Facebook is transforming our world….not just your teenager’s world, but yours too. This was posted on the Facebook Blog on August 4, 2009:

Constable Scott Mills has served as a police officer with the Toronto Police Service in Canada since 2002. His current role is Community Youth Officer for the Toronto Crime Stoppers program, where he works to build healthy relationships between young people, community members and the police department. We’ve asked Scott to share his experiences using Facebook to fight crime by connecting with the community.

There’s no doubt that Facebook has revolutionized the act of sharing and communicating with friends. Often overlooked, however, is the impact these tools can have on public safety. Because community engagement is critical to effective law enforcement, police officers must be where the people are, and these days, the people are on Facebook.

For the last two years, I have used my Facebook account, as well as Facebook groups, events and Pages, to inform Toronto residents about crimes in their area and encourage them to provide anonymous tips. Messages can be broadcast quickly and easily to wide audiences with immediate feedback. Outreach through Facebook has helped Toronto Crime Stoppers sniff out threats against local schools, bring much needed help to people at risk of committing suicide, warn the public about criminals on the loose and even locate missing persons…

Recently, police departments — in municipalities as large as Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada and as small as Brunswick, Maine in the U.S. — have created presences on Facebook to communicate more efficiently with the public. I’m happy to see this trend develop across Canada and around the world, including in the U.S. where the municipality of Boston is now using social media to track down stolen bikes. We’ll continue to work hard to make sure law enforcement is taking full advantage of today’s communication tools. All of us can do our part by using the Internet not just to keep up with friends but also to help keep our communities safe.

Interesting use of social media, don’t you think?

Jeff Bennett is a respected leader in the internet world,  Founder and COO of NameMedia, Inc.,  and a caring Dad. After several interesting discussions about the important role of digital media in children’s education today, I asked him if he would write a guest post which he kindly provided below. Thanks, Jeff.

We live in an era of rapid technological advancement for computing power, storage capacity, application development, proliferation of wireless networking, digitizing and indexing of what appears to be all information, and so much more.  All of these developments are bringing the cost of computing down.  These developments are enabling the advancement of complex research never possible before.  These developments are altering how we consume and process information for our work, education and entertainment.  These developments are also providing the largest interconnection of the human race since civilization began.  Pretty interesting times we are living in.

There is much to contemplate on how these developments will change society.  I think that the outcome to this question will be dependent on how we as a people “deploy” and “leverage” these advancements.   You can not turn back the hands of time and not accept that all of this is going on.  We must take an activist approach to understanding what is happening and how can we utilize these advancements in our lives.  We must manage this process or it will overwhelm us.

An area that I believe stands to be a huge beneficiary of these advancements is education.  I believe in a traditional curriculum that provides focus on the mastery of reading, writing and ‘rithmatic.  I also believe that these basics must be augmented with exposure and participation in the arts, sciences and athletics to build “well rounded” people.  This has always been the case but I feel it is even more important today.  We are citizens of an interdependent country and world.  This is where I believe technology can really play an important role in education.

There are three distinct areas that I belive technology can really advance education:

1.  Research and access to information. This is the core of all education.  I remember all those long days/nights at libraries searching for information for projects.  I remember my first view into Microsoft’s Encarta that brought the encyclopedia to the desktop with all sorts of graphics, video and links.  Look at what we have today with Google, YouTube, Wikipedia and the millions of web sites that publish and share content.  Sitting down at a computer connected to the web today gives the student access to some of the deepest libraries known to man.  It can be overwhelming…but rather than be overcome by this we need to embrace the tools that will help us manage the access to all of this information.  Can we turn our children loose on this?  No we need to teach what sites to go to, impose controls on the computer and get involved in this process.  The opportunity is limitless though.

