Social Media and Digital Citizenship for Schoolwires

Overview of Online Safety and Relationship to Social-Emotional Wellness

Technology is a tool, and it can be beneficial in the overall learning process.  It is a great way for schools and teachers to share information with students and families, and it is a useful resource for creating an engaging learning environment.  However, the safe and appropriate use of technology, particularly social media, is dependent upon students utilizing social and emotional skills. If students aren’t developing skills in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making, then they will not have the capacity to make good choices when using social media.  It is imperative that the school learning environment as well as the family environment allow for young people to develop these social and emotional skills with instruction and supervision, so when they are in a position to make choices on their own, they are making safe and positive choices for themselves and their peers.

Think of technology as an amplifier; it can amplify the best (and worst) that is going on in our world. There are many benefits technology provides for students: from being a fabulous research tool to allowing them to see places and make connections all over the world. The ability technology has to allow people to connect and collaborate can be truly be transformative, but we must not be complacent about how we allow our children to use it. Technology can help kids learn more efficiently, can provide access to content for students, and can increase engagement in learning.

Information on SEL

What is SEL? Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

• Social-Emotional Competencies- questions to ask

Vetted Resources:

• Articles to Read:

• Social and Emotional Learning: Strategies for Parents
  There are many ways parents can encourage emotionally intelligent behavior in their children. Check out this guide to resources for learning more about character development. Edutopia
• A Parent's Resource Guide to Social and Emotional Learning- Grouping of resources on Social-Emotional Learning from Edutopia
• The Balancing Act: Navigating Time Limits On Tech Use:  Article from FOSI on limiting tech Use.
• Why the Best Parental Control Is You: Instead of flipping a switch, be the voice in their head. By Christine Elgersma, Common Sense Media
• Enough With the Screen Time Scare! How to Be Sensible About Children’s Device Use, by Scott Traylor, EdSurge. Article explaining why all screentime is not created equal with references to research from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• American Academy of Pediatrics Announces New Recommendations for Children’s Media Use- New Recommendations on Screentime for children and teens, including link to Family Media Use Plan tool.
• Having A Heart-To-Heart About Online Reputation, by Amanda Quesada, FOSI. Article to provide guidance about how to talk to your children about their online reputation, including discussing mistakes made online, and advice to help them think more proactively about their future and how digital plays into that.
• The Screen Time Debate: Why “How Much?” Is The Wrong Question by Diana Graber, FOSI. Article looks at why parent need to look beyond just asking “how much time is spent online” to being more concerned with what content is being consumed, when the content is appropriate for your child, and why your child is choosing to spend their time on a certain platform.

• Websites and Books:

• Social Emotional Learning in the Home- Social and emotional learning starts at home. Parents and families are critical partners in helping their children develop social and emotional know-how. They can model the kinds of skills, attitudes, and behaviors we want all students to master. And they can be important advocates for SEL at school.
• STOP.THINK.CONNECT, Kids - This is the Department of Homeland Security’s National CyberSecurity Awareness Campaign’s presentation for Kids. The Department of Homeland Security helps you protect yourself from dangers on the Internet by teaching you what to look out for online.
• Stop.Think.Connect. Parents and Educators  This is the Department of Homeland Security’s Parent and Educator Resources site.
• iRules  by Janell Burley Hofmann
• In iRules: What Every Tech-Healthy Family Needs to Know About Selfies, Sexting, Gaming and Growing Up, Janell Burley Hofmann provides families with the tools they need to find a balance between technology and human interaction through a philosophy she calls Slow-Tech Parenting. In the book, she educates parents about the online culture tweens and teens enter the minute they go online, exploring issues like cyberbullying, friend fail, and sexting, and helps parents create their own iRules contracts to fit their families' needs. As funny and readable as it is prescriptive, iRules helps parents figure out when to unplug and how to stay in sync with the changing world of technology, while teaching their children self-respect, integrity, and responsibility.
• Want to create a device contract between you and your child? Use the iRules Contract maker.
• Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)- This site offers insight, tips, and resources for both parents and educators around good parenting in a digital world, as well as guidance on topics such as safety, privacy, social media and digital citizenship.
• Common Sense Media- Parent Concerns- This is a great collection of questions posed by parents which have been answered by Common Sense Media. You can search for topics and find a plethora of resources and information about all things related to media.

• Curriculum and Standards:

• Google- Be Internet Awesome
• Common Sense Media’s Curriculum (Scope & Sequence)
• K-12 ISTE Standards for Students
• NC Information & Technology Essential Standards:
• K-5
• 6-8
• 9-12

References:

"What is SEL? - Casel." https://casel.org/what-is-sel/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2019.
"SEL in the Home - Casel." https://casel.org/in-the-home/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2019.
"iRules the Book | Janell Burley Hofmann." http://www.janellburleyhofmann.com/irules-the-book/. Accessed 3 Jan. 2019.