Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World

by Richard Culatta

Overview

Kids deserve a better digital future. Help them create it.

When it comes to raising children in a digital world, every parent feels underprepared and overwhelmed. We worry that our children will become addicted to online games, be victims of cyberbullying, or get lost down the rabbit hole of social media. We warn them about all the things they shouldn't do online, but we don't do nearly enough to teach them the skills of digital well-being.

It's time to start a new conversation. In Digital for Good, EdTech expert Richard Culatta argues that technology can be a powerful tool for learning, solving humanity's toughest problems, and bringing us closer together. He offers a refreshingly positive framework for preparing kids to be successful in a digital world — one that encourages them to use technology proactively and productively — by outlining five qualities every young person should develop in order to become a thriving, contributing digital citizen

• Be balanced: understand when and how much tech use is healthy
• Stay informed: discern between true and false information
• Be inclusive: treat others with respect and kindness online
• Be engaged: use tech to strengthen family relationships and community connections
• Stay alert: exercise caution and create safe digital spaces for others

This practical guide will help parents and children discover the path to becoming effective digital citizens, all while making our online world a better place.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647823214
Publisher:	International Society for Technology in Education
Publication date:	07/20/2021
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.06(w) x 9.37(h) x (d)

About the Author

Richard Culatta is CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Prior to joining ISTE, he served as the Chief Innovation Officer of the state of Rhode Island and was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the US Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Welcome Home(s)

1 Our Digital Dysfunction 11

2 The Urgent Need for Digital Citizenship 25

3 Balanced 41

Using Technology on Our Terms

4 Informed 67

Becoming Savvy Consumers of Information

5 Inclusive 89

Balancing Multiple Viewpoints with Respect

6 Engaged 105

Using Tech to Make Our Communities Better

7 Alert 125

Creating Safe Spaces Online

8 Digital Well-Being is a Team Sport 141

9 Our Digital Future 163

Notes 177

Index 187

Acknowledgments 197

About the Author 199

Editorial Reviews

"Culatta takes a career’s worth of insight into how technology is impacting and impacted by educational interests and packages these ideas in a convincing and very personal narrative for anyone trying to serve our children’s best interests across a spectrum of outcomes. . . . However, it’s his personal stories that show his work as not only endearing but credible. This gives Digital for Good shelf life. The examples of certain apps will likely change, but he’s careful to explain an underlying framework that is evergreen." 

— Eric Nentrup, Getting Smart

From the Publisher

★ 06/21/2021

Culatta (Stuttering Therapy), former head of the Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, examines the promises and perils of the digital world in this stellar survey. It’s time to move beyond strict limits on screen time, he writes, and instead details how children at any age can learn to become responsible digital citizens. To that end, he offers “five practical digital citizenship skills that all kids need to learn: being balanced, informed, inclusive, engaged, and alert.” Culatta suggests parents ensure their children use technology to do more than simply “watch content,” balance recreational time with time spent building skills or maintaining personal connections, and help children to intelligently assess the vast amount of information on the web. Parents are also encouraged to make a list of “do’s,” not “don’ts,” for online time (such as being kind and honest), be more specific than “you’re addicted to your phone” if screen time becomes a problem, and facilitate nonpunishment technology breaks. His advice is easy to implement and leavened with humor: “We also found that without some structure, our well-intentioned Sunday family time quickly turns into fight-with-your-brothers-all-afternoon time (shoot me now).” The result is a trenchant and hopeful guide for parents anxious about the impact of technology on their children’s development. (July)

Publishers Weekly