2. Use of interactive tools to broaden learning. All of this information gives the teacher an opportunity to broaden the content used in the classroom.  The advancement of technology also offers many new tools for delivering the information and allowing the students to connect/touch/interact with the information.  This comes in many forms like smart boards, multimedia lectures/lessons, video demonstrations and so much more.  This past school year was challenging in the Northeast due to weather then the flu.  In my sons school he had teachers that were using their Macs to create video lessons/demos that the students could then access via the Internet/email.  There is so much opportunity for the use of interactive tools to broaden learning.

3. Connecting to the broader community through collaboration. My generation and my elders have broadly adopted email.  The generations that follow have adopted instant messaging and text messaging widely.  Most of these tools enable one-to-one communication for the most part.  Now we have Twitter which takes the simple 140-character messaging and allows the user to broadcast to their community of friends.   There have also been collaboration tools like Lotus Notes, Intranets and now “Wikis” that allow broad collaboration and communication for communities.  This is another key area for the advancement of education – to enable connection and collaboration with teachers, fellow classmates, researchers and students around the world.  I witnessed the power of a class using Twitter this past school year – it was a glimpse of the power of this kind of communication for learning.  Some of my parent colleagues were upset at the use of this technology.  We celebrate the innovation, creativity and groundbreaking work that these teachers demonstrated.  I hope to see more and more of this in the school year ahead.

These technology advancements are happening.  The tools are available.  Children are coming online in droves through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Text messaging.  The younger generations are more open to sharing information about themselves and open communication.  This can be good…but only if there is an awareness of “what” to share, “how” to share, and “how” to leverage the massive opportunities available.  Should we as parents embrace this or put our heads in the sand thinking that this will stop?  It can be stressful to work to get involved and then keep up.  Turning your head to avoid the stress is no solution.  I believe it is best to embrace these opportunities.  Work and interact with our children to understand what is available.  We will all learn ourselves.  I commend the teachers that are leveraging technology to advance education…and teaching children the right ways to establish their profiles and communicate.

I’ve been riveted to the story of Emmie’s unwanted pregnancy on Motherlode, as I told you yesterday. As a blogger I’ve been responding to this dynamic drama with fascination because so often I have found the comments from readers on this New York Times blog to be harsh and judgmental. I’ve cringed many times as I have observed that thick skin seems to be a requirement for bloggers….which scares me a bit because that is definitely not one of my strong suits.

But what has unfolded here is entirely different. Emmie’s request for input has opened up a raft of emotions, memories and shared thoughts that are deep, personal and moving. Deciding how to handle an unwanted pregnancy is one of the most difficult decisions a woman will ever make in her life, and Emmie is grateful for the input of strangers. What I’m grateful to see is the respect with which people are sharing their feelings.

Motherlode’s author Lisa Belkin has also noted the tone of this discourse, and it inspired her to write a follow-up post about just that. For those of you who wonder, as I do, about the value of internet discussion between strangers, Lisa and Emmie share why it’s been so helpful to her. For those of you who are trying to figure out why people write and share on the internet, this example has brought out the best in why and how value can be found in interactive web forums.

One of the few who responded negatively about this story said: Ms. Belkin, it was a not a good idea to ask readers to advise people they do not know. In the future, please refer such requests to a local counseling center. That is the proper forum for obtaining such advice.

From Lisa Belkin: I respectfully disagree. I do not think a forum like this should be the ONLY place to get help, but having read all 530-plus posts here, I am struck by the breadth and depth of the advice. Emmie is talking to her family, and her school, and getting wise counsel in person. What a forum like this one can do for her, though, is show her which opinions resonate, and which do not, which posts make her nod in agreement and which make her shake her head. In addition, it is eloquent proof that others have been through the same thing, which she might not be able to hear from her own personal circle.

From Emmie: It’s nice to hear other people’s experiences and ideas, especially when the world feels so incredibly small. The one thing that has helped is to just listen to other people. It doesn’t matter what their advice is, whether or not I would have agreed with them a week ago, I just want to hear other people’s ideas. I’m also really glad that I’m getting advice from complete strangers. I’ve realized that getting advice for your parents or relatives carries a certain weight that doesn’t always feel so helpful.

