Limit the amount of your child’s screen time. How many of you have heard this said before? In the field of media literacy education, especially if you are a protectionist, this is a directive that is often given to parents and educators.

However, the “screen” has become much more prevalent in our world.  It is now more than just the television or computer, including mobile devices such as the Kindle, the Nook, and the iPad. Moreover, screens now are used for a multitude of purposes that exist beyond just texting and socializing. It has also become an educational tool.

Usually, when one is limiting the child’s screen time, we are also directing them to books or other ways of entertaining or learning. But, now the “screen” that we are trying to limit is also the provider of much of the same things we want children to do offline. NPR recently carried a story about this very issue.  In essence, they asked the question “Is limiting screen time now even an option?”  In the same discussion, they looked at books and how they exist in society today and asked, “Will they be gone in the next generation of students?”

While these are two separate issues, they intertwine because technology is shifting and changing the way that we communicate and educate.  Ten years ago when the first e-readers were taking shape, their impact was limited. The screens weren’t very functional and in fact eyestrain was the most common complaint of the user. With the advent of the Kindle, the shift began to happen. Not for everyone and not necessarily in leaps and bounds (as there were still some missing pieces like images), but the screen itself was much more eye friendly.  Then came along the iPad, which incorporated both text and image and allowed the books to interact with the user or vice-versa.

Put a child in front of an iPad and they certainly enjoy it. But, are they learning? Do they retain the words in the same way when they see it on a page in front of them?  Are they connecting with stories in the same way if they are just read on a screen or seeing them there.  An NPR guest suggested that in the future, people will collect books like they collect art pieces, and that many of us won’t have book shelves because information will be held virtually on the computer instead.

As someone who reads often and likes to have the book in their hand, this idea saddens me and I hope that it isn’t true.  Books are different than screens.  At the end of a day of sitting in front of a computer, or viewing items on an iPad or iPhone, I want the luxury of turning off the screen and just reading a book–a legitimate paper and print book–not another screen.

Limit your child’s screen time?  I say yes, but not as a protectionist, but as someone who believes in giving children other avenues for learning and seeing the world –real ones –which you can only experience when you are not in front of a screen, but actually in the moment.

Belinha S. De Abreu, Ph.D., is a media literacy educator and the author of Media Literacy, Social Networking, and the Web 2.0 Environment for the K-12 Educator (2011).   Her research interests include media literacy education, new media, visual and information literacy, global perspectives, critical thinking, teacher training, and the impact of learning as a result of media and technology consumed by K-12 students. Dr. De Abreu’s work has been featured in Cable in the Classroom and The Journal of Media Literacy.

With the explosion of youth owning mobile devices of all types (smart phones, iPads and tablet computers) schools are struggling with managing their use on campus.

What is your school’s mobile device policy?  If you’re not sure, I have a homework assignment for you.  Get the facts.  Learn the policy, how it’s implemented and enforced.  Part two of the assignment is to have a conversation with your child about this policy, but more importantly, about your expectations.

There’s a wide range of policies that have been created.  Some don’t allow mobile devices on campus, some allow their use only before and after school, some permit their use anytime except during class, and some have no policy prohibiting any use at all.   Add to that, some schools strictly enforce their policy and others, well not so much.

So I ask these questions: Should schools let high school students bring their mobile phones to school, and then to class?  What about middle school?  Should a second grader be allowed to bring their phone to school?   How restrictive or lenient should the policy be?
Schools should analyze how their students use these devices.  What are their positive uses for education, and what is the negative impact they have on learning?  Are these devices inspiring students to learn or are they simply too distracting and being used for personal reasons?  You can’t make a decision until you have these facts.

69% of schools responding to a 2011 MSNBC study indicated they banned the use of mobile devices on school grounds.  That study also said 63% of students use mobile devices at schools that ban them.  Why didn’t these students follow their school rules?  It’s pretty simple. The students wanted to use their phones, didn’t respect the policy and they didn’t fear the results of their actions.

Although a bit off topic, I recently read an article about a school suspending almost 100 students for violating the school’s Internet Use Policy by using proxy servers to get around internal filters.  A parent of a suspended student blamed the school’s Internet Security person for not doing their job.  I hope I’m not the only one who sees a problem with a parent blaming the school for their child’s actions.

