Series

Getting Tech Ready: Fall 2020

This year, your child’s desk might be the dining room table, the cafeteria is the kitchen, and chatting between classes takes place over text or video chat, instead of at their lockers.

During a typical autumn, back-to-school means back to early mornings at the bus stop, packed lunches, and catching up with friends while waiting for the first bell. But this year, your child’s desk might be the dining room table, the cafeteria is the kitchen, and chatting between classes takes place over text or video chat, instead of at their lockers.

Despite the many changes that 2020 has brought to daily life, back to school can be a great teachable moment when it comes to technology. As we transition away from a summer that has seen lots of heightened screen time due to the pandemic, kids will now also be logging more online hours as they navigate distance learning and social activities. Talking to your child early on avoids potential problems in the future and builds good habits from the start. Consider having a family meeting within the first few weeks of school as routines develop and logging on for class becomes second nature. Decide what works best for your family and your rules, and try using tools like a family safety agreement to enforce them.

FOSI is committed to supporting families during a time when back-to-school is unlike any other year. Throughout the next few weeks, we will be sharing our latest resources on the Good Digital Parenting site, as well as featuring advice from experts in online safety.

Below is a list of topics you can expect advice from:

  • Media literacy
  • Digital citizenship and conducting yourself online
  • New opportunities for students to get involved in their community
  • Research findings relating to COVID-19, families, and technology

Come back each week to discover new tips specific to this crazy school year as we continue to support resilient tech-savvy children.

Blog Post

Getting Tech Ready: A Back-to-School Primer for Distance Learning