Who is Paying Attention to our Youth and their Relationship to their Devices?
There is the Children's Internet Protection Act which Congress enacted in 2000. There are the Nine Elements of Digital Citizenship that Earnie Krames discusses. There are 8 topics of Digital Citizenship that "Common Sense Media" put together. There are numerous acronyms such as REPs or Respect, Educate and Protect that have been created when it comes to teaching our youth about being responsible users and consumers of the information they spend more and more time engage with. The more I read about 21st Century learners the more I fear there is a growing dissonance between the Internet's enhancement of their learning and the interference the Internet can cause. It seems that this following statement is becoming a part of the daily classroom climate. " Guiding behaviors (digital) is just as important as the content they (teachers) will be covering. "(Holy Korbey, MindShift)
I am growing increasingly more nervous about my ability to utilize these amazing resource we have available to enhance student engagement, learning, and positively effect their outcome. Will I be able to monitor how students are using their computers in class and then what about a potential for outside class time interactions with social media and the stress that may be on my students. I think just talking about the dangers of too much screen time and helping them to become aware of the potential physical and psychological issues may not be enough. How will I ever be able to solve or alleviate cyber bullying victims or even attempt to be proactive about the potential of that occurring?
The TED ED Talk by Sheey Terkle titled: Connected, but Alone? was extraordinary in articulating the dangers of the plugged in lifestyles that we have acquired and how our devices are not only changing what we do, but also WHO WE ARE! The implications Sherry Terkle raised have far reaching consequences on our students interpersonal skills that they are developing in the school setting and also their own inner conversations that they are learning to listen to. As a pyschologist she is seeing many patients who are desperate to have someone listen to them and are replacing that "someone" with a device. This is a terrifying notion to me inside and outside of the classroom!
I am also very worried about today's youth. I am in an early childhood classroom and it worries to me to end when I do allow them to use any sort of technology device what they are going to accidentally click on and find. I am also worried for my own kids and what they are going to turn to as they get older. Great eye opening lesson! This is a learning process for all.
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