The use of kindness as a conscious, very effective grassroots solution to bullying is picking up steam. Where youth are concerned, sometimes the kindness is purely their idea, such as the kind intervention of two high school upperclassmen that sparked Canada's Pink Shirt Day and students' anti-bullying countermeasures in Iowa in 2012. Other times the impetus comes from teachers and school … [Read more...] about Kindness really could be going viral! Just look…
Literacy & Citizenship
‘Revenge porn’: Exposing cruel disclosure
This is a sidebar to my earlier post about social norms as one of the solutions to social cruelty online, zooming in on one form of it. "Revenge porn" needs to be understood and exposed for what it is so it can be neutralized. Its power to harm will lessen as we stigmatize the shaming rather than its victims. So let's be completely clear about what revenge porn is: malicious distribution of … [Read more...] about ‘Revenge porn’: Exposing cruel disclosure
Social media in Saudi schools … sort of
In the US, social media is banned in most schools but ubiquitous in the rest of students' lives. In Saudi Arabia, social media is banned but will be taught in school. Maybe we could learn something from each other. "The textbook for [Saudi Arabia's] first year secondary students, entitled Computers and Information Technology, would contain information on using, designing and managing websites … [Read more...] about Social media in Saudi schools … sort of
Social media major factor in teens’ social & sex lives: Australia study
With its 5th national study of Australian teens' sexual attitudes, behaviors and health since 1992, La Trobe University for the first time took a careful look at social media's role in their social and sexual lives, finding that it plays a significant one. "Our survey clearly shows the major role social media has in the negotiation and development of sexual relationships," said the study's lead … [Read more...] about Social media major factor in teens’ social & sex lives: Australia study
A task force report & a student bill of rights
One of the most remarkable things about the report of the Aspen Task Force on Learning & the Internet, I believe, is how in sync it is with students' own view of what needs to happen in US education. Clearly, if a constitutional convention on students' rights were held today, the various parties – students, educators, parents, policymakers – would have a good deal of common ground right out of … [Read more...] about A task force report & a student bill of rights