Digital Smarts Blog

Of K-12 parents surveyed in the summer of 2015 by McGraw-Hill Education, 91% said they support personalized, digital learning as an alternative to traditional textbooks. The survey also found that 73% of K-12 parents favor adaptive digital learning, where classroom lessons are personalized to meet students’ needs. 88 % of both college and K-12 parents also felt that all K-12 classrooms would be “plugged in” by 2025. Of course, McGraw is in the business of producing these kinds of materials, but it is interesting to have this barometer of parental expectations.

Of K-12 parents surveyed in the summer of 2015 by McGraw-Hill Education, 91% said they support personalized, digital learning as an alternative to traditional textbooks. The survey also found that 73% of K-12 parents favor adaptive digital learning, where classroom lessons are personalized to meet students’ needs. 88 % of both college and K-12 parents also felt that all K-12 classrooms would be “plugged in” by 2025. Of course, McGraw is in the business of producing these kinds of materials, but it is interesting to have this barometer of parental expectations.

Facebook has teamed with a California charter school to develop software that individualizes education and is being offered to schools for free. The project echoes CEO Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropic focus on education. While not part of the Facebook social network, the software allows students to work with teachers to create tailored lessons and projects. Teachers can also administer individualized quizzes that the software can grade and track. Facebook says that it is adhering to the student privacy practices recommended by the federal government, and that Facebook could not and would not use student data for its other businesses. Critics are skeptical of such commitments. “Facebook does not have the greatest reputation when it comes to privacy,” said Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters, a nonprofit group that has criticized technology companies, contending that they may violate student privacy.

Facebook has teamed with a California charter school to develop software that individualizes education and is being offered to schools for free. The project echoes CEO Mark Zuckerberg's philanthropic focus on education. While not part of the Facebook social network, the software allows students to work with teachers to create tailored lessons and projects. Teachers can also administer individualized quizzes that the software can grade and track. Facebook says that it is adhering to the student privacy practices recommended by the federal government, and that Facebook could not and would not use student data for its other businesses. Critics are skeptical of such commitments. “Facebook does not have the greatest reputation when it comes to privacy,” said Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters, a nonprofit group that has criticized technology companies, contending that they may violate student privacy.

There is lots of online advice helping you prepare your kids to not post things that could later get them into trouble, but what if they have already done it? Facebook has gotten better about letting you delete self-posts, and those shared with others, but what if your child blatantly lies or posts under other names? This was the recent topic of digital etiquette expert Steven Petrow in his USA Today column entitled What parents should do if kids lie on social media.

In short, his advice is to try the “carrot before the stick” approach, first by trying to understand why they posted whatever they did so little things don’t get blown out of proportion, and then requesting that inappropriate items get deleted from their social media sites. He also suggests having the discussion again about how future employers and college admission officers look into social media postings, and how kids need to put their best foot forward, always. If that doesn’t work, though, he advises that there is nothing wrong with turning your request for deletions into a demand.

There is lots of online advice helping you prepare your kids to not post things that could later get them into trouble, but what if they have already done it? Facebook has gotten better about letting you delete self-posts, and those shared with others, but what if your child blatantly lies or posts under other names? This was the recent topic of digital etiquette expert Steven Petrow in his USA Today column entitled What parents should do if kids lie on social media.

In short, his advice is to try the “carrot before the stick” approach, first by trying to understand why they posted whatever they did so little things don’t get blown out of proportion, and then requesting that inappropriate items get deleted from their social media sites. He also suggests having the discussion again about how future employers and college admission officers look into social media postings, and how kids need to put their best foot forward, always. If that doesn’t work, though, he advises that there is nothing wrong with turning your request for deletions into a demand.

As the school year rolls around, technology is yet again under the microscope. To that end, Education Week, a publication for teachers and administrators, recently ran an article on three trends that teachers and parents need to be aware of as the school year begins: texting and its bad influence on grammar and spelling, sexting, and cyberbullying. The article points out that slang and the lack of grammar rules used in texting are making the teaching of writing in preparation for college and the workplace increasingly difficult. Also the problem of sexting, even though the implications have been discussed with teens ad nauseam, still rears its ugly head when presumably private things sent digitally are circulated and take on an unflattering public life. Sadly, the third trend, cyberbullying, another subject of constant discussion and even awareness at schools, does not seem to be going away. On a more positive note, the article mentions a recent survey in the United Kingdom that, while showing that three in five of the 2,000 youngsters polled said they had done something 'risky' or anti-social while online, three quarters (75%) had blocked another user, two thirds (68%) had supported someone else who had suffered cyber-bullying and 74% had 'stood up for themselves.'

