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Plugged-in Parents: Keeping Kids Safe, Happy, and Healthy in the Digital Age Script: Learning With Technology: Supporting Education at Home Slide 1 Title Slide Slide 2 Common Sense is committed to making kids the nation's top priority. We
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Common Sense is committed to making kids the nation's top priority. We are a trusted guide for the families, educators, and advocates who help kids thrive. We provide resources to harness the power of media and technology, and to shape public policy to improve the well-being of every child.
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When our kids come home from school, we often ask, "What did you learn today?" because even if we communicate with teachers, check homework, or look at our kid's assignment notebook, it's hard to know what they're really learning. But we want to support them and help them do the best they can. So other than sitting down next to them every night when they do homework, what tools can we offer and use to help? And how can we prevent summer slide? Tech tools definitely offer opportunities, and research proves that they actually work, so we'll explore what schools often use, what some benefits are, how to choose the best apps and sites to support learning, and how to put them to good use.
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First let's get a sense of what kinds of technology you, the school, and your kid are already using around learning: (Have parents raise hands in response to each to get a sense of what's being used)
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How are most schools using tech? For the most part, schools use tech for purposes you'd expect:
Many schools rely on computer labs, sometimes have carts with mobile devices, and use a combination of paper and electronic notifications to communicate with parents. Tablets are often more popular in elementary schools. Once students rely more on keyboards, schools either use desktop computers, laptops, or a combination. A popular choice for laptops is the Chromebook because they're cheaper than many options, and everything is stored in the cloud -- storage on servers, not on the computer itself, like Dropbox or Google Drive -- instead of
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Knowing which devices your kid's school uses is a good start, and it's good to know some of the most common terms schools use when it comes to technology. 1-to-1 options usually mean every kid has a dedicated device, and they can often bring it home depending on the school's policy. If a school adopts a BYOD program, it can mean using a privately owned device or paying a small fee for one of the school's if there's not an available device at home.
CMS and LMS often have some overlap, but if your school uses a program for you to look at your kid's grades, get assignments, and even access other resources, it's likely one of these. If your kid's teacher talks about blended learning, he/she means that there will be some online and offline activities, and your kid will probably have some control over the timeline and/or learning process.
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But didn't we do all of these things in traditional classrooms without the bells and whistles of technology? Yes, but if chosen well and done right, tech tools can give kids opportunities that can't be had through any other means. Of course, this doesn't mean there's anything wrong with traditional ways of learning, teaching, and communicating, and it doesn't mean technology is perfect. There are plenty of pros and cons to both, but a well-made app introduced under the right circumstances can mean a breakthrough for some kids. Collaborating across space and time can help include kids who might otherwise struggle to work in groups. And using emerging technology like augmented and virtual reality can let kids experience places, people, and things they might never otherwise experience. Let's walk through a few examples, so you can get a sense: Some of you may use Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides already, but if you're not familiar, the idea is that multiple people can add to the same document at the same time. So if your kid has a group project, all the kids in the group can add and edit on their own time, from their own homes, and then share with the teacher who can add comments. So while regular word processing programs like Microsoft Word are still useful for some things, Google tools make collaboration a bit easier. Maybe you have a kid who isn't that into math, and getting them to do homework is hard. A game like Prodigy can be helpful because the math problems are a part of an adventure game. It's fun for kids, but they also actually learn. Of course, there are times when it's more efficient or makes more sense to have kids use traditional worksheets, especially when a teacher needs to see a kid's thought process. And when a kid first learns a concept, an app like DragonBox Algebra can make really abstract
things like variables more concrete. Because the app starts with the parts of an algebra problems as cards, they can move around to get a little sparkly box by itself. As kids play and after they have the hang of the concepts, the math symbols replace the cards. For some kids, reading the explanation and instructions is actually more helpful, so there's room for both approaches. (More examples below if parents are interested and time allows) Organization and time management: Remember the Milk or to-do lists. Remember the Milk helps kids keep track of the tasks they're supposed to do. Research: Britannica School or the library. Online or app encyclopedias like Britannica School are usually more up to date than paper versions (and lighter). Creation: Adobe Spark or paper and markers. Adobe Spark lets kids create and share all kinds of visual projects.
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When your kid comes home with a note that starts, "This year we'll be using ____ to practice math," what should you do? Here are some things to ask the teacher, school tech expert, or principal about the software your kid will be using:
Creating projects? Collaborating with other students? More than one thing? Ultimately, what's the goal?
use it on a phone? Will my kid have a password to remember to use it at home?
information when a kid starts to use it. Other software asks the school for personal information about kids. How is it stored and who can access it? Does the company share or sell information? Classroom teachers should be able to answer questions about purpose, device, timeline, and help;
however, if it's more of a schoolwide initiative, the curriculum coordinator or instructional technology coordinator should be able to answer. If those positions don't exist at your school, start with the person initiating the use of tech and work upward until you can get answers. And remember that sometimes even when schools have the best intentions, they don't introduce technology perfectly, so it's OK to speak up and ask questions.
