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CREATING APOSITIVEDIGITAL MEDIAENVIRONMENTAT HOME SAR Academy6th grade digital media presentationJANUARY 2016
T E C H N O L O G Y
Aliza Davis, Ph.D. |Michelle Sarna, Ph.D.
C O N T E N T S
1 Introduction and InvitationHow to Use this Guide
3 Creating Expectations &Sharing Values
6 Navigating A New Social MediaWorldPopular Social Media Platformsin SAR Middle School
10 Setting STRATEGIES forsuccessPrivacy and SecurityScreens at Home
16 Reflect & Reconnect
17 Additional Resources
TABLE OF
16 EVALUATING OURDECISIONS
18SAR RECOMMENDEDFILTER
4 DECIDING WHETHER TO ALLOWFOR DEVICES/SOCIAL MEDIA APPS?
5 Talking To Your Kids
INTRODUCTION &INVITATIONHOW DO WE USE THIS GUIDE?
Take a peek into the
topics addressed in
this guide on the
next page.
The following guide was created in response to many of thethoughtful hopes, questions, and concerns that have beenraised about the new and evolving world of digital media foryou and your children. The ideas and strategies presented are aculmination of research balanced with a consideration of whatis particularly relevant for SAR 6th graders. Please considerthis guide an introduction to these important issues as well asan invitation to continue these conversations as families and asan interconnected community. We feel privileged to partnerwith you as we navigate this new frontier.
How do Idiscuss theseimportantissues with mychildren?
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 1
Creating Expectations & Sharing Values How Do We Create Shared Values & Expectations about Digital Media Use? How Do We Decide Whether to Permit Devices/Social Media Apps? Navigating A New Social Media World Which Platforms are our Children Using & How Do They Work? Setting STRATEGIES for Success How Do We Ensure our Communications are Secure? What are our Expectations and Assumptions when we are Online? How can we Help our Children Manage their Digital Media at Home? REFLECT & Reconnect How do we continue to improve our digital media use? Additional RESOURCES How Can we Learn More?
topics:This guide addresses thefollowing
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 2
ur digital media use
projects our identity and
reflects our core values. The
way we engage with the
world online has social and
psychological implications
for our children, family, &
community. These potential
consequences require us to
think proactively,
frequently, and carefully
about both our ideals and
actual practices.When
creating the digital media
tone for our households, we
can consider the following
questions:
EXPECTATIONS & SHARING VALUES
Before providing our children with the opportunity to
use or own a new device it is helpful to first evaluate the
relative opportunities and risks. Once a decision is
rendered whether or not to provide and enable use of a
device, we can communicate our decision and the guiding
values clearly & effectively to our families.
O
HOW DO WE CREATESHARED VALUES &
EXPECTATIONS ABOUTDIGITAL MEDIA USE?
C R E A T I N G
What are the opportunities andchallenges that digital media offers youand your family? What are the values that arereflected in your family’s digital mediapractice? What are some shared policies thatyou have established with your family? What are some shared commitmentsthat you would like to develop?
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 3
Expectations and Values Cont'd
Once it has been decided to provide a child with access to a
device, the type of device that best matches the goals should be
selected. For each function, a wide range of devices with different
capabilities is available. For example, a “dummy” phone, flip
phone, or smartphone are each viable cell phone options.
EXPECTATIONS & SHARING VALUESC R E A T I N G
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 4
Throughout our children’s
digital media lives, it is
beneficial to have frequent
and ongoing dialogue about
digital media use and to
express interest & investment
in our children’s lives online.
We want to help our children
to feel empowered to be “our
guide and teacher” about
what their friends are using.
Afterall, in many ways, they
are the experts in this realm
and partnering with them
will be more likely to yield
successful outcomes.
HOW DO WE DECIDE WHETHER TO ALLOWFOR DEVICES/SOCIAL MEDIA APPS?
Does the child demonstrate a sense of responsibility?
Will this device interfere with other priorities and goals?
Does the child take care of his/her possessions?
Does the child need to be in touch with others for safety reasons?
Would having easy access to friends benefit him/her for social
reasons?
Will the child be able to use this device responsibly -- for example,
not being distracted during class or disturbing others?
Can the child adhere to limits set for device usage and apps
downloaded?
Will the child use the functions responsibly and not to embarrass or
harass others?
On which devices is the child accessing which apps & social
networks?
