News Literacy Project

There’s been a concerning juxtaposition emerging over the last few years. As adolescents and young adults increasingly turn to social media for news and information, there has been a concurrent rise in the creation and widespread distribution of fake news. Much of this fake news is, not surprisingly, spread through the intricate webs of social media, like Facebook and Twitter. Students are not, however, routinely taught how to fact-check what they see and determine what is real news and what is meant to “persuade, sell, mislead, or exploit.” 

Fake news has come a long way from those magazine ads that look like real articles but say “Advertisement” in tiny print on the top. Now, there are whole sites dedicated to producing and distributing fake news, and many of them have names modeled after legitimate publications. Have you ever heard of the Denver Post, a reputable local paper? What about the Denver Guardian – sneakily named but completely fake (it was recently shut down after the Post exposed it)? Do you think a fifteen-year-old could tell the difference?

A recent podcast on National Public Radio (NPR) tracked down one fake news mogul and found out some very interesting and surprising information about one of the biggest fake news distributors out there. Even though it may seem easy for some to see the red flags – the missing byline, the lack of sources, the single-outlet coverage – millions of students are currently lacking the skills they need to discern real from fake on an ever-expanding internet. And when that means that young adults show up armed at local pizzerias that happened to be the unfortunate target of a fake news virus, it’s time to think about integrating fact-checking into the K-12 curriculum.

The News Literacy Project (NLP), which partners with reputable sources like The Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, and NPR, is hoping to help students change course. NLP’s education programs, including its "checkology" virtual classroom, is helping teachers, administrators, and students learn more about the rise in fake news and how to spot it. A typical three-week literacy course includes interactive lessons with journalists, student projects, and teacher-led lessons based on NLP’s curriculum. NLP believes that “knowing the standards of quality journalism empowers students as consumers and creators.” The coursework covers print, broadcast, and online reporting. Students are taught how to search for credibility, analyze primary and secondary sources, think critically about incoming information, and seek out different points of view. In the age of the echo chamber, where we typically surround ourselves with news that fits our own values and beliefs, learning to seek out valid, reputable sources that disagree with our own ideas is increasingly crucial.

We think The News Literacy Project has the right idea in mind, but talking about credibility with children can start with one discussion at the breakfast table. Consider sharing an age-appropriate article you’re reading with your pancakes and see if you can challenge your family to brainstorm why the article was written, what it hopes to achieve, and who it includes as credible sources. Then practice finding the holes, and see if you and your family can fill those holes with other credible information. Learning how to integrate lots of sources to get the full picture is a useful skill not just for reading the news, but also for navigating the complicated social world of childhood and adolescence.

New AAP Media Guidelines and Family Media Use Tool

Our colleagues at the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated their policy guidelines regarding screen time for children, looking separately at young children up to five years of age and at older children and teens.

The backbone of their polices for children of all ages, as it has been in the past, is that parents should make sure that screen time does not displace other activities that are critical to healthy development. In other words, families should balance a light diet of media time with physical activity, hands-on exploration, and face-to-face interactions. The AAP policy notes that digital media can provide older children with new ways to acquire information and ideas and with increased opportunities for social contact and information about health and life style. For older children, who generally use digital media without constant parental supervision, risks include negative health effects on weight and sleep; exposure to inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsafe content and contacts; and compromised privacy and confidentiality. 

The AAP continues to recommend no screen time for children under 18 months of age, except for video-chatting (FaceTime or Skype with relatives). Children from eighteen months up to two years old can begin to watch some high-quality programming, as long as a caregiver is present to enhance their understanding of the media and make the experience interactive. The AAP cautions that just because media is advertised as "educational" does not mean that it offers real benefits to children. Between the ages of two and five, children can watch up to one hour but, again, caregivers should be present and engaged. Screen time is used most effectively when caregivers can relate the information on the screen to the world around them, highlighting the interactive nature of the experience. Once a child hits six years old, parents should be consistent in the limits they place on screen time. Most importantly, as noted above, screen time should not replace the more critical activities of childhood, including sleep and active play. 

The AAP also suggests creating media-free zones at home (e.g., no media in the bedroom) as well as media-free times, such as dinner or car trips. As children get older, caregivers should continue to discuss their online presence, including safety and what it means to be a upright online citizen. The policy for older children urges parents to discourage entertainment media during homework time and to make sure that teens don't sleep with their phones, tablets, or computers in their bedroom. Finally, for children of all ages, parents should model responsible use of media, limiting their own use and remaining "present" during family time.

What’s new this year is the Family Media Use Tool. This online tool allows family members to work together to decide how media is going to play a role in their home. It provides customizable options for media-free zones and times, as well as how screen time is going to be used by each family member. For example, toddlers may be designated as co-viewers only, meaning they only engage in screen time as a joint activity. Older children may be designated as allowed to use social media and watch age-appropriate shows, but not visit new websites without permission. Older teens may be able to have freer use of the internet, but limits on where they can use their screen devices, so that parents can keep an eye on what they are viewing. The tool also allows families to choose some suggestions for what they can do instead of screen time, including joining a team sport or playing board games. The media use plan includes tips for online citizenship as well as reminders for kids to keep their eyes off the screen while engaging in conversation. The plan is printable and can easily be made into a contract or star chart for helping children learn how to be knowledgeable and conscientious consumers of media.

Time Management and Homework Resources

Earlier this spring, we looked at some of the extensive resources tucked away on our website, starting with a look at tech literacy. Today we explore our suggestions for ways to manage tasks, lists, and homework. Take a look and see if they help.

ENHANCING PRODUCTIVITY
​Slife, Rescue Time, Freedom app, and Stay Focused
All four of these online productivity monitors allow users to track how much time they spend on certain websites and even block certain sites from themselves or during predesignated times.

