Sweet As Youth

We already knew that teens out-text the rest of us, but this year their mobile data consumption accelerated at an unprecedented rate as well.

Teens ages 13 to 17 used 256% more mobile data in the third quarter of 2011 than in the same time period of 2010. Teens took in 320 MB of data per month on average, with males using 382 MB and females using 266 MB. Adults between 25 and 34 still use the most mobile data, averaging 578 MB each month.

  Last updated 15:31 23/09/2011 Fairfax Australia

The Australian government has released a short film for teenagers to demonstrate the risk of being 'tagged for life' online.

It all starts with a seemingly innocent picture of a boy and a girl with their arms around each other at school.

Soon the photo is posted to a blog and seen by the entire school, sparking online rumours, a fight, news reports and revenge plots to spread naked or drunken photos snapped on a mobile phone.

In just one week, friendships are ruined, school communities are divided and reputations are in tatters.

This particular story is played out by actors for the Australian government's new campaign to warn young people and parents about the dangers of sexting and cyber bullying, but the scenario bears a strong resemblance to some of the recent ugly episodes of social networking.

Tagged, a 17 minute short film launched by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy this morning, was based on feedback from teenagers at hundreds of schools in Australia, as well as research into young people's use of social media.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority commissioned Melbourne production company Great Southern Communications to make Tagged and it will be available to all schools.

"The Gillard Government takes the safety and security of all Australians, especially our young, very seriously," Senator Conroy said.

The scenes in the film - including a fight captured on a mobile phone and posted online and teenagers taking nude photographs of each other and sending them to others - are similar to some recent incidents around Australia, as reported by Fairfax Media.

In June Facebook took down a "root rate" page that had attracted 1200 "likes" made up of students from Sydney schools including Mater Maria Catholic College in Warriewood, Barrenjoey High School, Cromer High School, Narrabeen Sports High School, Northern Beaches Christian School, Pittwater High School, Stella Maris College in Manly, Brigidine College in St Ives and Ravenswood School for Girls in Gordon.

The page critiqued the sexual performance and looks of some female students and included posts such as: "Chunky thighs, huge arse ... always available for a root for those who are hard up".

In March families of four West Australian boys who used a mobile phone to film sex acts with an underage girl vowed to fight to have their sons' names removed from the sex offenders list.

The boys were put on the register under state law after pleading guilty to the sexual penetration of a girl over 13 years and less than 16, but they argued it had been consensual.

They were put on the list despite being spared jail terms for the offence, committed in August last year, because they were of a similar age to the girls.

The mother of the 14-year-old girl at the centre of the sexting incident also believed the boys didn't deserve to be on the register, because they were "just kids".

Perhaps the most high profile example this year is the video of a 16-year-old boy being bullied at a western Sydney school, before retaliating and throwing a 12-year-old boy to the ground

The video went around the world and was watched by tens of thousands after it was posted on YouTube, Facebook and then featured on several news programs and websites.

Both students were suspended after the fight in March, and the older boy went on to become an internet sensation, described as a "hero" by many.

But an expert on bullying, Professor Kenneth Rigby of the University of South Australia, said there was a risk that, rather than acting as a warning about the dangers of bullying, the video was "allowing people to revel in a violent spectacle".

Research Questions

We want to know more about what being connected looks like for young people. More importantly does being connected make a difference in young people's lives? We have lots of other research questions, like:

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How do young people relate to the world around them, like their friends, their whanau, hapu and iwi, their communities, their schools, their hometown and their country?

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How do rangatahi relate to Maoritanga and iwitanga?

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How does 'being connected' makes a difference in a young person's life?

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Does it make young people happier and healthier?

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What helps young people feel like they belong?

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Do all young people have people around them who can help them in tough times?

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Which relationships are most important to young people?

How are we going to find answers to all our questions? With research!

Today’s Students Create Their Own Virtual Learning Communities

from: Wilen-Daugenti, T. (2009). .edu: Technology and learning environments in higher education. New York: Peter Lang.

Instructors may want to facilitate such community formation by taking a hands-off approach towards social networking: They can point class members to a common SNS, and let them take the initiative from there.8 And, chances are, students will seek out the opportunity to enhance their learning on their own: Half the students ECAR surveyed said they had used Facebook to arrange study groups or meetings, and one-third claimed they used the SNS to collaborate on assignments.9  SNSs also provide an invaluable way for students in online classes ― who may never see one another face-to-face ― to get to know one another and their instructors.

