Youth and Digital Citizenship+ (Plus): Understanding Skills for a Digital World

Click to access: https://dash.harvard.edu/handle/1/42638976

Relevant Professional Development for Educators and Counselors

Free Posters and Lesson Plans to Help Every Kid Become an Upstander https://www.weareteachers.com/help-every-kid-become-an-upstander/

Practicing Good Digital Citizenship

Source: https://youtu.be/RAtxAvav5G4?list=PLoCgA1PdqBwIznq3QZwKupFqtCF2fl-I8

Helping Families Manage Increased Screen Time During a Global Pandemic

The spread of the global COVID-19 pandemic has created plenty of anxieties for parents trying to balance work and family responsibilities amid ever-changing uncertainties. In this unprecedented time of hunkering down and holing up, parents are relying more than ever on technology to help carry the educational and recreational load. All across the world school buildings have been shuttered and unnecessary travel is prohibited. As a result, the family home has become the school, the gym, the playground, and the office.

To carry on with instructional activities remotely, teachers are utilizing a variety of online platforms to connect with their students. We receive multiple emails each school day from our son’s teachers with activities, videos, and general check-ins. Google Classroom assignments and Zoom get-togethers are the new educational norm. While the debate about the benefits and risks of technology for education has ebbed and flowed over the last two decades, there is little doubt that screens are saving schools right now.

Read more: https://cyberbullying.org/helping-families-manage-increased-screen-time

Association Between Social-Media Use and Depressive Symptoms

Research by Twenge, Joiner, Rogers, and Martin has indicated that there may be an association between social-media use and depressive symptoms among adolescents. However, because of the cross-sectional nature of this work, the relationship among these variables over time remains unclear. Thus, in this longitudinal study we examined the associations between social-media use and depressive symptoms over time using two samples: 594 adolescents (Mage = 12.21) who were surveyed annually for 2 years, and 1,132 undergraduate students (Mage = 19.06) who were surveyed annually for 6 years. Results indicate that among both samples, social-media use did not predict depressive symptoms over time for males or females. However, greater depressive symptoms predicted more frequent social-media use only among adolescent girls. Thus, while it is often assumed that social-media use may lead to depressive symptoms, our results indicate that this assumption may be unwarranted.

The Longitudinal Association Between Social-Media Use and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents and Young Adults: An Empirical Reply to Twenge et al. (2018) - Taylor Heffer, Marie Good, Owen Daly, Elliott MacDonell, Teena Willoughby, 2019

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2167702618812727

Resources for Families and Educators Facing Coronavirus Uncertainty

Dear Common Sense community, Amid the COVID-19 anxiety, school shutdowns, work-from-home directives, and more, we at Common Sense have resources to help families and schools navigate this unpredictable time. As a parent and a teacher myself, I know it can feel overwhelming for families and teachers to adjust their plans on the fly. Helping our communities choose media and tech that can keep kids engaged, entertained, and learning is core to our organizational mission. Whether you have kids at home or you need to develop plans to help kids learn outside the classroom, we think you'll find something useful below. Media recommendations for entertainment Hand-picked, age-appropriate media suggestions to keep the whole family engaged. Best Music Apps and Games for Kids New Kids' TV Shows 50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12 Best Family Movies Common Sense Selections highlighting the best movies and TV shows Sibling Watch-Together TV Best Documentaries for Kids and Families Resources for at-home learning Tools to help parents and caregivers keep kids focused and learning at home. 17 Apps to Help Kids Stay Focused Apps That Act Like Math and Science Tutors for Homework Help Free Educational Apps, Games, and Websites Top Time-Management Apps Stress-management resources When everything feels overwhelming, check out tips for taking in rapidly changing news. De-stress together with meditation apps for kids and families. Get the blood flowing and elevate the mood with these 25 dance games (you might need to buy a special control from Amazon). Apps, websites, and video games that inspire running, jumping, and more to stay active. Don’t forget to enjoy a device-free dinner or two. You can always visit commonsensemedia.org or commonsense.org/education for more resources and support. Take care, Jim Steyer P.S.: Here are a few ways you can support our community: Forward this email to your friends and network. Share our articles on your social media pages. Consider joining Common Sense Media Plus, our new membership program.

We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families.