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FamilyEngagementintheDigitalAgeEarlyChildhood EducatorsasMediaMentorsChipDonohue, PhDDeanofDistanceLearning&ContinuingEducationDirector oftheTECCenterEriksonInstitute

SeniorFellow&Advisor,FredRogersCenterEditor,TechnologyandDigitalMediaintheEarlyYears

@chipdono @TEC_Center @FredRogersCtr

Imagescredits: Oglivy (for theCenterForPsychologicalResearch,Shenyang)

Aprovocation– Themoreyouconnectthelessyouconnect• Youngchildren learnmediahabitsfromtheadultsintheirlives.

• Howcanwenudgeourselvesfrom“adultsbehavingbadly”tobecomingmindful mediamentors foryoungchildren andfamilies?

"Connection isinevitable, distraction isachoice."AlexSoojung-KimPang,TheDistraction Addiction

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Doyouownasmartphoneordoesyoursmartphoneownyou?ü Areyousmartphonedependentü Doyouhavephantomringor

vibrationsyndrome…ü Haveyoueversaid,“Letmejust

checkmyemail”

ü “Parentalcontrols”forparents?

Themoreyouconnectthelessyouconnect

Do we need a digital detox?

ü Digitally preoccupied

ü Digital distracted

ü Digital dependent

ü Digital disconnections

Themoreyouconnectthelessyouconnect

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Do you preach……what you practice?

Adults are media mentors and role models – we need to make sure that’s good news for children, parents and families?

Likefather,likeson.

Empower parents and engage families

Strengthen aparent...andyoustrengthenachild.

FredRogers

Youalreadyhavewhat ittakes.VROOM

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A healthymediadietmattersAllscreensarenotcreatedequal

• Consider screenexposure throughout thedayandacrosssettings

• Shiftfrom“howmuch”theywatchto“whattheywatch”

• Usemedia“with”ratherthan“insteadof”

• Placelimitsonpassiveuse

• Avoidinappropriatecontentandcommercialmessages

AhealthymediadietmattersAllscreensarenotcreatedequal• Look formediaexperiencesthatareinteractive,includepositiveinteractionswithothers,andgivethechildcontrol

• Emphasizerelationshipsandjointengagementwithmedia

• Prepareandservenutritiousmediaandscreenuse- it’saboutbalance(Alittle“junk food”orsweetsareOK)

• Advocateforadigitalagedefinitionof“screen-time”– AAP,CaringforOurChildren,ECERS,QRIS,Accreditation,TeacherPreparation…NEWthisweekfromtheAAP,ChildrenandMedia– TipsforParents

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UpdatedtipsfromtheAAP• Treatmediaasyouwouldanyotherenvironmentinyourchild’s life.

• Setlimitsandencourageplaytime.

• Familieswhoplaytogether,learntogether.

• Beagoodrolemodel.

• Knowthevalueofface-to-facecommunication.

UpdatedtipsfromtheAAP• Createtech-freezones

• Don’tusetechnologyasanemotionalpacifier

• Apps forkids – doyourhomework

• It’sOKforyourteentobeonline

• Remember:Kidswillbekids

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Familymediaecologymatters• Understandparentalinfluenceastheprimarymediarolemodel

• Beawareofuse– when,bywho,where,forwhat andforhowlong

• Understandthatcontent isasimportantaslengthoftime

• Findtrustedsourcesofmediarecommendations

• Placelimitsonpassiveuseandavoidinappropriatecontent

TVmaybetheonlyappliancethatismoreusefulafteritisturnedoff.

FredRogers

Familymediaecologymatters• AvoidbackgroundTV

• Limitscreenmediabeforebedtime

• NoTVsinchildren’sbedrooms

• Turnoffmediaanddigitaldevicesduringmeals

• Beawareofprivatetechusereplacingtraditionalpublicuse

• Watchtogether– jointengagementwithmediamatters

• Planforunplugged time

“Whatcanwedowhenweturnoffthescreen?”

A Modern Family?

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AfamilymediausescanKristyGoodwin’s7questionsforafamilymediausescan• Whatmediawillyoungchildrenuse?• When willyoungchildrenusemedia?• Withwhomwillyoungchildrenusemedia?• Where willthemediabeused?• Whywillthemediabeused?• Howwillthemediabeused?• Howmuch timewillbedevoted tomedia?