What do you think about sharing such personal experiences with strangers on the web?

In our ongoing examination of teenagers’ use of new media, we’ve had several articles* looking at the relevancy of these tools in the classroom. Parents may wonder about teachers who employ the use of Facebook or Twitter, encouraging their students to do the same. I have heard about highly charged discussions that have ensued at schools as parents and educators try to sort through the issues involved here. For most educators and parents there is a learning curve… we are all experimenting with new technologies, trying to see their applications, their benefits and their value. For some people the benefits are more obvious than others; and if it makes you feel any better, many of us are trying hard not to feel overwhelmed as the speed of technology advances turn our recently-gained skills obsolescent.

But progress we must. The world isn’t going to wait for us; neither are our teenagers.

*This Train Has Left the Station; For Your Teen’s Sake Get On Board
Schools and Facebook; Moving Too Fast or Not Fast Enough?

Educators who respond to teens’ natural areas of interest and enthusiasm are doing your kids a favor. If a teacher can more deeply engage your teen while helping her acquire contemporary skills that will enable her to function more fully in the world…well what can be wrong with that?!

Teacher, Revised, is a blog written by teachers for teachers. In it, one teacher confesses that a year ago he was dead-set against blogging. But now, he not only has his own (very dynamic!) blog, he is encouraging his students to blog. He recommends the blog as an instructional tool. Why does he view it as such? He says:

…students like it. Simple as that. They like it. As much as I may try to come up with fun/creative/relevant activities, it’s a rare assignment that transcends the damning ‘schoolwork’ label. Miraculously, blogs approach those rarefied heights.

Is this succumbing to popular pressure? Is it going with the flow? Or is it keeping education relevant? Perhaps a blend of all three.

Our teacher continues:

Which brings me to my most compelling argument for blogging as an instructional tool. Once students get their first taste of the ‘power’ of publishing, this magical thing starts to happen. They blog on their own. By contrast, after five years of requiring my English students to keep journals, I can count the number of unassigned entries I’ve received on one hand. With blogs, it’s the norm—even with my most struggling writers.

I don’t think most parents want to hold your kids back from receiving relevant education. So again, I encourage you to be informed, expand your skills on the web and with new media to make sure you are able to provide some guidance for your teen. It is entirely likely that s/he will be engaged in online activities that are new and contemporary and require YOU to stretch and learn.

This story that was shared on NBC is a poignant and powerful example of how an online community can connect people and even save lives. Enjoy.

How do you decide if you’ll give your teen permission to see a new movie? Short of viewing it first yourself, this can be tricky. Often the kids begin pressuring you for permission before you’ve even heard of a new movie, let alone seen it. Guiding your teens’ consumption of media – be it movies, television shows, websites or what have you – from an informed viewpoint takes time and effort and, let’s face it, that isn’t always available. Common Sense Media can help. This rich and resourceful website promises to make your life easier.

Common Sense Media is dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families. Their public statement says: “We exist because media and entertainment profoundly impact the social, emotional, and physical development of our nation’s children. As a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization, we provide trustworthy information and tools, as well as an independent forum, so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume.”

Want to check out a movie? You can read reviews from three sources: Common Sense Media, parents like you and kids, providing input on overall quality using a 1 to 5 start rating. They also provide additional commentary in 6 key areas: violence, sex, language, consumerism, drinking-drugs-smoking, and message & role models. For those of you with particular concerns and values you want to emphasize, this can be really helpful information. Additionally, you can access “recommended movies” listed by category such as Thrillers, Coming of age, high school love stories for teens and many more.

The site is conveniently organized by kids’ ages, and in addition to the teen categories of 12 – 14 and 15 – 17, they offer help all the way through the age spectrum down to 2 year olds.

Movie reviews are just the beginning of valuable content at Common Sense Media. In addition to the full range of well-organized movie reviews, you can access input on websites, games, TV shows, books and even music.

The site offers a whole parent advice area where they offer suggestions and tips to monitor and limit your teen’s screen time, as well as help to determine if your child may be addicted to the screen.