I’m an advocate of schools articulating their policies and disciplinary procedures to the students and parents, long before an incident happens.  Sending the policy and “signoff” sheet home on the first day of school IS NOT ARTICULATING THE POLICY. I truly believe school and parent cooperation comes from communication and that has to be much more personal than that first day packet of papers.

Whatever mobile device policy decision is made, there has to be buy-in.  This doesn’t necessarily mean agreement, but acceptance and understanding from the top down.  It is significantly important that there is consistency in policy enforcement.  Lastly, and equally important, expectations must be communicated to students and parents, as well as to staff and administrators.  Everyone must be on the page; otherwise your school will have that 63% violating policies.

Former Missouri ICAC Commander Lt. Joe Laramie (retired) provides strategies and solutions for law enforcement and schools to address policy and training on a variety of technology and child exploitation issues. Image Credit: PictureYouth via Flickr.

Generation Safe™ Program Provides 20 Marin County Schools with Resources to Manage Cyber Incidences.

iKeepSafe is pleased to announce the expansion of Generation Safe™ in Marin County. Thanks to a $25,000 grant from CVS Caremark, the program will be available to 20 middle and junior high school throughout Marin as well as the Marin County Office of Education.

As part of the expansion, the Marin County Office of Education hosted a Generation Safe training event yesterd, staffed by CVS Caremark volunteers. iKeepSafe CEO & President Marsali Hancock and iKeepSafe Education Consultant Kristy Philippi taught representatives from each of the 20 participating schools how to implement the program and integrate digital literacy into their curriculum and policies.

CVS Caremark’s purpose is to help people on their path to better health by providing funding for health care, education and community involvement initiatives, and this grant will also allow Generation Safe™ to be an inclusive program that gives educators, including Special Education teachers and administrators, the skills to navigate the digital environment, assess their e-safety protocols and identify and be prepared for cyber safety incidents, reducing risks for all students, educators and institutions.

“As internet and digital media use among children continues to increase, Generation Safe™ enables schools to protect their students by raising awareness of safe online practices,” said Karen Ramos, Senior Manager, CVS Caremark. “We are proud to support a program that improves the health and lives of children in the Marin County community by reducing risks surrounding cyber safety instances.”

iKeepSafe appreciates the generous support of CVS Caremark that provides California administrators with the resources needed to protect students, empower teachers, and make communities safer.

ARLINGTON, VA—The Michigan Attorney General’s office is in its fifth year of outreach to students with its Cyber Safety Initiative—Michigan CSI—reaching almost 900,000 students statewide. Launched in September 2007, Michigan CSI is carried throughout the state by 25 trained presenters, most of whom are retired educators or principals with classroom and public speaking experience.

Michigan CSI features iKeepSafe’s Faux Paw the Techno Cat® internet safety series as the foundation for its presentation for children. To celebrate what they learned about being safe online  and protecting personal information, second graders in Fowlerville Community Schools made a book for AG Schuette.

Jenifer Esch, Consumer Programs Administrator at the Michigan Department of Attorney General said, “We are very proud of Michigan CSI and of Mrs. Maurer’s second grade class. We have been extremely fortunate to work with organizations like the Internet Keep Safe Coalition and your very own Marsali Hancock.”

See pages from Mrs. Maurer’s second grade class book here:

The Michigan AG’s office also runs a second statewide program called Senior Brigade to help seniors, their families and caregivers aviod scams and fraud.

iKeepSafe applauds AG Schuette and his Consumer Protection Division for their proactive approach to digital citizenship for Michigan’s students and seniors.

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Sally Linford is the iKeepSafe Director of Communication and author/co-author of four Faux Paw the Techno Cat stories for children.

This past Thursday, FBI Director Robert Mueller made a statement to the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which should not be taken lightly.

He said, “The cyber threat will equal or surpass the threat from counter terrorism in the foreseeable future.”

For those of you reading the news lately, foreseeable future could be right around the corner.

