Young people's social media interests are changing right along with the media, according to the latest Speak Up study, which surveyed more than 325,000 students, along with parents, teachers and administrators. "Only 30% of middle school students and 39% of high school students now say they're maintaining a social networking site," says Project Tomorrow, which conducts the annual survey, "a … [Read more...] about Fresh data on US kids’ social media use
Texting options multiplying like rabbits (even more now)
Everybody's, including kids', texting and talking options continue to multiply like rabbits. First there was texting from your mobile carrier, then phone-based texting like Apple's iMessage and voice via computers (later adding in phones) as with Google Voice and Skype. Along came texting apps too, such as the simple and spare WhatsApp now owned by Facebook and the something-for-everybody, … [Read more...] about Texting options multiplying like rabbits (even more now)
Apple’s newest smartphone ‘parental control’
Apple unveiled a whole slew of features coming in the next iterations of its operating systems for the iPhone (iOS 8) and Macs (OS X Yosemite), coming to a device near you in the fall. Among them was an iOS 8 feature called "Family Sharing," a little bundle of convenience and control. The feature will "let up to six users share any apps or media content they buy using the same credit card. … [Read more...] about Apple’s newest smartphone ‘parental control’
Digital summer camp Part 2: Of managing a child’s Minecraft time
"I'm sad that my son is so busy with homework and other stuff lately that he hasn't had time to even play Minecraft! I think it's a better use of his time than homework." That's a comment from a mom and educator in San Jose, Calif., posted under an article by educator Kevin Jarrett in Edutopia last fall: "Too much is never enough: managing a child's time playing Minecraft." Because he ran an … [Read more...] about Digital summer camp Part 2: Of managing a child’s Minecraft time
For digital summer camp, kid-source a game (or play this one!)
One year ago this month, its 3rd-through-6th grader designers launched the fifth and final iteration of Escape to Morrow, an open source digital game they designed in Minecraft for Minecraft players. The five iterations – including writing and rewriting backstories, creating maps, finding mods (Minecraft modifications out on the Web) and producing the trailer – took a year of work in summer camp, … [Read more...] about For digital summer camp, kid-source a game (or play this one!)