by Emma | Mar 22, 2018 | Gun Violence, Learning and the Law, Mental Health, Online Dangers
Utah Governor Gary Herbert recently created a 14 person task force in response to the rise of suicides in Utah during 2017. The panel is working to identify existing programs. From there, they plan to use those programs to build a bank of resources to help those...
by Emma | Mar 20, 2018 | Administrators, Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, Educational Technology, Learning and the Law, Online Dangers, Online Learning, School Safety, Social Media
There are federal and state regulations for internet safety in schools. However, school districts must develop their own Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) to further define the loose structure set by federal and state laws. Your school district has an established AUP,...
by Emma | Mar 15, 2018 | Apps, Educational Technology, Online Learning, Pedagogy, Study Skills, Teaching Topics
The world is filled with distractions. These distractions can cloud young students’ minds. They can also keep them from achieving their goals. Moreover, these distractions are multiplied online, which can make it tremendously difficult to stay on task. Here are...
by Emma | Mar 13, 2018 | Uncategorized
We’ve all seen Facebook posts about sensational “news” stories. Some claim that aliens have landed. Others say the world’s about to end. These articles often go viral and quickly fill up our news feeds. However, users should be conscious that...
by Emma | Mar 8, 2018 | Blog, Educational Technology
Paper Versus Screen Learning As online learning, e-textbooks and digital note-taking gain popularity, schools face new pressures. The main challenge? How to balance old-school tools, like pen and paper, and new technology, like e-readers and laptops. As educators seek...
by Emma | Mar 6, 2018 | Blog, Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, Online Dangers, Parenting, Parents, Social Media
As more children and teens use technology, cyberbullying becomes more of an urgent issue. Children believe they are safe behind a screen. Often, the anonymity of social media platforms makes them think they can say or post whatever they wish without any consequences....
by Emma | Mar 1, 2018 | Digital Safety, Gun Violence, Mental Health, Online Dangers, School Safety, School Violence
Gun violence among teens has reached epidemic levels in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, 733 children (age 11 or younger) were killed or injured from gun violence in 2017 alone. The Archive also states that gun violence killed or injured 3,229...
by Emma | Feb 27, 2018 | Blog, Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Digital Safety, Mental Health, Online Dangers, Online etiquette, Parenting, Parents, Social Media
Cyberbullying is the misuse of technological devices to mentally and emotionally harm another individual. This could include posting harmful messages on social media accounts, sending demeaning texts, posting detrimental photos online and more. According to...
by Emma | Feb 22, 2018 | Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Learning and the Law, Online Dangers, Social Media, Teaching Topics
On February 8th, the West Virginia state legislature overwhelmingly passed an anti-cyberbullying bill called Grace’s Law. Here’s what you need to know. Grace’s Story A 15 year-old girl, Grace McComas, committed suicide after she endured a long...
by Emma | Feb 20, 2018 | Blog, Cyberbullying, Digital Citizenship, Mental Health, Online Dangers, Parenting, Parents, Social Media
Between 2010 and 2015, teen depression and suicide rates climbed 31%. Recent research points in one direction: avid Internet use. New Media Clinical Psychological Science recently published a paper linking teen mental illness and new media, a term including...