Olivia Van Ledtje, just now 12, tells the story of giving a talk in a western Massachusetts elementary school auditorium that was packed with students and teachers from three school communities – when she was 10. She writes that, after her talk, the students wanted to ask “loads of one-of-a-kind kid questions – the kind I can never feel fully prepared to answer. “Luckily, the one-of-a-kind … [Read more...] about Spark Change: A book taking (digital) citizenship to a new level
Literacy & Citizenship
Momo. Again.
I hardly need to weigh in because I already did – in depth, last summer, at the peak of the last Momo wave. But I will only highlight the best thinking I've seen this go round and add 4 points – lessons to consider from this time for when the next wave hits (because this will certainly not be the last, and why reinvent the wheel every time?). First the points: Who's the (potential) … [Read more...] about Momo. Again.
So where are we with ‘digital citizenship’ now?
This week I had the privilege of participating in a panel discussion in Delhi at Facebook's South Asia Safety Summit with YLAC India (Young Leaders for Active Citizenship). YLAC works "to increase the participation of young people in the democratic process and build their capacity to lead change," using social media as their platform. That is digital citizenship, right? Isn't it necessarily … [Read more...] about So where are we with ‘digital citizenship’ now?
About ‘Momo’ & dealing with viral media scares
There's no rhyme or reason to these things. They show up on different social media platforms, start in different parts of the world, but don’t always "go viral" in regions where they started. There are cultural aspects to what makes them take off but also universal ones: They "excite children's and teens’ imaginations, increase careless media outlets' appetite and opportunities for bigger … [Read more...] about About ‘Momo’ & dealing with viral media scares
Signs of serious progress for digital citizenship
THIS JUST IN: In a historic development for the Internet and its users under 18, the Council of Europe today adopted a Recommendation – a comprehensive set of guidelines to European Union member states – for upholding children's rights in digital environments, their rights as digital citizens. "How to better protect and empower children as rights-holders... is at the core of the new … [Read more...] about Signs of serious progress for digital citizenship