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Once you know some of the basics, it's time to use it with your kid. Especially if your kid is younger, they'll likely welcome having you sit down with them, ask questions, get involved, and have fun. With older kids, let them be the teacher and show you how to use the tool. In fact, research shows that using it with your kid boosts learning, especially if you're talking through things together. If it's not a tool your kid loves right away, take a few minutes to use it on your own when your kid's not around and see if you can find the cool features or things your kid might love. Also, you can find other digital tools to supplement.
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Outside of what the school chooses for your kid to use, you can find great apps and sites, too. This video outlines some basics, and we'll dig in some more. Just note that the video mentions the Common Sense app, which doesn't exist anymore, but it's still easy to access our site on your phone. (Play video)
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That's a good start, but once you're in an app store, how do you choose? It can be daunting to search for educational apps and sites since there are so many, and it can be hard to tell if they're actually worthwhile. Instead of just looking at the promoted apps or doing generic searches for "math apps," you can use some general criteria to figure out if a tool is worth the time (and money). In terms of learning, research shows …
How to maximize the learning potential of media and make the best choices
developer's website.
○ If a piece of paper/blocks/toys would work about as well, it's probably not worth it. ○ When in doubt, stick with the winners: You can't go wrong with Sesame Street and most PBS shows/apps, some of which have independent research to prove learning potential and appropriateness.
with characters. Those relationships can help kids learn from trusted media friends.
content should be blocked by a parent gate for several reasons: First, ads and purchases distract from learning. Also, little kids don't fully understand the purpose of ads or the impact of purchases, so instead of learning, your kid may be begging to buy things. Finally, it shouldn't collect your kid's personal information.
○ Unless it's made by a foundation or trusted organization like PBS, it's bound to have ads and purchases that aren't great for kids and distract from learning. Investing in one or two great apps -- either premium or subscription -- is usually worth it, especially if it grows with your kid, adapts to their learning, and has a free trial, so you can try it first. ○ If you do invest, you can share that app with friends and family either by sharing the device itself or -- if it's an iPad or iPhone -- you can use Family Sharing to share the app with more than one device. ○ We have a list of free educational apps if you want to start there.
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Beyond the tools your kid uses at school, it's helpful to know what type of app or website will be most helpful in particular circumstances. For instance, sometimes your kid just needs fun, extra practice that doesn't involve more pencil-and-paper problems or memorization. In these cases it's best to choose a game-based practice app that lets your kid reinforce existing skills and knowledge and build on them. Though the app isn't teaching anything new, it lets your kid engage with what they're learning in a fresh, fun way and can prevent some summer slide. Other times your kid is struggling with a concept and needs to approach it in a new way. There are tools for that, too! Since the best apps provide experiences that are harder to come by
Also, digital tools can allow kids to be creative in new ways or give them access to a wider audience. Though digital creations (think Minecraft) can feel less legit to adults, they are often very important to kids and actually encourage problem solving, testing and correcting, and critical thinking.
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So what are these mysterious tools? Let's run through a few examples of great digital learning tools, and we'll hand out some lists of great apps and sites at the end: Skill-building/reinforcement There are plenty of ABC apps, but they aren't equal. Metamorphabet is a strong example of an app that gives kids a unique, on-screen experience that isn't too challenging but offers more advanced vocabulary to add a bit of extra depth and range to the app. (play video)
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Concept-learning Dragonbox Algebra 5+ and 12+ both use some of the same mechanics to help kids learn algebraic principles in an un-school-like way. So if the abstraction of variables throws them for a loop, the way the app presents the concepts without numbers (at first) might offer a different point of entry. (play video) (If parents want more categories/examples, continue) Creativity Drawnimal and Plum's Creaturizer are interesting blends of on-screen and offscreen creative
Creaturizer lets kids create animals that they can then photograph in the real world via augmented reality. For those who like to tell stories, Toontastic 3D and Lipa Theater: Story Maker give kids lots of options to invent characters and narratives in ways that only work
creations with visual art and digital storytelling. Interest-sparking/inspiration/empathy
Wizard School lets kids explore a wide variety of topics, read a bit, watch videos, and do related
they often aren't at school. Curious - the game of lifelong learning is similar in that kids get to follow their interests and learn about what they want to. And Google Cardboard -- a simple virtual reality tool -- paired with NYT VR lets older kids immerse themselves in all sorts of experiences that they might never have the chance to be a part of in real life, like watching a supply drop in a large group of refugees.