Our nation is heading in a direction of technology addiction and dependency. We trade stocks daily online, pay our bills online, pay our membership fees online, online banking, and much more. The data stored daily is enormous.

Cyber warfare could have a catastrophic impact on our nation’s infrastructure. The October 2011 biennial economic espionage report to Congress, explains “the breadth and sophistication of computer network operations,” and “continued exploration of new means to circumvent defensive measures by cyber thieves, is increasing.”

Of major concern is China and Russia. The report states that “entities within these countries are responsible for extensive illicit intrusions into US computer networks and theft of US intellectual property.”

If there is ever a time to educate the nation in productive defensive tactics to protect personal intellectual property, it is now. With the ever changing increase and advancement of technology, we must educate the youth of yesterday, today and the future in order to protect our national infrastructure of networks.

In an Unclassified Statement for the Record on the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper, lists three of the most menacing foreign intelligence threats the US will face within the next two to three years: cyber-enabled espionage, insider threats, and espionage by China, Russia, and Iran.

As citizens, what can we do? Now is the time to make sure that we are all contributors to the strength of our cyber-security as a nation. Every point of entry into a network has the potential to be a point of strength or vulnerability. We can establish a culture of security by first securing our own devices—cell phones, tablets, laptops, and networks; we can also require the same of the businesses we patronize.

One way to start is by running a security check up on your computer and mobile devices. Make certain that all of your devices are locked down with secure passwords, and teach children to do the same. See a list of reputable companies that offer free security scans at the National Cyber Security Alliance website.

While we aren’t individually responsible for our national security, we can all do our part by securing our devices and networks and passing on a culture of security to our children.

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Dennis Schmid is a married father of 3 living in Mesa, Arizona. Dennis works full-time for the leader in Identity Theft Protection and has first-hand knowledge of what society needs to protect families and businesses from cyber-attacks and identity theft.

“What’s Your Story?” challenges anyone 13 and older to create and submit a video that educates their peers about internet risks and the best ways to stay safe across connected devices, like texting, instant messaging, or social networking. Your video can be serious, educational, or comical, as long as it answers one of the questions below.

1. How would you help a friend being bullied online?
We all have a role in making the internet a safe, positive and productive place for everyone. What would you do if you noticed people making hurtful comments online or over text?

2. What’s the right way to share?
Social media sites, blogs, and photo and video sites are great ways to share the stuff you create or like with others. But what happens when we share with people who have a different view on privacy? Create a video that shows us what smart online reputation management looks like.

3. How can someone new to cell phones use it wisely?
Mobile devices help us stay in touch with friends and family, access music, take and share photos and download apps. What advice would you give someone who’s about to get their first cell phone?

Find out more details about the contest (like how you can win $10,000!) by visiting their website and enjoy last year’s winning video below.

Video created by Mark Eshleman, featuring Tyler Joseph.

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Emily Ensign is a regular blogger for the Internet Keep Safe Coalition, an organization that gives parents, educators, and policymakers the information and tools that empower them to teach children the safe and healthy use of technology and the internet.

This second installment focuses on social media’s place in the school—is it teacher’s pet or troublemaker? (Read Part 1 here).

Imagine a stranger walking up to you, placing a chainsaw in your hands, a huge log at your feet and saying, “Carve this piece of wood into the Statue of Liberty,” only to then briskly walk away and leave you to it without further instruction.

Even if you had experience with chainsaws—cut firewood, pruned trees—odds are you wouldn’t have a clue as to how to artfully create the notches and nicks that transform a stump into a statue.

The same can be said for social media. Perhaps an unlikely analogy to draw, but the connection is there. Chainsaws and social media are both powerful tools, equally dangerous and beneficial in their ability to create massive change.

However, without guidance and practice, the kickback from either tool is liable to cause major damage—a consequence that teachers are becoming all too familiar with as data privacy breaches crop up in the classroom lately.

Who’s teaching the teacher?
Today, educators find themselves struggling to be those mentors who not only lead their students through the complexities of social media but also model digital citizenship themselves. Unfortunately, they’re not getting the preparation they need to make this happen.

