Picture a Venn diagram. Three circles. You, your child, and the internet. Each circle is its own entity, but as all three are intertwined, there are differences in the dynamics shared between the three. Learning how to create a safe environment within this Venn diagram will help you protect your child from cyberbullying and ultimately teach them to become responsible digital citizens.

Let’s clarify: Circle A represents you. Circle B represents your child. And, circle C represents that thing we call the internet. Sometimes in life, it’s necessary to focus in real close, to the details … other times, it’s more important to zoom out and take a look at how everything is connected in the big picture.

This Venn diagram shows four spaces between our three circles. Each space signifies a special relationship that every person, parent or child, has to learn how to navigate through.

Let’s begin with space 1: Your own relationship with technology.

 This is a self-evaluation stage, between circle “a” and circle “c”. Overlooked a lot of the time, but the way you act as a parent, regardless of what you preach, indirectly affects how your child behaves. Think about your own relationship with technology. Are you pleased with how much time you’re spending online? Do you spend time scrolling through social media mindlessly?

Would you be okay with your child adopting your online habits?

Setting boundaries for yourself is equally as important as telling your child to turn off the computer or to put down the phone. Recalibrate your own online habits and you’ll create a guideline for your child to follow. Children often mimic the actions they see their parents take, or don’t take. Don’t underestimate the power these small – yet pivotal – reflections can have.

Space 2: The parent-child relationship, itself.

Every relationship is unique, especially parent-child relationships (circle “a” and circle “b”). While this is a subject matter entirely on its own, the space we are concerned with in our trusty Venn diagram is that of communication. Building trust for open dialogue between you and your child is a crucial link to preventing cyberbullying. Knowing that they have a space to speak freely to you, children can feel comfortable coming to you to talk about what they do or do not know about, what I believe is still the greatest mystery of our time, the internet! It’s essential that your child knows they can trust you with what happens online: the good and the bad. When confronted in this space:

• listen to their concerns or troubles
• respond calmly with compassion
• be prepared to learn yourself

While this is a space to nurture your parent-child bond as a preventative measure against the isolation, secrecy, and mental illness associated with cyber-bullying, should your child find himself or herself in such a circumstance the key is to hold this space safe for them to ask for your help.

Setting guidelines for a responsible digital presence and protection from cyberbullying is what a child of the 21st century needs. Copyright: Syda Productions

Space 3: Your child’s personal experience with the online world.

As time goes on and technology advances, the interactions we have with it become more intimate. Parents must accept that these moments won’t always happen in your presence. It is up to you, in other spaces, to instill the right foundation of awareness and confidence so that when your child does interact with the online world, between circle “b” and circle “c,” he or she will act responsibly as a digital citizen. There is the option of totally cutting kids off from social media, for instance, but it is unlikely he or she won’t ever interact with the online world at some point.

Learning how to be mindful of the digital footprint you leave behind is a skill we all must learn and prepare our children for.

Ultimately, allowing children a sense of freedom of choice, after adequately preparing them, leads to stronger confidence and trust in your parent-child relationship.

Space 4: The sweet spot.

This is where you, your child, and the internet are all in one space. This is where you have the authority to enforce rules and restrictions that you deem necessary. Building a healthy relationship with technology usage may mean:

• keeping the computer in a common area of the home
• asking your child to show you his or her social media profiles
• setting time limits
• monitoring their behavior during and after online interactions
• asking for help if you need it

Make sure to keep any limitations reasonable. Going back to space 2, in keeping the dialogue open, maybe explain to your child why you are taking these preventative measures. Be transparent. If they understand that you are not trying to take something away from him or her but instead protecting them from the dangers of online behaviors, they may be more acclimated to abide by your rules and not retreat to unhealthy online habits. Kids are more receptive when they know they are being treated with respect.

It comes down to communication.

Above all, perhaps it’s more important, now more than ever, to learn to communicate with your child. Children are always learning and absorbing information; all the science in the world can tell you that. Talk to them about creating a responsible digital presence.

Just as technology keeps advancing, so should you as a parent. Don’t let this trouble you. Instead, take delight in the challenge of adapting to your child’s growing mind and developing character! Learn to create a system that works for you and your child with simple boundaries that will lead you to a healthier relationship with technology itself. Let’s put an end to cyberbullying.