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Those tools were all designed for learning and educational experiences, but some digital media can involve learning though they weren't designed for educational purposes. For example, Minecraft was only intended for fun at first, but the more kids used it to make and share elaborate creations and help each other solve problems, the more teachers started using it at school. Eventually Minecraft Edu was born. Also, games like Monument Valley and The Room are eerie, puzzle-based apps, but both require problem solving, critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and other skills. Even the original Angry Birds has elements of physics and problem solving! Then there's YouTube, which has really cool learning content from academic skills to how-to crafts -- and is also a cause of concern for lots of parents. Not only is it easy to go down a wormhole of videos that aren't at all what you searched for originally, but it's pretty easy to see mature content. To use YouTube as an educational tool, the safest option is to sit with your kids. Since that's not always possible, you can turn on Safety Mode and create playlists for kids by using the "Watch Later" feature. If that doesn't feel secure enough, you can use an app like Huvi, which lets you customize YouTube playlists but won't let kids search or off-road into other content.
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One of the best things about great digital learning tools is that they can be a fresh entry point into subjects and skills that seemed out of reach before. For kids with learning and attention issues,
kids who aren't challenged enough, kids who lack motivation for other reasons, and kids who are English-language learners, cool tech tools are sometimes an especially important piece of the puzzle.
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There are tools designed for kids with almost every type of learning difference and plenty that weren't developed with that intention but can help anyway.
navigate social situations, like Social Detective.
great for kids who have trouble reading and those who need more of a challenge.
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Often, kids who lack motivation are craving learning that applies directly to their lives at that moment or feels like a real-world experience.
business-owning experience, so kids don't feel like the math is disconnected from real life.
there are apps that could appeal to them as well. Weirdwood Manor is a story-based app with a mysterious plot, so it can motivate reluctant readers who need extra incentive.
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For kids who are in the process of learning English, there are lots of great tools that are either designed to teach language or are available in multiple languages so that kids can switch between their native language and English.
There's also an app called MamaLingua that helps parents support their kid's learning.
Caterpillar & Friends - First Words, Montessori Letter Sounds, and Farfaria Storybooks.
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If kids are using screens to do homework and for fun, it can add up to a lot of time spent on devices, so trying to figure out how much is too much can be tricky. Here are some factors to consider as you try to navigate screen use at home:
educational value, which could include opportunities for creativity or characters who are strong role models. Using the criteria we talked about earlier, choose quality content for little kids and steer older kids in that direction. Though some "time wasters" are bound to make it into rotation, a balance with higher-quality content helps achieve some balance.
watch television, etc. -- and believe that it doesn't hurt their performance. (Spoiler: It does.) To avoid the dueling screens and distraction, it can help to have a set place to do homework that has the fewest distractions (i.e., not where the TV is). If there aren't unoccupied, homework-friendly areas in the home, older kids can use a public library and younger kids can work with parents to find the best nook or corner to use. If a kid needs a phone to
complete homework, you can use Guided Access (on iOS devices) to allow kids to use only certain apps or give them a set amount of time to use the device before moving on to other,
sleep, getting exercise, doing OK in school, connecting to people in real life, and pursuing interests, then device use is probably in check. If, however, your kid is struggling with one
there are situations that might call for flexibility. For example, it could be that your kid has evenings when they need to be on a device for a while to do homework, so those might be times to limit other screens and find other fun activities to unwind.
If you are able to eat meals together, you can make that a time when devices aren't
Family Media Agreement or one on the AAP's site, and stick to it as much as possible.
Kids will watch what you are doing with devices and follow your lead, so make sure you're modeling the behavior you want to see. Also, it can be helpful, especially with younger kids, to narrate what you're doing on your phone, so they have a sense of what you use it for: "I'm just texting grandma to see if she found a flight here yet …"
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Ultimately, one of the best ways to use media and tech in a healthy way is to make friends with it and create a family relationship around it that's fun and open. Find digital media experiences you all can enjoy together -- watching funny videos or family-friendly TV shows/movies, playing games, etc. -- and keep an open, ongoing conversation that includes what you do online, what apps your kids want to use, what movies are popular with kids at school, and more. If media is included in what you talk about and do together, kids may be more open to suggestions for apps and sites for learning and expectations around balance.
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We can help you navigate digital learning! Let’s take a minute to walk through our reviews and
(If there’s time, click on link to site - walk-through about 5 minutes total or can leave for end if time allows. Search for Wizard School app first) Content grid - Focus on Educational Value Parents Need to Know What’s It About Is It Any Good (Search for 3rd-grade math apps list) Lists, parent concerns, and blog (Click on Latino area) Blogs and listicles in Spanish
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Since this is all a process and tech changes so quickly, you can visit our site anytime to get even more information and recommendations and sign up for our newsletter!
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The bottom line is that tech is not an enemy. In fact, when kids are using quality content with
motivational, and inspirational.
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Thank you! Make sure to get a handout that has some resources. You can also sign up for our newsletters and follow us on social media. I'd love to answer some questions!
Additional slides to use as needed