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Forbes
Protecting Students In The Screen Age: An Action Tool For Parents And Teachers
Peter Greene
It has been a decade since I was introduced to the idea of a 1:1
classroom—a school in which every single student carried a computing
device—and I never regretted it for a moment. Having those tools always
at my students’ fingertips was extraordinarily useful for my classroom
practice, and I would never have willingly given it up.
But.
The constant presence of computers in classrooms has created education,
security and privacy issues far faster than many schools or parents can
cope, and trying to teach students about “digital citizenship” felt at
times like trying to empty Lake Erie with a paper cup.
If data is the new oil, then schools are an untapped ocean-sized
reservoir. And students, parents, and schools have been slow to guard
that ocean—far slower than the companies want to tap it.
Google has perhaps led the pack in offering both hardware and software
that was appealing inexpensive and functional. Now the state of New
Mexico is suing Google for using those tools to hoover up student data
without parental consent. Parents are increasingly concerned about the
technology in school, while at the same time, ed tech is pushing its
way into more and more of education world, from personalized learning
which most often means a student in front of a screen, all the way down
to computerized pre-school.
In response to this issue, the Children’s Screen Time Action Network has released a “Screens in Schools Action Kit.”
The kit provides parents and teachers both with information and
explanations that help lay out the issues, as well as providing the
language with which to discuss these issues (for folks whose position
is “This stuff bothers me, but I’m not even sure want exactly to say
about it”). It’s not arguing for the eradication of tech, but a
balanced, measured approach:
The kit comes in four sections.
The Problem lays out the issues, including the relevant research about
screen time’s effects on learning, health and social-emotional
well-being. It also looks at the problems of privacy and data misuse.
Tools For Parents includes guides to important questions that parents
can ask and fact sheets about ed tech. It also offers an assortment of
templates for everything from petitions to letters to the
superintendent to sample policy recommendations.
Tools For Educators offers more research and data about screens, some
policy recommendations, as well as some of the arguments about ed tech
written by leaders and commenters on the field.
And finally, a Further Reading section provides an extensive list of resources for more study on the issues involved.
The issues surrounding computer technology in the classroom in the
classroom are not simple; the solution is neither to remove them
entirely or to give them unrestricted free rein. But so far, the bulk
of the power in the discussion has rested with those who stand to most
benefit from technology use in school. This kit helps provide parents
and educators with the tools they can use to work for a better balance.
The materials in the kit are printable, though, ironically, you’ll need
to give an email address to get access to the full free kit.
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