Pomodoro
​This free product (upgrades available) is the best of both worlds: a to-do list and a timer. Students can enter their tasks to keep track of their responsibilities, the use the timer to keep track of how long they should be working and when to take breaks. Pomodoro is both a desktop application and a smartphone app. Students who are easily distracted by their phones may want to use it only on their PCs; used in conjunction with Slife, Rescue Time, Freedom app, or Stay Focused (above) to block distractions, Pomodoro can help students stay focused and organized.

MANAGING LISTS AND REMINDERS
Wunderlist
This great app is excellent for those who want to coordinate to-do lists with other people. Wunderlist will send email reminders to members of a group and the group organizer can check to see which tasks have been completed. Group members can use an in-app chat feature to discuss tasks, too. This app, which is free for iOS and Android, is ideal for families or students and professionals who do lots of collaborative work.

Wunderlist

Any.Do
We love this simple, free app! Just type in things you need to remember and your smartphone will alert you when it's time to get things done. You can even attach notes, documents, videos, or images to items on your list. Any.Do works with almost all devices, both mobile and desktop.

Finish
This clever app allows users to create to-do lists and organize tasks by priority. It's simple, elegant, and effective. For iOS only.

Remember the Milk
Manage responsibilities and prearrange text or email reminders so they'll show up when you need them.

Make Custom Checklists
Easily create checklists for your child using this free resource. A checklist can help foster independence so kids can get through routines (getting ready to go to school in the morning or to bed at night, for example) without forgetting anything. 

MANAGING YOUR WORKLOAD
myHomework - free, or $4.99 per year without ads
This award-winning app allows students to stay on top of just about everything. Users can input classes, assignments, tests, and grades, and myHomework will send alerts and reminders and even help students to prioritize tasks. The streamlined layout keeps distractions to a minimum, too.

Here's a helpful tip: Making timelines can be a particularly helpful way to plan an evening of work or a multi-step project. Check out our model, then try making a timeline of your own.

Combating Cyber-Bullying

Lots of adults today can remember being bullied as children. Years later, the sting of an unkind comment or others’ derisive laughter still hurts. But imagine that the witnesses to one’s shame were not limited to those within earshot of the slight. What if hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people, most of them strangers, could see what happened? And what if they could participate in the taunting? Cyber-bullying amplifies bullying to unimaginable levels, making its victims’ lives nearly unbearable.

And who better to talk about the topic of online humiliation that self-described “Patient Zero” Monica Lewinsky? Lewinsky’s scandal was a perfect storm in many ways: It was the most salacious political drama our country has ever experienced, and it happened just as internet technology was becoming ubiquitous. Instead of simply discussing her story among themselves after reading about her in the paper, people around the world could post comments about her for all to see.

Years later, Lewinsky is back in the spotlight, this time by choice. She is campaigning for a more compassionate online community, and she shares some excellent advice in a recent talk . Here are some of her key points, along with some of our own suggestions for parents struggling to help their children navigate these uncharted waters:

• Parents of young children should do what they can to supervise kids’ time online. Consider allowing kids to go online only on a desktop computer in a public place (e.g. the kitchen) whose screen faces the room, not a wall. Stop by often to talk with them about what they’re viewing and participating in. This can be an excellent opportunity to teach kids about dangerous online behavior, like connecting with strangers. 
• Parents who are more internet-savvy than their kids (and we know there are fewer and fewer of those out there) should be sure that they are connected with their little ones on any online network accounts their kids have. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, following your kids will serve two purposes: First, it will make them think twice about what they post, and second, it will give adults opportunities to talk with kids about what kind of posts they may consider appropriate for public knowledge. (“What do you think could happen if you share your address in your online profile?” “Do you think someone might misinterpret that picture if they don’t have any context?”)

Of course, parents can’t, and shouldn’t, monitor every facet of their kids’ online lives, especially as they get older. Instead, try to help kids see the people at the center of scandals as just that: people.

• ·Avoid talking excitedly about celebrity scandals. Instead of watching shows dedicated to gossip, passing judgment in kids’ hearing about the decisions of perfect strangers, or picking up tabloids, adults should model compassion. Pointing out how embarrassed the subject of a shocking headline must be enforces their humanity and shows kids how to be empathetic. Comment that you’re certainly glad none of your mistakes were shared with the world. 
• Lewinsky urges people to be “up-standers” instead of merely bystanders. Post positive, supportive comments, and make sure kids know you’re doing it. Compassionate responses can mean a lot to victims of online bullying, and your empathy can change the tone of an online thread. And report cyber-bullying when outlets have those options.

Lewinsky says, “We talk a lot about our right to freedom of expression, but we need to talk more about our responsibility to freedom of expression.” Help young people understand that the internet gives them great power, and along with power comes responsibility.

Online Productivity Monitors Can Help Find Lost Time

Do you ever wonder where your time goes? Two productivity monitors that track your online activities, Slife and Rescue Time, can tell you exactly.

Both function similarly, sitting quietly in the background and keeping track of every site you visit and how much time you spend there. But each can take a more active role if you choose, limiting the time you spend in particular areas such as news, email, and games. (You can categorize sites yourself.) You can generate reports for your own activity and for the time your family members -- including your children -- spend online. These reports can plot the data by hour, day, and week. You can set time goals (i.e. I will spend a minimum of three hours doing online research each day,” or “I will spend no more than 15 minutes answering email,”) or, in cases of extreme addiction, completely block distracting sites from your family members or from yourself.

Each service can be downloaded for a small fee, but if time really is money, the cost may be worth it.

Photo: Gary Cycles / Creative Commons