School walls are disappearing. Probably anybody who's raising or teaching young digital media users has noticed this. For more than a decade and a half (in developed countries, anyway), schools have been opening up to the world just as more and more of the planet has joined the wired and wireless global network. Less and less can learning – formal or informal – be compartmentalized into rooms, … [Read more...] about Schools’ disappearing walls: Explore the benefits!
Teens on what’s trending in teens’ digital media
Here's some data and some anecdotal evidence. First the data: A recent survey of teens found that "the world's largest social network has been replaced by Twitter as US teenagers' favorite social platform," Internet research firm Statista.com reported, citing research by investment bank Piper Jaffray. When asked what their favorite social media service was, 26% said Twitter, while Facebook and … [Read more...] about Teens on what’s trending in teens’ digital media
Perspectives, data on little kids’ media use
Research findings characterized negatively in the US as "the digitization of young childhood" could be seen as a sign of growth and prosperity in countries where the Internet is mostly mobile. Even in the US, the growth of young children's use of cellphones and tablets could be saying as much about American families' shift away from computers to the mobile platform as it does about early … [Read more...] about Perspectives, data on little kids’ media use
Neutralize the ‘negativity bias’ against kids’ Net use
This post is not about technology. It's about how we (humankind) have been wiring our brains to think about technology. We have quite a hole to climb out of. Not only are our brains already "wired to scout for the bad stuff," the Huffington Post reports, referring to what neuropsychologist and author Rick Hanson calls our "negativity bias." We've been reinforcing that bias with at least 15 years … [Read more...] about Neutralize the ‘negativity bias’ against kids’ Net use
New parental controls for Chromebooks
Just in time for parents' holiday shopping, Google announced its new "Supervised Users" tool for Chromebooks. You know about Chromebooks, right? They're a very viable alternative to tablets that are just as (in some cases more) low-cost and offer a more laptop-like experience, and this tool makes them an even more viable option for families. [As their name suggests, the Chrome browser is their … [Read more...] about New parental controls for Chromebooks