EPIC offers access to a range of products, including databases of journal, newspaper and magazine articles, online encyclopedias and reference books.

For each database, this section gives an overview, links to user guides, and vendor support contact details.

What’s in the databases?

Browse these listings or go directly to All databases A-Z.

By subject:

Arts

Biography

Business

Current affairs

Genealogy

Health

History

Law

Literature

Māori

Music

New Zealand

Science & technology

By type:

Homework resources

Newspapers

Magazines

Research articles

Quick facts

Audio

Images

Video

By audience:

Children

General public

Secondary students

THE LATEST FROM MASHABLES: http://mashable.com/2011/07/12/email-overload/

Email is a symptom of modern information culture. Whereas hierarchy, structure and bureaucracy used to work as a filter that shielded us from the horrors of overload, today’s email is the great democratizer. If you have a brilliant suggestion or an idle complaint, the distance between your idea and a company CEO is the space between the “From” and the “To” fields.

So why all the haters?

I contend that the problems we have with email aren’t about the technology at all — they are about us. So we’d better own up to our core issues, because they’ll follow us no matter which communication medium we use.

1. Loneliness

It’s Saturday morning in your neighborhood, and you’re in line at Starbucks with your family. Why are you checking email on your iPhone?

As much as emails can be annoying, they do make us feel important. Someone wants to talk to us. Remember the Peanuts specials when Charlie Brown would go to his mailbox every day to see if someone sent him a letter?

2. Vanity

Although we’ve all been faced with colleagues who use the “CC” option far too often, are we blameless ourselves?

Perhaps we just want to demonstrate that we’re actually getting things done, or that we are indeed in the know about what’s going on. Whatever the reason, do we consider the effect our message will have on the recipients before thoughtlessly adding to the CC line?

3. Paranoia

And then there’s paranoia.

“I don’t want to be left out.”

“Why was I not copied on that email that I should have known about?”

This aversion to missing out on conversations others are having reinforces our CC addiction.

4. False Productivity

Often, email can be a mindless activity. Answering it gives you quick gratification.

Writing back to people with “thanks” and “great job” is much easier than creating something original from scratch. It’s a way to “get things done” without actually doing anything. This false productivity can be consuming and drain time away from things that actually matter.

Striving for a World With Less Email

We wanted a world of open communication, and we got it. The problem is that openness cuts both ways.

Regardless of the technology, we can address these issues by retraining ourselves and engaging in some serious self-discipline. There are many schools of thought on how to do it and even a grassroots movement that follows TED curator Chris Anderson’s Email Charter.

This is something I consciously work on every day and emphasize in my company. Getting communications right as a society is very simple, and it starts with me as the sender.

“Email unto others as you would have them email unto you.” Or something like that.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Carbon NYC.

Texting Teens: Typing Replaces Talking [INFOGRAPHIC]

4 hours ago by Charlie White

By Danielle WrightPosted: 06/29/2011 01:13 PM EDT In 2011, nooses and Klu Klux Klan outfits are found in high schools nationwide.

If you hear someone being called a racist insult, say something. If you see someone being physically mistreated, say something.

If we continue to ignore the wrongdoings in our community, next time that noose could be the cause of death for one of our loved ones.

When: Thu 7 Jul, 3:00pm–8:00pm 

Where:  Princes Wharf Auckland CBD 

Restrictions:   All Ages

Ticket Information: Admission: Free

Websites:

Sweet As Social Media

Sweet As Youth

Sweet As Parents

Sweet As Social Media on Facebook

We have decided to remind ourselves in a positive way that the late Grahame Maher, was all about "making a world of difference" in life and that he sure managed to do in his lifetime! On what would have been his birthday, the 7th of July, we will be asking others around the world to help us remember to remind youth (& ourselves) to hold onto that faith, believe in hope, and remember anything is possible! Who knows, maybe reminding ourselves often enough will make things happen (it seemed to be enough to get Jess on the front page of the paper anyway, even it was only the local rag!)

Come down and see the campaign to "fight cyberbullies", help us out with some skits and flash mob stunts if we can and say "hi"... But most importantly we want everyone to launch a paper boat at Sunset on the 7 of July and remember, its not only Grahame who is able to make a world of difference in life...

How much do you really know? Check out these facts and myths about bullying.

FACT: People who bully have power over those they bully. 

