Students growing up in this 21st century environment are learning about and interacting with the world in a much different way than their parents did.  Technology is now a huge part of everyday life, both inside of a learning environment as well as out of it.  As with everything, there are definite pros and cons to this hyper connectivemess.  As the Netsmartz.org website says, children “have access to in-depth knowledge, tools to express their creativity, and people from all over the world. Yet along with offering a fascinating, new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers new risks.”     These risks are real and serious and include

• Cyberbullying
• Exposure to inappropriate material
• Online predators
• Revealing too much personal information

So how do we as educators and parents help our children navigate this tricky online world so that they minimize the risk and maximize the potential?

The most important and effective way is to keep the lines of communication open and talk with the kids. Here are some important points for discussion.

Other things parents and educators should remember are to know and look for warning signs, stay well-informed about current issues and up to date on current games/applications that are popular, and have regular and honest discussions about students’ online activities.  ​

The potential with today’s technology is immense, but so is our responsibility to cultivate responsible and smart digital citizens.  We can accomplish this by working together to ensure that our children have the knowledge, power and sense of self that will help safely guide them in their cyberspace adventures.

If you would like to read more on the subject, please visit these websites.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/internet-safety-younger-elementary-mary-beth-hertz

http://www.kathleenamorris.com/2017/11/01/teaching-digital-citizenship-10-internet-safety-tips-for-students/

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/internetsafetyforkids/teaching-kids-about-internet-safety/1/