Common Sense Media can be a real tool for parents who are attempting to mitigate the never-ending onslaught of cultural messages aimed at your kids. If you are concerned about the messages about consumerism, materialism, sexual activity or social norms that your teenagers take in, check out the advice for parents at CommonSenseMedia.Org and you’ll know you’ve found a trustworthy friend you can rely on.

Parents are too skeptical. In fact, you are 2 to 3 times more skeptical than teachers when it comes to seeing the value of the internet to your child’s education. Here’s new data that reflects the different perspectives teachers and parents have about what the internet teaches children.

The internet teaches children…

• How to communicate with others [teachers 69%; parents 33%]

• How to work with others [teachers 61%; parents 23%]

• Responsibility to my community [teachers 49%; parents 23%]

• How to be a good friend [teachers 45%; parents 13%

We all can become overwhelmed by the pace of change; certainly many of us feel like we are continually playing catch-up when it comes to using, or sometimes even seeing the value of new technology. I hear parents complain about the amount of time your kids are texting or on the computer, and at times there can be a tendency to see technology as the enemy. But there are more productive – and more realistic - ways of looking at this topic. And when we see data like that shared above, it’s easy to see parents are missing something here. The fact is, this train has left the station. It’s time for parents to get on board.

Shift Happens is a popular video presentation that shares the kinds of stats that will inform this discussion. Note:

On employment:
• The top 10 jobs that will be in demand in 2010 didn’t exist in 2004
• The US Dept of Labor estimates that today’s learner will have 10 – 14 jobs by age 38

On education:
• We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet, using technologies that haven’t yet been invented in order to solve problems we don’t even know yet are problems.

On information:
• It is estimated that a week’s worth of the New York Times contains more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
• It is estimated that 1.5 exabytes (1.5 x 1018 ) of unique new information will be generated worldwide this year. That is estimated to be more than in the previous 5000 years.

On internet use:
• 1 out of every 8 couples married in the US last year met online
• In 2006 there were 106 million register users of My Space. If Myspace were a country it would be the 11th largest in the world.

You don't really want your teen to be behind the times in his/her use of technology, do you?

Our Participatory Culture
Last Saturday I attended the Project New Media Literacies conference at MIT. 150 very smart educators, national thought leaders and experts gathered to share learning around how best to educate kids around the new media skills required to engage them today and prepare them for tomorrow. Parents will be fascinated at how some educators are adopting new technologies and approaches into their curricula. There is a lot happening to change the face of education today. They shared a lot of valuable points at the conference, pointing out that the lines have blurred between formal and informal learning. A buzz-word I heard a lot on Saturday is “participatory culture.”

“Viable, self-directed, informal learning takes place when kids blog and game, create videos, and engage in social networking. Children are learning problem solving, collaboration, creativity and other critical life and learning skills. They are growing up immersed in this participatory culture, where each individual can be an expert, a creator of new knowledge, or a mentor to others….In our 24/7 digital world, learning doesn’t stop when kids leave school or finish their homework, nor is there a neat divide between formal and informal learning.” [This quote is from a full article named "Explorations"]

Today’s networked world requires skills such as teamwork, leadership, problem solving, collaboration, communication and creativity. This paradigm shift requires new methods, environments and assessment models in the classroom. In Threshold, a publication from Cable in the Classroom, Erin Reilly who headed the conference along with Henry Jenkins writes

“Formal schools have been slow to react to the emergence of the participatory culture, however, due to an exaggerated interpretation of the perils of social media and to a lack of understanding of the promises and affordances of a networked society. In their stead, after-school programs and informal learning communities are stepping in with programs and activities that demonstrate the learning potentials of participatory culture accelerated through social media.” [Full article is "What is Learning in a Participatory Culture?"]