As seen in the Cyber Security Alliance’s 2011 State of Cybersafety, Cyberethics and Cybersecurity Curriculum in the U.S. survey, 35 percent of teachers reported they had received zero hours of professional development on related digital topics. An additional 40 percent stated they only received 1-3 hours of education. That translates into three-quarters of teachers polled receiving little to no cyber instruction.

The heartening message is that 62 percent of those same teachers said that technology training is a priority of theirs.

Social media is relevant and should be taught
With Web 3.0 knocking on the door (some say it’s already here), it’s imperative that students get a grasp on 2.0’s social landscape. By virtue of their daily role, teachers are in a prime position to turn their students into digitally savvy leaders.

Jolynn Dellinger, program manager of Data Privacy Day at The Privacy Project, a nonprofit think tank and research organization committed to consumer privacy and data protection, says, “A lot of teachers, especially the techy ones, want to meet their students where they are, but frequently there aren’t adequate data privacy parameters placed on the assignments dealing with social media.”

Example: Educators will require their classes to create and participate in online discussion threads via various forums, Twitter or Facebook. While this is an excellent opportunity to learn how these social tools work, teachers often forget to focus on critical components like:

—The permanent and searchable nature of private data (e.g., profile information, comments, images and video) once it has been uploaded to the Web. Do students fully understand that what they’re writing is now public record? It can be a deal breaker when potential employers and colleges find an applicant’s negative information online.

—The imperceptible ways that companies collect, store, use and spread personal information that students share through a platform’s sign up process, quiz or game.

—The unreliability of privacy settings—these settings change regularly and often without users even knowing it. Teachers should outline the privacy settings as laid out by the major social networks and what students can do to stay current with updates.

Dellinger notes that many educators are continually thinking of new ways to creatively use emerging technologies in the classroom—which is an incredible development in education in this digital age. However, she says that, “…teachers who incorporate social media sites, blogs, twitter, question and answer sites, gadgets, and other applications into their classes need to educate themselves about the privacy risks and pass that information down to their students. “

Teacher’s pet or troublemaker?
Without a doubt, social media belongs in the classroom. I have seen first hand how quickly a sophomore high school class can organize itself into action when classmates (i.e., Facebook friends) engage with each other online.

I was stunned at how quickly my daughter could coordinate a class-wide activity as part of her student government role and then use social media to go on and develop a wider network of students, outside of that initial group of teens, who showed up for events.

Teachers try their best to stay current with technology best practices, but it’s hard for them to keep up when they don’t even know where to start. In a sense, they’ve been handed the proverbial chainsaw without receiving careful instruction on how to use it—only to inadvertently hand it down to their students and promptly walk away. This doesn’t have to be case, though: The solution lies in professional and ongoing development. As with any tool, a user must be properly educated to achieve maximum results.

In this connected age we live in, a school’s progress hinges on its ability to master digital citizenship. It’s only when educators and students learn to harness the rich content and contacts that social media offers will they finally be able to reap the benefits and bypass the risks.

Join me for the last installment of this three-part series. I’ll discuss social media’s reputation as a controversial meeting place that’s jeopardizing teachers’ careers and offer tips to mitigate the dangers.

Jolynn Dellinger’s data privacy tips for the education community:

1. Teachers: Educator your students about the importance of privacy and security by including it in your curricula or inviting experts to speak to your class. Keep the dialogue going about the technologies that your students are using to keep your education efforts current and relevant.

2. Administrators: Offer professional development and continuing education opportunities for teachers in the areas of privacy and security.

3. Teachers and Administrators: Be proactive. Make sure your school has policies in place that address important issues concerning student privacy, employee privacy, searches and surveillance, use of computers, mobile devices and social networks (on and off campus), cyberbullying, school email and data security.

Marsali Hancock is president of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. She speaks nationally and internationally on digital citizenship issues, including safety, security and ethics. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Brigham Young University

As an administrator in a Boston public middle school where every child had a MacBook, I got to watch the way teachers learned about and integrated technology into their teaching. I was surprised that the young teachers (“digital natives”) had as hard a time integrating technology as the “baby boomers.” It seemed counter-intuitive and I wondered why it was so.

