Most discussions about keeping kids safe online center around two issues: (1) With the rapid development and dissemination of digital technology, how can we stay ahead of what our students are doing?; and (2) What controls are available to prevent students from visiting inappropriate sites? These are reasonable questions, but they ignore two…

In an online class, students need instruction, incentive, and structure to ensure substantive levels of interaction and participation. This article provides tips that can keep online students fully engaged with one another, so that no one feels as though they are in "a classroom of one."

Nine percent of 13- to 15-year-old teens and 3% of teens 16 to 18 years old say they are "always" or "often" bullied to a point that makes them feel very sad, angry, sad, or upset. Over one-quarter of all teens say they are "sometimes" bullied to this point. This article presents some results of a "Harris Poll" of 776 teens surveyed online in…

This presentation examines child and adolescent social networking with an emphasis on how this unprecedented form of communication can be used to contribute to healthy growth and development. Most literature about child and adolescent relationships reflects yesterday's world, a time when face-to-face encounters were the only concern. Students saw…

Rarely does a day go by when one doesn't hear or read something relating to digital communication and school. Whether it's referencing cell phones, email, Facebook, texting, blogs, or Twitter, this constant barrage of messages in the media makes it clear that electronic communications are in the forefront of students' lives. They are also an…

Making the move from a regular classroom to a virtual setting is about more than the technology. Individualizing instruction, creating an engaging and supportive online classroom, and learning how to communicate with students who aren't physically present are among the challenges. Communicating with students and building relationships with them…

There has been much discussion about the issue of boundaries on Facebook. Some suggest faculty members can resolve potential dilemmas in relation to students by making sensible decisions about what to post and by fine-tuning privacy settings. But the challenges and opportunities run deeper. For those who want to be appropriately accessible to…

True global enlightenment. That's how YouTubeEDU is being promoted by company officials who have announced the launch of a YouTube section devoted to academic content. Calling the new site "a free, self-organizing, democratic website containing all the world's knowledge," YouTubeEDU promises an environment in which "any qualified teacher can…

The word "cyberbullying" didn't even exist a decade ago, yet the problem is pervasive today. Simply put, cyberbullying is the repeated use of technology to harass, humiliate, or threaten. When people take to the keyboard or cell phone and craft messages of hate or malice about a specific person, cyberbullying is emerging. And unlike…

The cover of a "Chicago Tribune Magazine" says it all about the most recent manifestation of an ancient phenomenon--bullying. The article represents two trends that present new challenges to counselors, teachers, and administrators -- especially in middle and junior high schools: Girls are bullying more than ever before and it's gone electronic.…

Although bullying and relational aggression among students are longtime concerns, the elusive nature of cyberbullying compounds the difficulty of identifying harmful behavior and intervening to stop it. Principals across the country are struggling to determine their authority over cyberbullying that technically may occur outside of school but for…

House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities unanimously expressed concern for the growing trend in cyberbullying during a hearing last June 24. The event, which featured National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) board member Barbara-Jane Paris and other witnesses, including TV personality Dr. Phil…

In an era when technology seems to be changing almost daily, school boards, administrators, and teachers need to revisit their technology policies almost as rapidly, education experts advise. Internet chat rooms, online video games, and other electronic features that once seemed inappropriate for the classroom are proving useful for meeting many…

The phenomenon of "sexting," or forwarding nude or seminude photographs of other students in schools via cell phone or other electronic media, is occurring with regularity. Administrators and boards of education struggle with disciplining students for such actions when policies and procedures have not kept pace with the rapid changes in…

E-mail is a tool that can vastly increase the efficiency and productivity of school leaders. It can enable them to better orchestrate school operations and so improve student learning. But administrators must remain wary of the effect that extensive e-mail communication can have on the school community, and they need to work to promote a healthy…