both positives and concerns), and most importantly, how to help kids be safe, smart, and responsible online. There are 13 slides and a lot of infomation -- but with this information we will begin to work together to teach our students about digital responsibility and digital citizenship. |
Of course, media and technology are evolving at a dizzying pace, bringing opportunities and challenges that are new to this generation. The creative and educational potential of technology is undeniable -- but there are also concerns: for example, the amount of time that kids spend with media and how it may impact how they make decisions, learn, and socialize. |
If you are not current with technology and social media, though, the new digital reality can overwhelming. For example, how many applications on this screen at the right do you recognize compared to those on the image above? To help understand how all of this is impacting our kids, let's start by taking a look at what's so different about today's new media and technology environment than what's come before. |
With wireless technology, media is constantly present. It's everywhere you go, in the form of mobile devices and WiFi. When it comes to kids and mobile devices, more than 80% of teens have their own cell phones (CTIA, 2008). Kids have access to media 24/7 – in their bedrooms, on the bus, in the classroom, and at the dinner table. As a result, we have to teach responsible use. |
Students today are not passive with new media. They create media and collaborate using these new tools. They interact with the media itself and with others through media on social networking sites, in online games, or through instant messaging. Of course, this allows for true collaboration and authentic work for real audiences. |
Part of what's different about kids interacting with media and creating media in these spaces is that it gives them the opportunity to reach a vast audience. This can be hard to wrap our heads around, but think of this: Facebook has 250 million active users (as of August 2009). If it were a country, it would be the fourth largest in the world, between the United States (300 million) and Indonesia (230 million)! |
All content in a digital space can be moved freely around the Web. This "cut and paste" culture allows rapid and widespread sharing of information, and it also means that photos, emails, IMs, comments, and more can be taken out of context -- and students will have to learn about dealing with plagiarism and copyright. |
The photos, videos, and information that we post don't ever go away. These days, one has to assume that once something is out there, it's there for good. In addition -- given the information discussed above -- we have to teach students to evaluate information and knowledge posted on the internet: Is it accurate? Is it valid? Is it to be trusted? |
What's important for kids and parents to understand is thatwhile there are challenges, this doesn't mean that we should be fearful of new media or limit its use entirely. There are many great things to be gained from interacting with media -- and we will teach our students how to use technology with responsibility. |
•Today's kids have access to the world at their fingertips from a variety of
sources. •This access to information allows kids to deeply explore a particular topic of interest. • It can be very powerful: Any kid can easily become an expert and feel empowered by learning new things. • With access to various sources, kids can compare the information they receive, so they don't just have to take it at face value . • Because kids are interactive and not passive, there are many opportunities to connect, collaborate, and network. • The Internet can be a very positive tool for building community. •Kids have the opportunity to explore interests and find a community of like-minded people that can provide support. • Kids at this age are developing their sense of self – "who am I, and how do I fit in with my world?" – and digital media gives them greater opportunity to explore. • Digital media offers countless ways to share your talents and interests. • And of course, all of the positives that we've been talking about are important 21st-century skills that kids will need to be competitive at college and in the workforce. |
Technology and social media isn't going anywhere – in fact, it's only going to evolve. That's why it's more important than ever for kids to learn the skills they need to successfully use and create media. Teachers and parents need to step in and give kids the skills and perspective they need to make the best out of it.
The following tips are easy to use and will make a big difference. • Participate Digitally: Using digital media is part of what it means to be a kid today, and if you share your kids' enthusiasm for it, they're more likely to come to you for help navigating it. So learn how to make a Facebook page, figure out how to text, try uploading a video, etc. • Encourage Balanced Use: A general rule of thumb is that the amount of time that kids spend with media and technology should be equal to time they spend doing other activities. • Try to Keep Media in Public Spaces: Try to keep & use media in areas that are easier for you to monitor, like the living room or kitchen. |
• Discuss Which Sites They Can Visit: Help your kids find age-appropriate media, and discuss which sites they can visit, what they can download, how they can access the Internet, how they can use cell phones, etc. The best way to do this is proactively – don't wait until your kids have been using a device for months before setting some guidelines.
• Privacy and Passwords: Discuss with your student that anything they put online or send to their friends on their cell phones isn't really private. Everything leaves a digital footprint, and whatever gets created never goes away. Kids shouldn't share their passwords with anyone but you…and teachers (for school accounts). They may think that telling their best friend is OK, but they can never predict what their friend might do with that information if they happened to get in a fight. It's just not worth the risk. • Accountability: Discuss that whatever someone posts they need to be accountable for it. If they spread a rumor, send a photo that someone sent them that was meant to be private, or talk about someone, it's likely that someone will find out that they posted it. And they could get in trouble with the school – or even law enforcement. The bottom line is that if kids wouldn't say something to someone's face, they shouldn't say or post it online. |