People who bully others usually pick on those who have less social power (peer status), psychological power (know how to harm others), or physical power (size, strength). However, some people who bully also have been bullied by others. People who both bully and are bullied by others are at the highest risk for problems (such as depression and anxiety) and are more likely to become involved in risky or delinquent behavior. 

FACT: Spreading rumors is a form of bullying. 

Spreading rumors, name-calling, excluding others, and embarrassing them are all forms of social bullying that can cause serious and lasting harm. 

MYTH: Only boys bully. 

People think that physical bullying by boys is the most common form of bullying. However, verbal, social, and physical bullying happens among both boys and girls, especially as they grow older. 

MYTH: People who bully are insecure and have low self-esteem. 

Many people who bully are popular and have average or better-than-average self-esteem. They often take pride in their aggressive behavior and control over the people they bully. People who bully may be part of a group that thinks bullying is okay. Some people who bully may also have poor social skills and experience anxiety or depression. For them, bullying can be a way to gain social status.

MYTH: Bullying usually occurs when there are no other students around. 

Students see about four out of every five bullying incidents at school. In fact, when they witness bullying, they give the student who is bullying positive attention or even join in about three-quarters of the time. Although 9 out of 10 students say there is bullying in their schools, adults rarely see bullying, even if they are looking for it. 

MYTH: Bullying often resolves itself when you ignore it. 

Bullying reflects an imbalance of power that happens again and again. Ignoring the bullying teaches students who bully that they can bully others without consequences. Adults and other students need to stand up for children who are bullied, and to ensure they are protected and safe. 

MYTH: All children will outgrow bullying. 

For some, bullying continues as they become older. Unless someone intervenes, the bullying will likely continue and, in some cases, grow into violence and other serious problems. Children who consistently bully others often continue their aggressive behavior through adolescence and into adulthood. 

MYTH: Reporting bullying will make the situation worse. 

Research shows that children who report bullying to an adult are less likely to experience bullying in the future. Adults should encourage children to help keep their school safe and to tell an adult when they see bullying.

MYTH: Teachers often intervene to stop bullying.

Adults often do not witness bullying despite their good intentions. Teachers intervene in only 14 percent of classroom bullying episodes and in 4 percent of bullying incidents that happen outside the classroom. 

MYTH: Nothing can be done at schools to reduce bullying.

School initiatives to prevent and stop bullying have reduced bullying by 15 to 50 percent. The most successful initiatives involve the entire school community of teachers, staff, parents, students, and community members.

MYTH: Parents are usually aware that their children are bullying others. 

Parents play a critical role in bullying prevention, but they often do not know if their children bully or are bullied by others. To help prevent bullying, parents need to talk with their children about what is happening at school and in the community. 

http://www.stopbullying.gov/topics/what_is_bullying/test_your_knowledge/index.html

The other side of the coin, naturally, is to help students understand how to protect themselves from bullies online and what to do if they're being bullied. Let's discuss some approaches that you can share with your students:

Sometimes, our reactions to seeing someone bullying us online only make the situation worse. One popular piece of advice is to "take five"—get up from the computer (or put down your phone), take a walk and calm down before you respond to something that angers you. It's always good to be able to be as levelheaded as possible.

Google yourself regularly. It may sound silly, but StopCyberBullying.org insists rightly that it's an important habit to get into. Make sure that your private information (think your email address, physical address, instant messaging handle, phone number, etc.) is still private and that you know what's being said about you.

Don't be shy with the "block" button. If someone online is getting abusive, feel free to block that person from your instant messaging, unfriend him on Facebook, etc. Engaging with that person (or getting into a "flame war") never ends well for anyone.

Report anything you see online that makes you feel unsafe. Don't shrug off comments that make you feel physically uncomfortable or threatened. Tell a trusted adult if you are afraid for your safety—it's important.

Protect your private information. You may feel that anyone from school is "safe" to add to Facebook, IM or MySpace. Don't feel obligated to add people you don't know or who are not your real-life friend to your social networking groups. If you don't feel comfortable with them, don't add them. Restrict your circle to close friends and family while you're still in middle school, and only cautiously open it to acquaintances in high school. Don't ever post your phone number, physical address or any other personally identifiable information on any online forum.

Sometimes all the prudence in the world doesn't save a student from being targeted. When that happens, make sure your students understand that you are one person they can come to for help if they need it.

Cyber-bullying is a painful part of being a digital native, but learning how to deal with it and how to be a responsible participant in the online world is a valuable life skill in the here-to-stay internet age.