I observed many different teachers, classrooms and student interactions, and I viewed many student projects and digital work products. What I learned was that new young teachers were very good at using technology to learn, to play, and to socialize. In other words, they knew how to do research and write a paper for school, to play on-line games, and were comfortable with social media. They easily tweeted, shared via Linked In or Facebook, could Skype and g-chat with the best of them. They just could not teach with technology.

Why not, I wondered? So I asked.

What I learned was disappointing. Many of the young teachers had attended college and learned about teaching from folks who did not use technology. Their instructors rarely modeled the potential uses and many did not even discuss the potential for technology’s role as an educational tool.

That led me to wonder why the older teachers were more comfortable integrating technology? So once again, I asked.

I learned that many veteran teachers have a few advantages that their novice colleagues do not.

First, and I think most importantly, veteran teachers have generally figured out how to successfully manage a classroom of students. They develop a rapport with their students, maintain a level of appropriate on-task learning, and generally can multi-task to keep on top of what the students are doing. Most veteran teachers have a reputation in the community and the students all know what to expect.

For example, as a teacher, my pet peeve was chewing gum. I would not tolerate gum in my class. I hated that it was stuck under the desks and chairs, I found the noise annoying, and I felt it was disrespectful. If a student was chewing gum in my class, I would pick up the trash can and bring it to their desk so they could spit out the gum, all the while continuing my instructions. I never had to say a word. Everyone knew.

Second, teachers with longevity are much more confident saying “I don’t know.” One teacher’s class at the middle school created the most fabulous iMovies I have ever seen. I was really impressed by the quality, by their efforts to avoid copyright infringement, by the depth of their understanding of the content, and by their genuine desire to share what they knew with the public.

I mentioned to the teacher that I did not know she was such an iMovie expert. Her response was to laugh and say, “I have no idea how to create an iMovie, I relied upon the students entirely to both learn and to teach each other. I know the content and I know copyright laws, so I could help them find legitimate and legal sources of information, pictures, and music.”

I do hope that as time passes that we increase our efforts to focus on the potential of technology to enhance teaching and learning. Perhaps the day will come when we do not have to “teach” 21st century skills. Perhaps we will begin to fully embrace the power and opportunities by engaging in classroom learning experiences that require their use.

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Deb Socia has been an educator for 32 years. Her most recent position was in Boston Public Schools, as founding principal for the new Frederick Middle School on Columbia Road in Grove Hall. She worked with then Rep. Marie St. Fleur to successfully pilot the first urban one laptop per student program in an urban middle school. Image Credit: Gibsonsgolfer via Flickr.

Fifteen years ago, the internet got a lot of flack. People were skeptical, labeling online interaction as “impersonal” and blaming computers for impending widespread isolation amongst its users.

Jump ahead to today and we’re finding that the doom-and-gloom predictions couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead of undermining interpersonal relationships, technology has brokered a level and frequency of communication that is anything but impersonal.

Nobody knows this more than our students who connect emotionally with others through the internet and their devices. The relationships they create in virtual spaces are very real for them. Now older family members have to meet them there, talk with them there and play with them there, if they’re going to remain relevant mentors in their lives.

Digital is not just for kids
A new study, “Connecting Generations,” released by AARP and Microsoft, reveals that 83 percent of the multi-generational age groups surveyed believe that the internet is a valuable communication tool for family members.

Not only have social platforms made it easier for children, parents and grandparents to communicate, but also these online networks have facilitated a deeper mutual appreciation between young and old. The AARP and Microsoft study reports that 30 percent of grandparents and 29 percent of young adults feel that interacting online has been instrumental in creating common understanding between each other’s generation.

Linking, liking, texting, Skypeing—grandparents are meeting their grandchildren where they are. They’re buying smartphones and tablets, creating Facebook and Flickr accounts, playing virtual Scrabble and uploading vacation videos. They’re doing this in the name of “connecting” with their young ones, motivated by the distance and years that may separate them. And, they’re embracing those beautiful, teachable moments that occur when they’re linked digitally.

