We don't want to let 2014 slip away without marking two anniversaries that are very important to our children: those of an invention and a convention. This year was the 25th anniversary of Tim Berners-Lee's release of his computer code creating the World Wide Web, now with some 3 billion users worldwide, and the 25th anniversary of the UN's adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child … [Read more...] about Two 2014 anniversaries that say reams about our kids’ futures
social literacy
The next version of ‘Internet safety’: A look under the hood
"Under the bonnet," colleagues across the Atlantic and Down Under might say. I put it that way because this post is a bit more e-safety geeky than usual. Parents and caregivers who don't geek out on this topic might find this mildly interesting, though, because we're talking about kids' wellbeing in media and in life. Going forward, the value of "Internet safety" – if the concept doesn't … [Read more...] about The next version of ‘Internet safety’: A look under the hood
The videogame discourse: Default to open-mindedness!
My heart sinks when I see uncritical thinking in commentaries from Internet safety advocates about the media young people love – thinking that defaults (and contributes to a society-level default) to fear that new media's harmful and young users are either potential victims or up to no good. Take videogames, for example. We know that… "Videogame play is pervasive throughout our society," as … [Read more...] about The videogame discourse: Default to open-mindedness!
When kids are skilled navigators of our networked world
We all – young people and everybody who works with them – are learning what that looks like: skilled navigation of a networked world. We're also working out what the skills are, how to teach them and what kind of environment (home, school and media environment) supports that learning. As a society, we've only just begun working the problem. The first 15 or so years of the public discussion … [Read more...] about When kids are skilled navigators of our networked world
Restorative justice eclipsing zero tolerance in US schools
Here's a model for preventing bullying and a whole lot of other problems: a school that promotes social literacy not zero tolerance. At the Boston area's Charlestown High School, "where many students come from high-crime neighborhoods, an innovative program employs a surprising method to help keep teens in school and out of trouble with the law: Encouraging them to talk to each other," reports NBC … [Read more...] about Restorative justice eclipsing zero tolerance in US schools