by Emma | Sep 21, 2023 | Administrators, Apps, Blog, Criminal Activity, Cyberbullying, Digital Safety, Distance Learning, Educational Technology, Media Literacy, Online Dangers, Online Learning, Safe Learning Environment, Social Media, Technology
Over the course of the pandemic, teenagers’ use of social networking apps increased exponentially. According to Common Sense Media, “media use by 8- to 18-year-olds has grown faster during the two years of the pandemic than it had over the four years before the...
by Emma | Sep 7, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Educational Technology, Mental Health, Parenting, Parents, School Counselors, suicide, Suicide Prevention, Teachers, Technology, Trauma
The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on student mental health, exacerbating existing challenges and introducing new ones. Children faced disruptions in their daily routines, isolation from peers, and the abrupt shift to remote learning. All of these changes...
by Emma | Aug 24, 2023 | Apps, Blog, Educational Technology, Online Learning, Pedagogy, Teachers, Teaching Topics, Technology, The Digital Divide
Few issues in education generate more controversy than generative artificial intelligence (AI). Generative AI includes ChatBot tutors and programs like ChatGPT. On one hand, Generative AI tools can help overloaded teachers develop quizzes, study guides, summaries, and...
by Emma | Aug 10, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Criminal Activity, Cyberbullying, Cybersecurity, Digital Safety, Education Law, Educational Technology, Internet Regulations, Learning and the Law, Media Literacy, Online Dangers, Safe Learning Environment, School Safety, Teaching Topics, Technology
The K-12 Cybersecurity Act of 2021 set guidelines and strategies to prevent cyberattacks in schools. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), such attacks can lead to weeks of learning loss. It can also take schools months – in some cases, nearly a...
by Emma | Jul 27, 2023 | Cyberbullying, Cybersecurity, Digital Citizenship, Digital Literacy, Digital Safety, Educational Technology, Lesson Planning, Online Dangers, Online etiquette, Pedagogy, Smartphones, Social Media, Teachers, Teaching Topics, Technology
Children engage with digital media and devices at very young ages. According to a March 2020 poll by the Pew Research Center, parents reported that 35% of children two years or younger interacted with tablet computers. For this same age group, parents reported that...
by Emma | Jul 13, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, Educational Technology, Mental Health, Online Dangers, Social Media, Social-Emotional Learning, Technology
Devices provide students with many benefits, from connecting with peers to accessing educational resources. However, devices also create stress and anxiety for young people. While social media helps students connect to like-minded peers, it also creates stress and the...
by Emma | Jun 29, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Cyberbullying, Cybersecurity, Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, Educational Technology, Lesson Planning, Media Literacy, Online Dangers, Online etiquette, Online Learning, Parenting, Parents, Pedagogy, Safe Learning Environment, Social Media, Teachers, Teaching Topics, Technology
Creating and maintaining a safe learning environment is every school’s duty. However, that duty isn’t limited to face-to-face instruction. Schools must also make sure that students are safe online and on school-owned devices. Online student safety became a major issue...
by Emma | Jun 15, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Criminal Activity, Mental Health, Safe Learning Environment, School Counselors
Violence happens frighteningly frequently in teen romantic relationships. Love Is Respect, an offshoot of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, offers help to teens experiencing violence in relationships. According to Love Is Respect, emotional, physical, and/or...
by Emma | Jun 1, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Criminal Activity, Digital Safety, Education Law, Educational Technology, Learning and the Law, Mental Health, Online Dangers, Safe Learning Environment, Smartphones, Technology
In January of 2023, Common Sense Media released a report regarding teenagers’ use of pornography. Whether intentionally or by accident, approximately three out of four teenagers reported that they’d encountered pornography. As many as fifteen percent of respondents...
by Emma | May 18, 2023 | Administrators, Blog, Bullying, Criminal Activity, Cyberbullying, Cybersecurity, Digital Literacy, Digital Safety, Educational Technology, Media Literacy, News, Online Dangers, Parenting, Parents, Safe Learning Environment, School Safety, Smartphones, Social Media, Teachers, Teaching Topics, Technology
School-aged children spend more time online than ever. Recently, Common Sense Media conducted a survey regarding the amount of time children and teens spend online. They discovered a spike in online activity for individuals between the ages of eight and eighteen. In...
