There's a lot of confusion in the air about student data privacy, and some widely quoted words about it from President Obama in his address Tuesday night didn't help (but I suspect his speechwriters were just looking for a spot to put a high-priority topic into "a simple, dramatic message about economic fairness," as the New York Times put it: "No foreign nation, no hacker should be able to … [Read more...] about ‘State of the Union’ & the student part of student privacy protection
Parenting
Social media literacy in an app
Brilliant concept. A source of quick, digestible social media literacy delivered by an app, not parents (one reason why it's so digestible). I'm talking about the ThinkUp app. It's definitely not just for teens, but what a great application for a reputation-curation and media-mindfulness tool. It's so much more powerful than just googling oneself or getting a service like Reputation.com to help … [Read more...] about Social media literacy in an app
Kids’ top social media picks: New resource for parents
Here's a super starting point for a conversation with your children about social media: NetAware, a brand-new set of reviews of kids' top social media services. It's not the first such resource for parents, but two things set it apart: These are kids' own top social media picks. This isn't adult guesswork. Because part of its mission is to "ensure the voices of children are heard in … [Read more...] about Kids’ top social media picks: New resource for parents
Digital & social: A teen’s perspective on parenting
Guest post by Jason Brand As a therapist who specializes in helping families navigate an increasingly digital culture, Jason Brand, LCSW, hears a lot from teens about what they find helpful and not helpful when it comes to their social lives, digital devices and advice from their parents. I first met Jason when we were interviewed on a radio show together a few years ago and have been a fan … [Read more...] about Digital & social: A teen’s perspective on parenting
Of parenting & a class called ‘Wasting Time on the Internet’
One of the central stereotypes of (or maybe urban legends about) us, our tech and our time is people filling every free or empty moment doing something on a screen – texting, playing a game, posting a photo, listening to a tune, checking email, reading a book, etc., etc. It makes us feel guilty or critical because it's typically associated with lack of self-discipline or situational awareness. … [Read more...] about Of parenting & a class called ‘Wasting Time on the Internet’