Digital Citizenship and Media Literacy Resources

• What's the right age for parents to get their kids a cell phone?
• How much screen time is okay for my kids?
• What are the basic social media rules for elementary school-age kids?
• How do I protect my kid's privacy online?
• What are some mental health considerations for gaming and social media?

• How do I monitor my kids' cell phone use without seeming intrusive?
• How much screen time is ok for my kids?
• What are the basic social media rules for middle schoolers?
• How do screens - such as TV and smartphones - affect my kids' sleep?
• How do I protect my kid's privacy online?
• How do I keep up with the latest social apps and sites teens are using?
• Can mindfulness techniques help my teen's tech stress?
• Is the internet making my kid socially isolated?
• What do families need to know about...
  • Fortnite
  • Roblox
  • TikTok
  • Other social media or gaming platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, etc.)

Technology can be a very helpful tool in the classroom. We want to be sure our students use it as needed for learning and aren’t tempted to access unrelated content. We provide teachers with support and information on how to ensure YouTube videos are limited to instructional content. 

At a district level, we use uBlock to automatically block YouTube ads on student Chromebooks, allowing videos to start without ads, and keeping instructional videos age-appropriate.

Additionally, some of the strategies our teachers use include:

• Using an application called GoGuardian to allow Chromebook access only to the videos that teachers intend to use for instruction. GoGuardian also supports teachers’ real-time monitoring of Chromebook activity.
• Embedding YouTube videos into Google Classroom or Canvas to prevent autoplay, remove suggested videos, and minimize distractions.
• Using a distraction-free YouTube link that creates a minimal player by removing suggested videos and preventing autoplay.

NTPS teachers have been provided guidance not to use YouTube and other streaming media non-instructional videos as incentives or "free time" activities with our students.

These resources help families support their children through conversations and learning about digital citizenship and media literacy.

• Family Tech Planners: Use these tech planners to help your children think through important questions around tech use: What will I do? How much time will I spend? Am I making thoughtful choices?
• Family Media Agreement: Use the age-appropriate family media agreement form to discuss and set expectations for children's media use.
• Customizable Device Contract: Use this customizable device contract and suggested guidelines to set agreed-upon expectations for children using devices at home.
• Common Sense Carpool Conversations: A podcast series that invites adults and kids to talk about the issues that matter most in kids' digital lives.
• Family Tips: Digital citizenship tips and advice for families of all ages from Common Sense Education.
• The 5 M’s of Digital Wellness: Tips for families from The Digital Wellness Lab on how to support their children in using devices in positive, purposeful ways.
• Common Sense Education Parent & Caregiver Webinars: Upcoming webinars and previously recorded sessions providing parenting tips and helpful resources on digital citizenship and literacy. 
• Online Safety Program from the Family Online Safety Institute: Videos, tip sheets, resources, and blogs to help families navigate the digital world.
• 12 Tips for Parents in the Digital Age from the American Academy of Pediatrics: Tips to guide families in supporting children in developing healthy digital habits.