Change is afoot. There is little you can do to hold it back. What you can do is help prepare and support your kids by spending time becoming more media literate yourself so that you can provide the guidance your kids need in this new world. You bet the rules are changing, so let’s make sure you are being smart with your skepticism, not allowing it to handicap your kids in the new digital landscape. The kids who will be most able to cope and thrive in the world that awaits them are those who acquire the skills that are required in the new world.

NOTE: I am asking educators to share interesting examples of how middle and high school students are using new media in innovative and exciting ways. I would like to showcase some of these examples here at www.PleaseStoptheRollercoaster.com to educate and inform parents. It is my thought that the more parents see the application of new media by students, the more they will embrace and support this kind of learning. Please contact me if you have something of interest to share.

Image via Wikipedia

If you are like me, you may be amazed that one kid can send 6,473 text messages in one month. But what I find even more surprising are the number of young people involved in “sexting” – this is the new popular term for sending and receiving messages and images with sexual connotations. In a revealing study titled “Sex and Tech” conducted by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and Cosmo Girl, we learn that

• 37% of teen girls and 40% of teen boys are sending or posting sexually suggestive messages, and
• 22% of teen girls and 18% of teen boys have sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves.

Where does this behavior come from? Let’s consider four possible explanations:

1.) Age-appropriate experimentation: Teenagers are in an important developmental stage as they figure out who they are and who they want to be. This is part of their job as adolescents; they are moving out from under parents’ wings and preparing to go out into the world as their own, separate and independent beings. During the teen years they often experiment with various personas… am I like Britney? Am I like my older cousin Jamie? You may see your teen change her look, her friends, her activities during this natural and important exploration process. It makes sense that some of this experimentation will take place over and through the communication channels that they utilize, including texting and on the computer. Just because they experiment with a sexual message or image doesn’t mean that they truly believe this is who they are… they may just be trying the image out to see how it feels. While you may be disturbed by a sexual innuendo or risky image that your teen projects in a message, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve failed in teaching her values, she just might be in need of more discussion and guidance. Some amount of experimentation with one’s image is perfectly “normal” for teens.

2.) Indirect communication: Because texting is not face-to-face communication, it feels one step removed, possibly one step safer than a personal come-on. Consider that even adult communication changes when we are not face to face; I’m constantly amazed at how aggressive and nasty many comments are on public blogs and discussion boards…. the closer we get to anonymity the more we tend to push the limits of acceptable behavior.

3.) Pressure and expectations: Consider the behavior that is modeled on television and in the movies for our teens; kids sometimes feel pressure that they should be engaging in communication that is sexual in nature – it surrounds them all day and all night! They feel pressure in a general sense from these images and they sometimes feel direct pressure from their peers. In the above-mentioned study 51% of teen girls say “pressure from a guy” is a reason they send sexy messages. As a whole 23% of teen girls and 24% of teen boys say they were pressured by friends to send or post sexual content.

4.) Minimal supervision: Teens today can get away with more because parents aren’t watching. I don’t mean this as a value judgment on parents, but rather to point out that few parents actually are aware of the content of many of the text messages that are sent via your child’s cell phone. Monitoring the content of kids’ messages isn’t easy, and even caring and watchful parents wonder what the right level of supervision should be.

Many are conflicted about this activity: Deep in the back of the Sex and Tech study I found a fascinating data point that I believe helps to demonstrate the conflict that kids feel about messages with sexual content. Respondents were asked to describe the people who send suggestive messages and images by responding to a list of adjectives. The top four adjectives* kids used to describe those who send sexy images and messages were:

• 72% slutty
• 66% flirty
• 65% desperate
• 55% bold

You can feel the attraction teens sense in this activity by their descriptive terms of “flirty” and “bold,” can’t you? What teen wouldn’t want to be those things? And yet most know it’s not the kind of activity that will make them proud.

So why do some teens do it anyway? Perhaps because of the four explanations above and because they are teens. Because of their stage of brain development they don’t connect actions with consequences.

Hopefully you can find a way in to guide them so their consequences don’t live on in cyberspace forever.

*Net of those who responded “strongly” and “somewhat agree”