Well, two great back-to-school messages, actually. I'll get to the one from two organizations in a minute. First, one from a parent: At a time when so many families are feeling swamped with stuff added to schedules and school supplies lists – and that's on top of run-of-the-mill, everyday parental pressures that probably include worries about what young peers are up to online, in games, and on … [Read more...] about One of the best back-to-school messages I’ve seen
youth
Kids & teens not only ok, but smart!: Study
Now for the good news in the youth part of a report from Ottawa-based MediaSmarts's report "Talking to Youth and Parents about Life Online" (yesterday I highlighted the parents piece). Well, mostly good news. It sounds as if "Internet safety education" has made the youngest among the 11-to-17-year-olds MediaSmarts talked with pretty paranoid: "From [11- and 12-year-olds'] perspective, the Internet … [Read more...] about Kids & teens not only ok, but smart!: Study
DefCon’s first kid hackers
You know that there are hackers, and then there are hackers, right? Sure there are criminal hackers, but there are also plenty of "white hat" hackers who are in it for the challenge and to help find security breaches so companies and governments can get them fixed. Well, DefCon, one of the longest-running annual hacker conventions, just happened in Las Vegas for the 19th time, and it seems the … [Read more...] about DefCon’s first kid hackers
LGBT youth & cyberbullying: Study
The Cyberbullying Research Center has added its own data to our growing understanding of bullying related to sexual orientation. The researchers, Profs. Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin, found that 72% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) students have been targeted by bullying at some point in their lives, compared to 63% of heterosexual students, with an "even more striking" … [Read more...] about LGBT youth & cyberbullying: Study
‘Do no harm’: Message to educators, parents
This is interesting. University of Southern California Prof. Henry Jenkins didn't put it exactly this way, but I don't think he'd disagree: It's almost as if, at this particular point in history (the history of education, media, and technology, in any case), educators need the same first principle of practice that doctors in emergency medicine have. "Like with a physician, the first statement … [Read more...] about ‘Do no harm’: Message to educators, parents