The post How to Protect your Child from Cyberbullying? appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

Since Apple launched iPad in 2010, millions have made their way into education. As a result, it’s not surprising that more than half of the US preschool teachers say they have tablet computers in the classroom – nearly double what was reported just two years earlier  – even though the tablets are still mainly for adult use. “That’s an enormous jump,” said Ellen Wartella, a professor at Northwestern University and author of a study that surveyed 945 preschool teachers in 2015. “It wasn’t all that long ago that experts were debating the suitability of technology for young children“.

Another study, conducted in Auburn, Maine, randomly assigned half of the district’s 16 kindergarten classes to use iPads for nine weeks. Auburn was the first public school system in the US to provide iPads to each of their youngest students. In all, 129 students used an iPad, while 137 students were taught using traditional resources. Each of the 266 students were tested before and after the iPads were introduced into the classroom.

According to the literacy test results students in the iPad classes outperformed the non-iPad students on average, across every literacy measure they were tested on. Children who were taught through the use of an iPad also showed an increased interest in learning and were more enthusiastic about going to school.

In February Apple published its financial results for Q1 2018. The tech titan sold 13.2 million iPads during the period. Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly stressed how important the education market is in the context of the iPad, and the fact that it’s doing so well with institutional sales both at home and abroad backs that up.                                                                                      

We’re thrilled that over 1.2 million students of all ages are now using iPad and Swift Playgrounds to learn the fundamentals of coding, and over 1,000 K-12 schools across the United States plan to use Apple’s “Everyone Can Code” in their curricula, he said.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using iPads in the Classroom

The concept of using the iPad in the classroom makes a lot of sense due to its easy to manipulate touch screen technology, portable format, fast load-up time, extended battery life and the most obvious reason- kids love it.

Student engagement will likely increase due to the shiny new vessel for learning. Lessons will be more interactive and lively than ever before with competitions and games that really inspire creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. Apps for iPad classroom activities are designed to  help Pre-K students learn important concepts such as sequencing, sound-letter recognition and patterns while having fun all through the use of their tiny fingertips.

Beyond the immediate benefit of engaging students, iPads can improve education efficiency and standards. iPads in the classroom bring education to life. They save money on textbooks and deliver even the content educators previously struggled to represent.

On the other hand, as with anything else, pluses of having iPads in the classroom go hand in hand with minuses. In the first place, many schools find the iPad just too expensive. In March of 2013, Apple’s lowest priced iPad retailed for $499. Therefore, for schools working with limited budgets, it may be difficult to justify purchasing enough iPads to make a significant impact in the classroom.

One of the biggest criticisms of the iPad is its  inability to work with Adobe Flash and Javascript. A lot of content in schools and websites for kids are dominated by Flash. Although, some argue that the abundance of educational apps make up for it.

The iPad learning curve doesn’t just apply to students. Not every teacher has the technical knowledge to quickly pick up on the iPad’s many, and varied, uses. Switching over from traditional textbooks and paper and pen lessons to interactive iPad lesson means spending time and money on additional teacher training sessions. And even if they do understand iPad basics teachers may still need extra training to figure out how to adapt iPad learning for younger age groups.

Finally, it might be hard for students  to focus when they have in their hands a web-enabled device that can virtually take them thousands of miles away from the stuffy classroom.

Copyright: jfk image

Embarking on an iPad journey with young students

The possibilities for creative projects and activities involving the iPad in K-2 classrooms are endless. It’s easy and rewarding to make music on the iPad, using a variety of different instruments. Furthermore, taking an iPad on a walk in the woods during science lessons makes it simple for even preliterate children to document their observations to create a field journal full of images. They can either photograph or sketch what they see in the wild. Some apps will even allow kids to include narration with their images, adding a verbal language component to the activity. Solmson, kindergarten teacher at The Davis Academy in Atlanta, implements a digital storytelling project where students read a story and then come up with their own version of that story. Solmson records her students’ voices over their illustrations, helping each student create his/her own digital story. “The kids love this project and feel proud of what they have accomplished,” she said.

There are many ways in which  iPad can be integrated into play and learning activities rather then used as “edutainment”. Through a combination of the tools and thoughtful teaching strategies, children are able to try out alternative ways of doing things, make connections between elements, create new forms, solve problems together, modify their work and see things from others’ points of view.