By friending their younger relatives on Facebook, commenting on their Foodspotting pics or sharing their favorite apps, adults are positioning themselves as legitimate internet users. They’re becoming privy to a whole new world of hurrahs and heartbreaks that they would have otherwise missed.

Without this insight, grandparents and parents will find it difficult to create a support structure—one that invites their children to seek them out as models of ethical and responsible behavior, online and off.

Online safety takes a village
Research has shown that successful online safety education is dependent upon a joint effort between teachers, children and their families. However, many teachers feel frustrated, believing that they’ve been exclusively saddled with the job of teaching digital literacy to their students.

Although some educators face the challenge of eliciting meaningful parent involvement in their students’ online safety, there are steps that they can take to further bridge the digital and generational gaps between students and the adults in their lives.

• Encourage parents and grandparents to ask their younger ones for tech support. Seven out of 10 teens in the “Connecting Generations” study say that helping their parents get familiar with online activities “gives them the feeling of being more connected to them.”

• Promote online interaction between adults and children. Recommend that parents and older family members meet their children where they are. Skype, Facebook, online games, Flickr, Twitter… there are countless platforms that support multi-generational connection. While students may initially feel that this is intruding upon their privacy, this serves as a perfect illustration that there isn’t such a thing as total online privacy.

• Identify and recruit parents as tech advocates. Seek out those parents that embrace technology and have the capacity to share their knowledge. If you can find at least two volunteers, they can create a network of support that can provide tutorials, training and resources for other parents.

• Regularly share online safety tips and techniques with parents. By regularly sharing a handful of quick, bulleted safety tips, you’re providing talking points to parents who can then initiate discussions around cyber ethics, safety and security with their kids.

• Visit iKeepSafe’s detailed curriculum on “Connecting Generations Through Technology”, at its free curriculum feed for educators.

Parents and grandparents are vital to their children’s digital safety and literacy development. Technology can help them forge a tighter bond if only they commit themselves to experiencing what their children experience online and across connected devices.

To learn more about how to share information with your children or grandchildren, visit the following online safety and digital citizenship support resources:

iKeepCurrent Safer Internet Day Lesson Plan
iKeepSafe’s Generation Safe creates weekly lesson plans that highlight breaking news stories involving cyber safety issues affecting children and teens. There’s something for everyone in these lessons, with adults benefitting from the “parents” and “teachers” sections.

Safer Internet Day 2012 Kit for Schools
The Insafe Network has sponsored Safer Internet Day since 2005. This year, they’re providing education resources to support teachers as they promote stronger and safer connections between their students and older family members.

Digital Citizen in Action Toolkit
Microsoft provides teachers with brochures, fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations and videos that advance digital citizenship understanding in the classroom.

Marsali Hancock is president of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition . She speaks nationally and internationally on digital citizenship issues, including safety, security and ethics. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Brigham Young University.

This year’s theme, “connecting generations and educating each other,” focuses on how the online world can foster relationships across generations. The theme also highlights how everyone—whether you are 5, 50, or 85—can work together to increase online competence and safety.

iKeepSafe is joining the celebration in the following ways:

Radio Program: Marsali Hancock, iKeepSafe CEO & President, and Robyn Treyvaud, iKeepSafe Director of Global Initiatives, have been invited to participate in the 2012 Safer Internet Day Radio Program. This marathon program lasts all day and also features many other world-renowned experts like Professor Sonia Livingston, David Brown, Tim Loughton, Larry Magid, Lynn Featherstone and more. Not only can the audience listen, but they are encouraged to skype, IM, text, email and even phone in with questions.

Live Facebook Event: Marsali Hancock has been invited to participate in Microsoft and AARP’s live facebook event tomorrow. During the event, Microsoft and AARP will share new research highlighting the use of online technology and devices to communicate across generations. During the event, Microsoft will also answer the public’s online safety questions. Before and during this live social media event, send your questions on Facebook, a direct tweet on @SaferOnline, or via email to saferweb@microsoft.com.

New Resources: iKeepSafe.org’s home page will feature the new resources that iKeepSafe and iKeepSafe’s partners recently created in honor of Safer Internet Day.

We hope you will tune in and enjoy these events and new resources. Together we can enjoy the digital world . . . safely!