The decision about whether to provide our children with access to a
device or social media network may be difficult and dependent on
a wide range of variables, including our child’s readiness to handle
this responsibility. The following questions can help guide these
decisions:
TALKING TOYOUR KIDS
1 I F / H O W R E G U L A R L Y T H E P A R E N TW I L L M O N I T O R A N D S U P E R V I S E T H EC H I L D ’ S A C C O U N T S . S O M E W A Y ST O M O N I T O R / S U P E R V I S E I N C L U D E :Become a friend or a followerCheck postsLog into their accountsReview regular reports of media use (through your wireless provider)
2 T H E O P P O R T U N I T I E S A N DR I S K S O F T H E P A R T I C U L A RD E V I C E O R F O R U M
3 T H E P U R P O S E O F T H ED E V I C E A N D / O R A P P
4 A N Y L I M I T A T I O N S O RC O N S T R A I N T S Y O U W I S HT O S E T W I T H T H I S D E V I C EO R F O R U M :With whom can you use it?When can you use it?Where can you use it?For how long can you use it?
onversations about media use ideally continuethroughout the process of deciding the guidelinesfor how and what the device will be used for.Ongoing communication about the followingfactors is suggested:
It can be tremendouslyrewarding and effective for
parents and children to fosteran environment of mutual
trust and respect, informedby shared values and clear
expectations.
C
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 5
Navigating A New SocialMedia World
Many helpful and instructive resources on social and digital media areavailable to guide parents, but exploring all of this information can be adaunting task. Below are links that can help to better understand the socialmedia platforms that our children are using. Please refer to additionalresources provided at the end of this presentation as well. Of course, this isby no means an exhaustive list. In order to continue to be thoroughlyinformed about our children’s digital media world, we need to activelyfollow the rapidly shifting social media trends, as cleverly demonstratedhere. Our children and our peers may be our best resource in this endeavor.
T H E D A U N T I N G D I G I T A L R E A L M
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 6
THE FOLLOWING PLATFORMS WERE REPORTED BY OURCURRENT STUDENTS: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM,SNAPCHAT, WHATSAPP, ZOOM, OOVOO, VINE,TEXTING/GROUP TEXTS, EMAIL, FACETIME, GAMING, YOUTUBE(MOST COMMON PLATFORMS ARE IN BOLD). THE LIST ON THENEXT PAGE INCLUDES HYPERLINKS WITH RESOURCES.
N A V I G A T I N G A N E W S O C I A L M E D I A W O R L D
POPULARSOCIAL MEDIAPLATFORMS IN
SAR MIDDLESCHOOL
WHICHPLATFORMS
ARE OURCHILDREN
USING & HOWDO THEYWORK?
Middle schoolers vary widely in the frequency and type of social media use,particularly among the students at SAR. While some do not have a phone,smartphone, or access to any apps, others use and consume social mediaheavily. Parents and children are encouraged to make informed choices aboutwhich - if any - social media platforms they use and learn about guidelines forbest practice for safe and secure use. An effective and proactive strategy couldinclude engaging the parents of our child’s peer group to make deliberatechoices regarding which devices and social media platforms to allow.
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 7
PLATFORMS AND RESOURCESEXPLORE THE SOC IAL MEDIA S I TES OUR
CH I LDREN ARE US ING
Snapchat:
Share "snaps" (photos and videos) &
“stories” (videos and photos strung
together) that “disappear”
User can select who views the snap and
how long the viewers can view it, from 1 to
10 seconds
Video or text chat with other users
Oovoo:
Video call with up to 12 friends, four people
on a screen at a time
Send texts, pictures, and video messages
POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IN SAR MIDDLE SCHOOL
Information on each of the social
media sites can be found here
along with the blue links to the
listed resources.
Guidelines for parents
Recommended version for kids under 13
Instagram:
Post pictures and 15 second videos
Like and comment on other people’s
photos and videos
Direct message (chat and/or send media)
with other people
Guidelines & Reviews for parents
Zoom:
Web & Video conference with up to 50
people
Share iPhone & iPad screen
Guidelines for parents
Vine:
Create, share, & link together 6-second
videos which can be played in a
continuous loop
Guidelines & Reviews for parents
Twitter:
Registered users read & post 140 character
messages called “tweets”
unregistered users read posts; registered
users can re-tweet other posts
Guidelines for parents
Whatsapp:
Send messages, images, audio, or video via
internet
group chat, voice message, and set
locationGuidelines & Review for parents
Youtube:
View, link, post, browse, comment on videos
Guidelines, review, & safety recommendations
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 8
CONSIDERATIONSIt is important to consider that many socialmedia platforms were designed withparticular age restrictions. The U.S. Children’sOnline Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)includes legal constraints for minimum agerequirements. Often, the minimal age is 13years old (Facebook, Instagram) while othersplatforms restrict to older ages, such as Vine(age 17) and Whatsapp (age 16). Therefore,these apps have not been designed with thesafety and security of younger cohorts inmind. Yet, research indicates that children areusing these sites at much younger ages, withand without parental permission. Forexample, 7.5 million facebook users areyounger than 13 and over 5 million areyounger than 10. In other studies,
children are most likely to post an imageor video online or create a fake profile atage 11, try Twitter and message astranger at age 12, and try services likeSnapChat at the age of 13.