As the school year rolls around, technology is yet again under the microscope. To that end, Education Week, a publication for teachers and administrators, recently ran an article on three trends that teachers and parents need to be aware of as the school year begins: texting and its bad influence on grammar and spelling, sexting, and cyberbullying. The article points out that slang and the lack of grammar rules used in texting are making the teaching of writing in preparation for college and the workplace increasingly difficult. Also the problem of sexting, even though the implications have been discussed with teens ad nauseam, still rears its ugly head when presumably private things sent digitally are circulated and take on an unflattering public life. Sadly, the third trend, cyberbullying, another subject of constant discussion and even awareness at schools, does not seem to be going away. On a more positive note, the article mentions a recent survey in the United Kingdom that, while showing that three in five of the 2,000 youngsters polled said they had done something 'risky' or anti-social while online, three quarters (75%) had blocked another user, two thirds (68%) had supported someone else who had suffered cyber-bullying and 74% had 'stood up for themselves.'

Payments-processor PayPal relies on complex algorithms to check transactions and spot fraud. But the company relies on humans to make real-time decisions, says Hui Wang, PayPal’s senior director of global risk sciences. Technology combined with human detectives "gives us the best analytical advantage," she says.

Payments-processor PayPal relies on complex algorithms to check transactions and spot fraud. But the company relies on humans to make real-time decisions, says Hui Wang, PayPal’s senior director of global risk sciences. Technology combined with human detectives "gives us the best analytical advantage," she says.

More schools are adopting technology to help personalize learning. This trend means schools also are collecting more student data, which has raised concerns in some areas about the use of such tech, including the direct marketing of products to students and families. In the past two years, legislation to protect student data has been introduced in 46 states and passed in 15, according to the Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit group that advocates the effective use of student data in education. But as schools collect and analyze a wealth of details about students – including the calculation of Body Mass Index (an indicator of obesity) - some parents are raising questions about the fair and appropriate use of their children’s data that goes much deeper than marketing issues. For example, parents in one school district last year objected when their children were sent home with letters indicating some were obese, especially when there was no personalized follow up, and the receipt of such a letter at school marked certain children for ridicule.

More schools are adopting technology to help personalize learning. This trend means schools also are collecting more student data, which has raised concerns in some areas about the use of such tech, including the direct marketing of products to students and families. In the past two years, legislation to protect student data has been introduced in 46 states and passed in 15, according to the Data Quality Campaign, a nonprofit group that advocates the effective use of student data in education. But as schools collect and analyze a wealth of details about students – including the calculation of Body Mass Index (an indicator of obesity) - some parents are raising questions about the fair and appropriate use of their children’s data that goes much deeper than marketing issues. For example, parents in one school district last year objected when their children were sent home with letters indicating some were obese, especially when there was no personalized follow up, and the receipt of such a letter at school marked certain children for ridicule.

Dashcams (on board cameras) are slowly being adopted by Americans for their cars; perhaps you’ve seen some footage of road rage incidents or near miss accidents caught on such devices. One of the newest dashcams, LyfeLens, comes with two cameras and a microphone that continuously record while you’re in the driver’s seat — and even when you’re not —then uploads the resulting photos and video footage to the cloud. It also acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot and can send push notifications. Its onboard GPS and ability to connect to the Internet means you can access the two cameras remotely, and in real time, through your smartphone or Web browser.

So why would you want to do that? Say you’ve lent your car to your teen. LyfeLens will send you a notification if they exceed the speed limit or drive somewhere they aren’t allowed to go. You can also call up a live stream, viewing everything the LyfeLens can see. If a thief breaks into your vehicle, the motion sensors will catch the person in the act — and even if he or she damages or removes the LyfeLens, you’ve got their image on camera. This new breed of dash camera turns your car into a rolling surveillance platform.

