Social Educational Ripples

How to protect yourself from the onslaught of social media messaging   Marshall McLuhan , the communication researcher, and writer coined the phrase, “ the Medium is the Message. ” McLuhan pointed out that it was how the media depicted the message rather than the message itself which imprints the mind. Although this phrase was first uttered in 1964 it is still as relevant, if not more so, today. While COVID-19 rages across the world, so do conspiracy theories . People and especially the youth are seduced with fear-baiting theories about vaccines: people having tracker devices planted in their body, stalking every move, and all while Bill Gates is smiling in the distance counting his money ( or as this picture would have you do, his tears). Source: Giphy.com The organic, homeopathic, back-to-nature narrative is taken to extremes and people think they don’t need the help of research but can heal everything with herbs. Until they get sick, then they come running to western medicine. ...

How to create a safe, secure, and empowered Digital Universe in Schools!        As technology gradually becomes part of every learning experience at school, educational institutions are trying to adapt. Last week in Social Media class, I read the terms of agreement for YouTube , which I never have read and can infer that is a shared experience among most YouTube. The same goes for the school I work at’s Student Rights & Responsibilities (Remote Learning Edition). I overlooked our school policies regarding how students are guided to use technology and I was surprised when reviewing the lack of positive actions it reinforced while focusing almost exclusively on the negative and punitive consequences.  I am grateful for our school warning students against bullying and inciting hate but it should additionally outline the behavior expected by the students. The Student’s Rights reads, “Use of Cellular telephones or other information technology devices to harass, ...