However, several social media apps aredesigned specifically for kids youngerthan 13, including Yoursphere, Kuddle,Snapkidz, BeSeen, Kidzworld. Byconsulting with the parents of our child’speer group, we can collectively promotechoices that ensure all of the childrenare included, as well as jointly motivateour children to appropriately engage insocial media.
Additional Resources:
COPPA
Social Media Research
Consumer Reports Study
Another study on children and socialmedia
Safe chatrooms and social media sites
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 9
SET “PRIVACY SETTINGS”
1PROTECT PASSWORDS : SECURE YOUR NETWORKS
2 3
Connect only with Wi-Finetworks that areknown and securePrevent apps fromaccessing informationstored on your phone(photos, contact lists)
Fortunately, we can help to ensure that our personalinformation, posts, photos/videos, and communications arelikely only viewed & received by the people that we select:
PRIVACY & SECURITYHOW DO WE ENSURE OURCOMMUNICATIONS ARE SECURE &PROTECTED?
INFORMATION SHARED ONLINE IS PUBLICAND PERMANENT AND ONLINE ACTIONSYIELD REAL-LIFE CONSEQUENCES. OURCHILDREN MAY NOT FULLY GRASP THAT“WHAT GOES ONLINE STAYS ONLINE” EVENWHEN PICTURES OR MESSAGES REPORTEDLY“DISAPPEAR.” IT’S HELPFUL TO EMPHASIZETHAT SEARCHES AND ONLINE ACTIVITYREMAIN ACCESSIBLE, EVEN IF THE HISTORYIS CLEARED, AND THAT ANYTHING THAT ISDIGITAL CAN BE STORED, COPIED ANDSHARED. RECOGNIZING THAT THEINFORMATION THAT IDENTIFIES THEMONLINE IS NOT NECESSARILY THEINFORMATION THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO SHARECAN ALSO HELP THEM TO MORE CAREFULLYFILTER THE CONTENT THEY CHOOSE TO POSTABOUT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.SAFEGUARDING OUR ONLINE ACTIVITY IS ACOLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
Use a strong password(combination of letters,numbers, and symbols)Use different passwordsfor different servicesNever share passwordsor personal informationwith anyone exceptfamily membersChange passwordsfrequently
Set profile to private oneach device andplatformCheck regularly assettings and policieschange frequentlySelect whom should bea “friend” or a “follower”onlineChoose which sitesshould have access to“location” in “settings”
Setting Strategies for Success
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 10
THE WAY THAT WE PRESENT OURSELVES ONLINE
HAS REAL LIFE IMPLICATIONS. RECOGNIZING THAT
“YOUR MEDIA REPRESENTS YOU” CAN HELP
ENSURE THAT THE IDENTITY PORTRAYED ONLINE
REFLECTS OUR AUTHENTIC VALUES. WHEN IT
COMES TO SHARING AND POSTING ONLINE, THE
FOCUS IS OFTEN ON THE SHORT TERM AND
ENJOYING THE MOMENT. YET, IT IS HELPFUL TO
BROADEN OUR LENS AND THINK ABOUT IF AND
HOW THIS MAY AFFECT US IN THE FUTURE. OUR
INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS CAN BE GUIDED BY
THE SAME MIDDOT TOVOT AND SOCIAL SKILLS
THAT GUIDE OUR OFFLINE INTERACTIONS.
IDENTITY & INTERACTIONSWHAT ARE OUR EXPECTAT IONS AND
ASSUMPT IONS WHEN WE ARE ONL INE?
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 11
IDENTITY ANDINTERACTIONS
CONT'D
I n crea t ing an on l ine i den t i t yand on l ine network , toge therwe can cons ide r :
How would people that we respect react ifthey saw the post (i.e., grandparent, schoolprincipal, police officer, collegeadmissions office, etc)?Will this current post create challengesnow or in the future?What are others posting about us?What is our “image” online?
I n par t i cu la r , when t ak ing ,sha r ing , or pos t ing p ic tu res :
Take pictures that are legalAsk permission before photographing andposting when other people are in thepicture Discuss our feelings about beingmentioned in posts or tagged in photosopenly with othersConsider the whole image: Ensure that the background of a photo orvideo is appropriate Exclude information that identifies yourcurrent location or is private
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 12
IDENTITY ANDINTERACTIONS
CONT'D
To prepare fo r sa fe on l ineac t i v i t y , we can proac t i ve lyth ink wi th our ch i ld ren aboutsome potent i a l l yuncomfor tab le s i tua t ions tha tcan occur on l ine , such as :
A person reaches out to you online thatyou do not know Another user communicates withinappropriate language or content You are asked personal or privatequestionsYou observe interactions that are mean orcyberbullying
We can present our ch i ld renwi th s t ra teg ies fo rrespond ing to theses i tua t ions :
Disengage from the conversationBlock the userTell a trusted adult Be an upstander to cyberbullying &support the victimCheck whether others’ professed identityis accurate Assume everyone is a stranger onlineAsk siblings, friends, grown ups to verifythe person’s identity
Empowering children to trust
their instincts if they feel
threatened, uncomfortable, or
suspicious can help them
access support in difficult
online situations.