In the end, no one would argue that the iPads offer zero advantages, but no one should argue that they’re perfect, either. Simply providing children with an iPad and saying, “Learn!” won’t do much. Teachers should take time to consider what their students’ needs are and how they can address them both with and without technology as well as strike the right balance between traditional and iPad-friendly ways of educating young minds. iPads may be more complex than blocks or crayons, but when used strategically they are just like any other tool in the metaphorical child development toolbox.

Do you think that preschool classrooms are benefiting from iPads? If yes, what ways you’d like your children to use them in kindergarten? Share with us your thoughts and ideas.

The post Preschools of the Future – a Paper, Crayons and an iPad appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

When observing public places and playgrounds, it has become common to recognize more and more children holding tablets and mobile phones in their hands. It seems that technological devices are finding growing acceptance in the everyday life of children. This development is not only true for entertaining purposes but also for learning and skill development. Unsurprisingly, many companies have started exploring the field designing apps specifically for children. Here are some key trends worth exploring over the next months.

Digital Storytelling

Digital book apps are a very popular choice to keep toddlers entertained and educated. Using all the advantages that come with an exciting story in an actual book, storytelling apps try to let children interact more closely with the story. Rather than just being able to turn pages digitally, kids can tap on the screen and decide to interact with scenery or characters.

A very popular app is called Dino Dog – a digging adventure created by StoryToys. Children travel the world with Dino Dog and his friend Bonnie the Bear to dig for bones and explore fossils.

Copyright: Yuganov Konstantin

Children Becoming the Storytellers

Do you remember the books back in the days that included a page with different statements at the end of each chapter allowing you to make a decision for the character and then leaving you at a different page of the book to read on? Some designers developed this own storytelling idea further and started to create apps around it allowing children to have a say rather than sticking to a story that remains decidedly linear. Children can select from pre-packed collections of sceneries, characters and situations. The British art gallery TATE created the ‘Noisy Neighbours’ app where children can even create their own characters.

Computer-coding Apps

Many app developers try to engage children to take their first steps in programming-like thinking and helping them to have an advantage in the classroom when pupils are introduced to the world of coding. Although the apps have sparked a debate, good apps can strengthen children’s critical-thinking and problem-solving skills which are both needed to excel the skills of computer programming.

A potential app that exposes children from the age of 5 to the logic of programming is called The Foos: Code for an Hour FREE girls and boys educational app. The app features monsters as characters and is built around drag-and-drop coding puzzles which need to be solved.

Copyright: Nednapa Sopasuntorn

Robots and 3D Printing

Roberts and modern 3D printing are two other areas many app designers work on even though the products are very expensive and can take up quite some space as well. Nonetheless, there have been developments going on in the field. The robot package Dash and Dot is one of the examples where robots can be integrated in the learning and playing life of children. The pack comes with two robots and apps can be downloaded online. The apps mainly focus on teaching children to program one of the robots and chase each other.  However, given the price of the package, it is more a long-term investment than a game.

3D printing is another expensive niche requiring a 3D printer at hand. The idea is that children can create anything they can think of through an app and then get their ideas printed.

Minecraft

Having been around for a long time now, Minecraft is more an established game in the technological scene rather than a new trend. But it is new that there is an increasing focus on the educational purpose of the game. The game itself is based on the idea to place as many blocks as you like in an area in order to build anything that comes into your mind. There are many YouTube channels that try to make educational use of Minecraft or to teach creativity skills. More and more children are also coming up with their own mods which they can share with a wider group on the platform.

Copyright: wavebreakmedia

YouTube Filters and Other Video Apps

Children’s videos on YouTube have been a trend for a long time. There are many channels on the platform focusing on entertaining and educating content. In order to ensure that children only watch child-friendly videos, YouTube launched an app called YouTube Kids. The app can be downloaded online and filters inappropriate content. For a list of recommended channels and a guide on the app read our blog post on 31 YouTube channels for kids to watch.

Musical Apps

Although these apps are not a replacement for an actual instrument they can help children to explore rhythm and melody, and allow them to creating their own music from scratch. The app called Sago Mini Music Box is a musical adventure journey. Children can explore sounds by taping on the screen and moving their animal friends.

The post Digital Storytelling: Children’s App Trends in Technology appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.

The post Ted Talk: A Delightful Way to Teach Kids about Computers appeared first on Novak Djokovic Foundation.