Jackie Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 How do people transition their children to more independent internet usage? DD is elementary age. She has her own computing devices but I am strongly in control of what is on them, and she is not allowed to do her own internet searches. (And, yes, she is a naturally obedient child.) She also wants to know all the things, all the time, and I would like to start teaching her how to be safe on the Internet and how to develop a basic bs meter so she can use the Internet more independently. All devices are in public areas of a small house. I'm not worried about her accessing inappropriate information. I want to have a better idea how to teach her how to access good information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Preferably limit to one device. We only had one when DS was a young kiddo and we also lived in a tiny apartment so it was easy to monitor. Install parental controls (we never did but mentioning it for someone who might want to). We did install pop up/ ad blockers but only recently. Day 1 Start with one idea she wants to know more about. Sit with her, google (or preferred search engine) it together. See what searches come up. Click on a reliable looking link, explaining to her why you think it's reliable, read, discuss. Google it again, this time with slight different keywords. See what comes up. Click the link, again explaining why you chose this link, read, discuss. You want to particularly focus on anything that might be different from the first link and slowly introduce more about why you choose certain links, certain websites over others. Preferably stop there. Day 2 or 3 or 4, when she is ready for it Research hoaxes and how to detect them Research the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus hoax (a task for you, Jackie) and collect a few links that you will be comfortable sharing with her. Don't tell her it's a hoax. Introduce one link. See what she says/ does. Discuss (explain what a hoax is and how to look for clues that it might be one). It usually gets easier afterwards. Depending on what happens on Day 2, take bunny trails. But explain (keep it short and sweet) what some dangers could be. Always let her know she can ask you anytime or ask her to keep a notebook on the things she wants to google and take it from there. This might also be a good time to start good screen habits like how to adjust brightness for eye comfort, ergonomics (sitting/ posture, screen distance, etc.) Starting things like that early helped a lot here. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Some possibly helpful links: http://www.edutopia.org/media-literacy-students-searching https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/ http://www.netliteracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Basic-Internet-Skills.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 I hadn't even thought of intentionally using hoaxes! And, yeah, I'm at the age where I first had access to a sparse Internet when I went to college. I love the Internet and use google, Siri, Facebook, etc, regularly. DH works professionally with many computers. Tech is well accepted as norm in our house. But I've never needed to teach someone what I learned naturally about "good" vs "bad" information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Kids are amazingly quick. Chances are the actual teaching will be minimal. Instead, think of it as a super fun way to start learning together. I know that's how we did it most of the time. We've been co-learners for so long now that I am starting to think I've actually been kidding myself that I taught him some of the things he knows. :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutheart Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 This year we've been going through the middle school lessons from this website (they have free lessons for K-12): https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/scope-and-sequence Ruth 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 She probably did the Pacific Tree Octopus (or something similar) for Athena's. It's usually the first assignment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 (edited) She probably did the Pacific Tree Octopus (or something similar) for Athena's. It's usually the first assignment. I had NO idea! Kiddo has never used Athena's. Glad to know! ETA: we did this before there was an Online G3. I think G3 started the year after we introduced Google and other web tools more regularly. Athena's started after G3 (about 2 years later?). He has been searching for things with my DH since he was 5 and then became more independent around 6. Edited September 26, 2016 by quark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 She probably did the Pacific Tree Octopus (or something similar) for Athena's. It's usually the first assignment. Nope. Unfortunately not. There was a video about netiquette, some directed exploration of the Athena's website, and some getting to know you stuff, but no skeptic training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 I'm surprised. I know DD had to do it enough times to start complaining about it, and she's taken the classes your DD is taking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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