ScreensAT
HOME
HOW CAN WE HELP OURCHILDREN MANAGE THEIRDIGITAL MEDIA AT HOME?
Some Tips for Screen Use at Home:The following practices can help create a home environment that balances thedemands of our digital age, the need to supervise our children’s online world, andthe priority of in-person interactions and connections:
Limit screen use to a common/high traffic areaCharge devices outside of bedrooms (ex: create a central charging station inthe kitchen)Set certain hours that devices can be usedNotice any changes in device usage (amount, timing, & location) Set time to sit with children and use digital media together Create a schedule that includes times of the day (ex: off by 8:30 PM) & contexts(ex: never at the kitchen table)
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 14
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 5
ScreensAT
HOME
HOW CAN WE HELP OURCHILDREN MANAGE THEIRDIGITAL MEDIA AT HOME?
Partnering with School and Community:Support other parents to navigate the challenges and opportunities of digitalmedia Communicate with other parents about their children’s usage (i.e., for whenyour children say “but all my friends have X …”)Communicate with other parents to create shared norms for use amongst peersFor example, perhaps all the parents in your child’s social group decide topostpone or prevent access to a device or appShare relevant information with the school
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 15
WHEN EVALUATING OURDECISIONS ABOUTDIGITAL MEDIA USE, BEMINDFUL THAT:
REFLECT &RECONNECT
Each person is different What works for me may not workfor my childWhat works for one child may notwork for his/her siblingWhat works for a peer may notwork for his/her friend
The guidelines canhave some flexibility
Making decisions about digital media use is an ongoingprocess that requires continuous assessment. Regularlyreflecting on our own and our family’s online behaviors canensure that we are being consistent with our core values andprinciples and that we are staying on the path that we hadthoughtfully selected for our family. Asking the followingquestions can serve as a guide for these check-ins:
HOW DO WE REFRESH OUR ONLINE WORLD?
Digital mediaintroduces emerging,exciting, andcomplex possibilities.We look forward tocontinue partneringwith you as wenavigate theseopportunities andchallenges togetheras a community.Please don’t hesitateto reach out with anythoughts, questionsor suggestions.
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 16
What is the purpose of our digital media use?Can our needs be met in other ways?What are we modelling with our devices?Are we satisfied with how much and what we are using?Are we on our devices too frequently? Is it hard to be away from our devices?Does our online activity interfere with certain areas of ourlives? If/how is it affecting:Academic AchievementFriendships Health (eating and sleeping)Emotional well being (moodiness, irritability)
They can change in differentsituations (i.e., vacation vs. school,summer vs. school year, etc)
Guidelines cater tothe whole child
Taking into account personality andother personal circumstances foreach child
A D D I T I O N A L
R E S O U R C E S
HOW CAN WE LEARN MORE?
A Parent's Guide to Facebook
MO B I L E D E V I C E S I N G E N E R A L :
Mobile Phones for Children
W E B S I T E S A B O U T S O C I A L M E D I A :
Parent's Guide to Social Media Apps Used by Kids
Be Web Smart
A Parents' Guide to Apps
E - S A F E T Y F O R 1 1 - 1 3 Y E A R O L D S :
Resources for Pre-Teens
A G E A P P R O P R I A T E A P P S :
Safe Chat Rooms and Social Sites for Kids
S O C I A L T R E N D S :
Parenting in the Age of Awfulness
"Dumb" Phones
C O N T R A C T S :
Guide to Contracts & Agreements
M E D I A I N F A M I L I E S :
How to Manage Media in Families
MO N I T O R A N D M A N A G EC H I L D R E N ’ S D E V I C E S :
Keeping Kids Safe Online
Parental Controls for ios
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 17
SARRECOMMENDED FILTER
ACCESS THEOPENDNSWEBSITEHERE.
SAR RECOMMENDS OPENDNS FAMILY SHIELD SERVICEFOR HOME WEB FILTERING. FAMILY SHIELD IS A SPECIALSERVICE OFFERED BY OPENDNS MEANT FOR HOME USERS WHOWANT TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN FROM SEEING INAPPROPRIATEIMAGES AND WEBSITES ON THEIR COMPUTERS. FAMILYSHIELDWILL ALWAYS BLOCK DOMAINS CATEGORIZED IN THEIR SYSTEMAS TASTELESS, PROXY/ANONYMIZER, SEXUALITY, ORPORNOGRAPHY.
CREATING A POSITIVE DIGITAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AT HOME | 18