Dashcams (on board cameras) are slowly being adopted by Americans for their cars; perhaps you’ve seen some footage of road rage incidents or near miss accidents caught on such devices. One of the newest dashcams, LyfeLens, comes with two cameras and a microphone that continuously record while you’re in the driver’s seat — and even when you’re not —then uploads the resulting photos and video footage to the cloud. It also acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot and can send push notifications. Its onboard GPS and ability to connect to the Internet means you can access the two cameras remotely, and in real time, through your smartphone or Web browser.

So why would you want to do that? Say you’ve lent your car to your teen. LyfeLens will send you a notification if they exceed the speed limit or drive somewhere they aren’t allowed to go. You can also call up a live stream, viewing everything the LyfeLens can see. If a thief breaks into your vehicle, the motion sensors will catch the person in the act — and even if he or she damages or removes the LyfeLens, you’ve got their image on camera. This new breed of dash camera turns your car into a rolling surveillance platform.

Have you ever heard of “flipped classrooms,” “blended learning,” or “adaptive software”? They are all part of “edtech” – a catch-all phrase that covers technology being used in today’s classrooms. As with anything new, edtech takes patience and flexibility on the part of parents as well as teachers. Still, by asking the right questions of teachers and administrators, you can help your kids get the most out of it, fostering their learning and supporting your school as it shifts towards edtech. Wondering where to start? Take a look at this article on the Common Sense Media site entitled 10 Questions About EdTech to Ask Your Kid's Teacher and check out the glossary of edtech terms so you aren’t confused by lingo used at this year’s back-to-school night.

Have you ever heard of “flipped classrooms,” “blended learning,” or “adaptive software”? They are all part of “edtech” – a catch-all phrase that covers technology being used in today’s classrooms. As with anything new, edtech takes patience and flexibility on the part of parents as well as teachers. Still, by asking the right questions of teachers and administrators, you can help your kids get the most out of it, fostering their learning and supporting your school as it shifts towards edtech. Wondering where to start? Take a look at this article on the Common Sense Media site entitled 10 Questions About EdTech to Ask Your Kid's Teacher and check out the glossary of edtech terms so you aren’t confused by lingo used at this year’s back-to-school night.

Here are five personal life details you and your kids should never share with Facebook, for obvious, and some not so obvious, reasons: phone number, home address, anything work-related, relationship status, and payment information. Got any questions as to why you shouldn’t share these details?  Take a look at this column from USA Today entitled Five details you shouldn't give Facebook for an in-depth discussion.

Here are five personal life details you and your kids should never share with Facebook, for obvious, and some not so obvious, reasons: phone number, home address, anything work-related, relationship status, and payment information. Got any questions as to why you shouldn’t share these details?  Take a look at this column from USA Today entitled Five details you shouldn't give Facebook for an in-depth discussion.

Allowing your kids to take cell phones to school comes with a whole set of rules that need to be followed, but having a conversation about “responsible use” can be a tough one. Common Sense Media has an article on their site about essential cell phone guidelines that can help any discussion on the topic get started and stay on track. Included tips are respecting the school’s rules, answering the phone when parents call (after all they are paying for the privilege), asking permission before downloading apps, and using a phone for good, not evil. As for parents, a good rule of thumb is to not text your kid during the school day unless it is a real emergency. Finding out how he or she did on a test or who got picked for the hockey team can, and should, wait until they get home. And make sure, if your kid does text you while at school, that he or she is not breaking any rules to do so.

Allowing your kids to take cell phones to school comes with a whole set of rules that need to be followed, but having a conversation about “responsible use” can be a tough one. Common Sense Media has an article on their site about essential cell phone guidelines that can help any discussion on the topic get started and stay on track. Included tips are respecting the school’s rules, answering the phone when parents call (after all they are paying for the privilege), asking permission before downloading apps, and using a phone for good, not evil. As for parents, a good rule of thumb is to not text your kid during the school day unless it is a real emergency. Finding out how he or she did on a test or who got picked for the hockey team can, and should, wait until they get home. And make sure, if your kid does text you while at school, that he or she is not breaking any rules to do so.