News and Notes from the
World of Al Menconi

In   Digital citizenship ,   Internet safety ,   Social networking and virtual worlds   by   Sierra Filucci , on 03.26.12 For those of us who grew up with dial-up modems, it can be hard to understand what the digital age is like for today's kids. Access to information is literally at their fingertips. But easy access reduces the time it takes to think through your actions -- and makes it easier to do not-so-great things. Like copying other people's work and calling it your own. Or downloading copyrighted music or movies illegally. And the list goes on. Part of the problem is that kids may not even realize that what they're doing is illegal. Here are the top three online offenses -- and how to make sure your kid's online activities stay on the safe side. Plagiarism and high-tech cheating What it is:   Copying someone else's work and calling it your own. In Common Sense Media's 2009 study of high-tech cheating   among kids 13-17, 38 percent said they'

This is the Summary of findings: from their recent research about Teens, Smartphones & Texting Published by Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist, Pew Internet Project, PewResearchCenter March 19, 2012 For the full report:   http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-smartphones.aspx   The volume of texting among teens has risen from 50 texts a day in 2009 to 60 texts for the median teen text user. Older teens, boys, and blacks are leading the increase. Texting is the dominant daily mode of communication between teens and all those with whom they communicate. The typical American teen is sending and receiving a greater number of texts than in 2009. Overall, 75% of all teens text. Here are the key findings about the role of texting in teens’ lives:    ·   The median number of texts (i.e. the midpoint user in our sample) sent on a typical day by teens 12-17 rose from 50 in 2009 to 60 in 2011.   ·   Much of this increase occurred among older teens ages 14-17, who went fro

When Texting Turns to Torment In   Cyberbullying ,   Mobile and communicating   by   Caroline Knorr  of CommonSenseMedia.org , on 03.01.2012 Dealing with Digital Harassment watch video Too much texting, too much calling. Are your kids at risk? ·          76% of people ages 14-24 say that digital abuse is a serious problem. ·          Compared to 2009, young people in 2011 were significantly more likely to step in if they saw someone "being mean online." ·          Some of the most frequent forms of digital harassment include people writing things online that aren't true (26%), people writing things online that are mean (24%), and someone forwarding an IM or message that was intended to stay private (20%). ·          Digital abuse isn't generally the act of strangers -- perpetrators are usually people the victims know well. ·          (All of the above are from the 2011 AP-MTV Digital Abuse study) Advice & Answers What Is Digital Harassment? Why It Matters Ad

We often receive letters and notes letting us know how our ministry has been an influence on our world.  I'd like to share a few "stories" that were a particular interest this past week.   1) First, I received a "Skype" call from Lebanon from a young man who teaches at the Christian school in Beirut.  He has been using our "But It Doesn't Affect Me!" PowerPoint presentation and curriculum to teach his students to make wise entertainment choices.   Toni called to thank us for producing materials that answered all the questions his students had.  He was so thrilled that he now had material to answer his students as well as use it as a starting point to talk with the non Christian community that surrounds his school.  I gave him permission to translate much of our material into Arabic.  Can you believe our material is now in Arabic?? After I thanked him for his kind words, I told him that I didn't realize the kids in Beirut would be inte

5 Ways to Help Kids Find Balance In CommonSenseMedia.com/ Family media management ,  Physical health  by  Caroline Knorr , on 03.05.12  Sometimes it seems like the more tech savvy kids become, the fewer real-world skills they're capable of. Many can easily manipulate a smart phone, but basic stuff like chores, sports -- even making eye contact -- has become a challenge. My kid was well past his tenth birthday before he achieved true proficiency at tying his shoes, but he could rule the world in  Civilization  V . One friend's kid has a hard time maintaining a conversation, but she IMs a blue streak. And another friend's toddler is a genius on a smartphone but resists all efforts at potty training. Kids are more digitally plugged in than ever. According to Common Sense Media's 2011  Zero to Eight  media-use study,  half of all children have access to mobile devices at home, like tablet computers and iPods . And in 2010, a study by the Internet security company AVG found