Whatdoweknowabouteveryoneelseinthehome?www.everychancetolearn.com.au

Gatheraroundthescreen“Jointengagementwithmedia”isadigitalagephrasebuttheideaisnotnew.Think aboutyourchildhood andrememberatimewhenmembersofyourfamilyoryouandyourfriends gatheredaroundtheTV,radio,stereo,VCR,etc.,forasharedmediaexperience.

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…Computerscanbeusefulmachines,especiallywhentheyhelppeoplecommunicate incaringwayswitheachother…

FredRogers, DearMisterRogers,DoesItEverRain inYourNeighborhood?

Aneighborlyreminder…

The4Msfordigitalageeducators

1. Manager

2. Mediator

3. Mentor

4. Maker

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5tipsformindfulmediamanagers1. Beagreatdigitalmediaplaymate,co-explorer andenthusiastictourguide– amoreknowledgeableother

2. Doyourhomework – yourdigitalmedialiteracymatters

3. Beintentional– useDAPandguidelines toselect,use, integrate,andevaluatetechnology tools

4. Curatecontent5. Limittechtime

5tipsformindfulmediamediators1. Betuned-in andattentive,keepitinteractive,stayengaged

2. Matchthetoolsandcontenttotheindividual child

3. Usetoolstoenhanceandextendactivitiesandpromotepro-socialbehavior

4. Usetechtoletchildrendosomethingthattheycouldn'tdowithoutthetechnology

5. Planaheadforoffscreenplay

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5tipsformindfulmediamentors1. Guidethewaythroughjointengagement

2. Emphasizetools thatencouragepro-socialbehaviors, interactions,relationships

3. Follow theirlead– Givechildrenchoicesandcontrol

4. Helpchildrenprogressfrommediaconsumers tocreators

5. Promotedigitalmedialiteracyforall

5tipsformindfulmediamakers1. Explorewaystomakemediasothatyoucan

modelandmentorchildrenasmediacreators

2. Nudgeyourselffromconsumer>>adopter>>adapter>>creator

3. Startwithfamiliartechnology– takedigitalphotos,videosandrecordaudio– useopen-endedstorytellingapps

4. Create‘makerspaces’inyourclassroom

5. Haveaplay– jointhemakermovement

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Whatparentsneedfrommediamentors1. Arolemodelandtourguide– witha

pathpathtofollowandstepstotake

2. Atrustedsource

3. Resourcesandrecommendations

4. Opportunities forparentplaytime

5. Empoweringtipsforpromotingahealthymediadietandpositive familymediaecologyathome

You already have what it takes. VROOM

ü Smartphones

ü BroadbandInternetaccess

ü Laptopsordesktops

ü Tablets

ü eBookReaders

ü eMail

ü Textmessages

ü Website/apps

ü BlogsandeNewsletters

ü Socialmedia

ü Videochat– Skype,Webinars

ü Streamingmedia– YouTube

ü ????

21st centurytoolsforfamilyengagement

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FamilyengagementinthedigitalageMindfullyusetechnologyto:• Improvecommunication• Strengthenthehomeschoolconnection

• Increaseparent/caregiverinvolvement• Enhancefamilyengagement• Empowerparentsandfamilies

Familyengagementinthedigitalage• Meettheparentswheretheyare• Providemultiplepathways• Beawareofbarrierstoaccess

• Understandthepowerofnudges• Welcomenewallies• Bemediamentorstoparentssotheycan

mentortheirchildren

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Innovativetechtoolsforfamilyengagement• Comienza enCasa

• ReadyRosie

• Ready4K

• Text4Baby

• TechGoesHome

• TooSmallToFail

• Vroom

TECCuration– FamilyEngagement

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Afinalprovocation• Everychildneedsamediamentor

• Everyparentandfamilyneedsamediamentor

• Everyeducatorneedstobeamediamentor

• Whoaremediamentors?

• Whomentorsthementors?

We all got to be who we are today with the help of many other people. Nobody can successfully manage in the world without the investment of others.

Follow Fred’s lead… Be a mindful media mentor

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Whatisessentialisinvisibletotheeye

MindfulMediaUse…Let’snotgetsofascinatedbywhatthetechnologycandothatweforgetwhatitcan’tdo…It’sthroughrelationshipsthatwegrowbestandlearnbest.

PhotoscourtesyofGoogleImageSearch,FredRogersCenter,FredRogersCompany,EriksonInstitute,NAEYC,EarlyLearningCommunityatPacificUniversity,BurleyElementarySchool,RavenswoodElementarySchool,University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, Cassandra Mattoon and ChrisCrowell

Forslidesandresources, visitusatwww.teccenter.erikson.edu

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