Digital Smarts Blog

New research shows that students with intellectual disabilities such as Down Syndrome or autism have unique strengths that make them ideal for some technology jobs. Giving students with cognitive disabilities access to technology training can improve their learning and post-graduation job prospects, say experts like Michele McKeone whose startup, Digitability, has developed an online curriculum that teaches technical skills. Companies such as Microsoft and SAP are beginning to look at the strengths, rather than focusing on the weaknesses, of individuals on the autism spectrum. The companies have begun tailoring their job applications and hiring practices to recruit people with autism who have technical skills their companies need, but may never have made it through the interview process.

New research shows that students with intellectual disabilities such as Down Syndrome or autism have unique strengths that make them ideal for some technology jobs. Giving students with cognitive disabilities access to technology training can improve their learning and post-graduation job prospects, say experts like Michele McKeone whose startup, Digitability, has developed an online curriculum that teaches technical skills. Companies such as Microsoft and SAP are beginning to look at the strengths, rather than focusing on the weaknesses, of individuals on the autism spectrum. The companies have begun tailoring their job applications and hiring practices to recruit people with autism who have technical skills their companies need, but may never have made it through the interview process.

The amount of screen time children are allowed to have is a topic that has been debated for years, but it might not be as simple as a magic number of hours (or even minutes) . Recently Common Sense Media compiled some case studies and found that discussing children’s media experiences as though they are a monolithic group really doesn’t give a very accurate picture of the younger generation’s use of technology. Their conclusion? Different kids use media for different reasons and it is important for parents and adults to take that into consideration before setting limits.

The amount of screen time children are allowed to have is a topic that has been debated for years, but it might not be as simple as a magic number of hours (or even minutes) . Recently Common Sense Media compiled some case studies and found that discussing children’s media experiences as though they are a monolithic group really doesn’t give a very accurate picture of the younger generation’s use of technology. Their conclusion? Different kids use media for different reasons and it is important for parents and adults to take that into consideration before setting limits.

Instagram has decided to let users block comments that contain objectionable language from appearing on their posts. If someone (or some bot) adds a comment containing a keyword you have decided to block, the post will be automatically hidden from your feed, even though it may still be included in the comment count under the photo. Take a look at How to Clean Up Instagram Comments for advice on how to set up filters for your feed.

Instagram has decided to let users block comments that contain objectionable language from appearing on their posts. If someone (or some bot) adds a comment containing a keyword you have decided to block, the post will be automatically hidden from your feed, even though it may still be included in the comment count under the photo. Take a look at How to Clean Up Instagram Comments for advice on how to set up filters for your feed.

If your kids are asking for a virtual reality headset this holiday season, you might be interested in this guide from Common Sense Media. It covers everything from Google's inexpensive Cardboard VR viewer to Sony's new PlayStation VR. The guide mentions the headsets have minimum age requirements set by the manufacturers that you should check before you buy – generally ages 12 and up. This is important to keep in mind because, as many are pointing out, there is little research about the effect virtual reality has on very young children. Concerns include psychological development, effects on the eyes, and problems distinguishing reality from fiction or fantasy, which young children already have difficulty doing and is exaggerated even more in virtual reality.

If your kids are asking for a virtual reality headset this holiday season, you might be interested in this guide from Common Sense Media. It covers everything from Google's inexpensive Cardboard VR viewer to Sony's new PlayStation VR. The guide mentions the headsets have minimum age requirements set by the manufacturers that you should check before you buy – generally ages 12 and up. This is important to keep in mind because, as many are pointing out, there is little research about the effect virtual reality has on very young children. Concerns include psychological development, effects on the eyes, and problems distinguishing reality from fiction or fantasy, which young children already have difficulty doing and is exaggerated even more in virtual reality.

Parents and teachers are no doubt working hard to educate children about safe practices with technology, but being a good digital citizen is often more about following the behavior modeled by the adults around you. How can parents be good digital mentors? Devorah Heitner, digital citizenship expert, lays out a set of principles in what she calls the Mentorship Manifesto.

Here’s a condensed version:

• Mentors start from a place of empathy as a path to trust and open communication.

• Mentors understand that social interactions are more complex now, and that kids need help in building good personal relationships.

• Mentors recognize that tech savvy is not the same as wisdom. Life experience is a critical factor in the equation.

• Mentors believe in collaboration over control. Co-creating solutions with kids takes advantage of their creativity and builds trust.

• Mentors are ready to be accountable. Recognizing and correcting bad technology habits serves as a model for kids.

Parents and teachers are no doubt working hard to educate children about safe practices with technology, but being a good digital citizen is often more about following the behavior modeled by the adults around you. How can parents be good digital mentors? Devorah Heitner, digital citizenship expert, lays out a set of principles in what she calls the Mentorship Manifesto.

Here’s a condensed version:

• Mentors start from a place of empathy as a path to trust and open communication.

• Mentors understand that social interactions are more complex now, and that kids need help in building good personal relationships.

• Mentors recognize that tech savvy is not the same as wisdom. Life experience is a critical factor in the equation.

• Mentors believe in collaboration over control. Co-creating solutions with kids takes advantage of their creativity and builds trust.

• Mentors are ready to be accountable. Recognizing and correcting bad technology habits serves as a model for kids.

Students are learning to type at a younger age than ever before. Lori D'Andrea, a computer-technology teacher in Connecticut, has written the article The Gendered Past of Typing Education, explaining her approach to typing instruction with her kindergarten, first- and second-grade students. She points out that young children face some physical barriers to learning how to type, but also stresses that typing is an important skill to learn as so much of the testing they will face will be on computers, starting at a very early age.

Students are learning to type at a younger age than ever before. Lori D'Andrea, a computer-technology teacher in Connecticut, has written the article The Gendered Past of Typing Education, explaining her approach to typing instruction with her kindergarten, first- and second-grade students. She points out that young children face some physical barriers to learning how to type, but also stresses that typing is an important skill to learn as so much of the testing they will face will be on computers, starting at a very early age.

A recent survey of over 700 families by children's television network Sprout has found most parents believe that technology has a positive influence on their children, although many also said they could use resources to help guide their children's daily tech use. The survey also found that there is a common feeling of “tech shaming” among parents, with 59 percent saying they feel judged by other parents over their kids’ screen time.

Sprout is also premiering a new original series, “Dot,” based on the children’s book by author Randi Zuckerberg (a sister of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and co-founder of Facebook). The animated series aims to help teach digital citizenship and responsible tech usage. The show’s title character is an inquisitive, exuberant, tech-savvy 8-year-old who embarks on adventures to satisfy her imagination and curiosity. Also in conjunction with the premiere of the series, Sprout is launching “The Do’s & Dots” YouTube series to teach kids best tech practices; and SproutTalksTech.com, which invites parents to take a survey to see how they compare to other parents in navigating their children’s use of technology.

A recent survey of over 700 families by children's television network Sprout has found most parents believe that technology has a positive influence on their children, although many also said they could use resources to help guide their children's daily tech use. The survey also found that there is a common feeling of “tech shaming” among parents, with 59 percent saying they feel judged by other parents over their kids’ screen time.

Sprout is also premiering a new original series, “Dot,” based on the children’s book by author Randi Zuckerberg (a sister of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and co-founder of Facebook). The animated series aims to help teach digital citizenship and responsible tech usage. The show’s title character is an inquisitive, exuberant, tech-savvy 8-year-old who embarks on adventures to satisfy her imagination and curiosity. Also in conjunction with the premiere of the series, Sprout is launching “The Do’s & Dots” YouTube series to teach kids best tech practices; and SproutTalksTech.com, which invites parents to take a survey to see how they compare to other parents in navigating their children’s use of technology.

Lots of articles have been appearing lately about the power of audiobooks for struggling readers, something that parents with a dyslexic child are probably well aware. The affirmation that listening to a book is a valid alternative is great news for parents of children who struggle with reading . KQED recently posted an article titled How Audiobooks Can Help Kids Who Struggle with Reading, going into some of the latest research on the topic and offering a list of some excellent audio books and podcasts for all ages.

Lots of articles have been appearing lately about the power of audiobooks for struggling readers, something that parents with a dyslexic child are probably well aware. The affirmation that listening to a book is a valid alternative is great news for parents of children who struggle with reading . KQED recently posted an article titled How Audiobooks Can Help Kids Who Struggle with Reading, going into some of the latest research on the topic and offering a list of some excellent audio books and podcasts for all ages.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released updated recommendations when it comes to screen time guidelines for children, according to a recent article from Forbes. Until recently, the AAP stuck to their guidelines that were published in 2011, discouraging screen time for children younger than 2 years; a one-hour limit for children ages 2 to 5; and consistent screen-time restrictions for those ages 6 and older. They have now amended these guidelines to keep up with the times, with the report citing “In a world where ‘screen time’ is becoming simply ‘time,’ our policies must evolve or become obsolete. The public needs to know that the Academy’s advice is science-driven, not based merely on the precautionary principle.”  According to an article on NPR about managing kids’ media use, the AAP has also launched an online tool that allows parents to create their family's own media-use policy.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has released updated recommendations when it comes to screen time guidelines for children, according to a recent article from Forbes. Until recently, the AAP stuck to their guidelines that were published in 2011, discouraging screen time for children younger than 2 years; a one-hour limit for children ages 2 to 5; and consistent screen-time restrictions for those ages 6 and older. They have now amended these guidelines to keep up with the times, with the report citing “In a world where ‘screen time’ is becoming simply ‘time,’ our policies must evolve or become obsolete. The public needs to know that the Academy’s advice is science-driven, not based merely on the precautionary principle.”  According to an article on NPR about managing kids’ media use, the AAP has also launched an online tool that allows parents to create their family's own media-use policy.

Children are doing more and more reading and assignments on digital devices, but day-to-day interactions with digital devices have instilled bad habits in many kids, including breaking away to text or check social media. These habits make it difficult for them to delve deeply into digital texts the way they would do with materials printed on paper. Teachers are developing methods to counteract these diversions and to teach students how to read for content and context. Interested in trying some of these methods with your own children? Check out Strategies to Help Students ‘Go Deep’ When Reading Digitally on the KQED news site.

Children are doing more and more reading and assignments on digital devices, but day-to-day interactions with digital devices have instilled bad habits in many kids, including breaking away to text or check social media. These habits make it difficult for them to delve deeply into digital texts the way they would do with materials printed on paper. Teachers are developing methods to counteract these diversions and to teach students how to read for content and context. Interested in trying some of these methods with your own children? Check out Strategies to Help Students ‘Go Deep’ When Reading Digitally on the KQED news site.