THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO LIFE ONLINE by Nicola Morgan … · THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO LIFE ONLINE by Nicola...
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THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO LIFE ONLINE by Nicola Morgan TEACHING NOTES Thank you for your interest in The Teenage Guide to Life Online (TTGLO). You might be thinking of using the book in school; or trying to understand current science about the positives and negatives of screen-use, the Web and social media. Or you might be planning a visit from me to your school. I give talks on adolescent wellbeing all over the world and I know the best events happen when the students are well-prepared. But you’re busy, so these ideas will make it easy for you! Whatever your aims, this short set of notes will help you. TTGLO is perfect for the whole of secondary school. It would also be useful for upper primary and for parents and school staff: anyone who cares about adolescent wellbeing. These notes show you what TTGLO covers and offer ideas and activities to help your students get the most from the book and help you encourage healthy online behaviours. I envisage that you’d read each chapter before sharing aspects of it or reading it to them. You won’t need a class set of TTGLO – though schools do use my books in that way and it would be a great idea! You just need a copy for yourself and maybe one or two in the school library. If I’m doing an event with you, I always bring a free book or two. WHAT THE BOOK COVERS – AND IDEAS FOR ACTIVITY OR DISCUSSION: Note: every section apart from the introductory Welcome to the Internet is split into Positives and Negatives, and then has How to Avoid These Negatives. WELCOME TO THE INTERNET Brief history of the Web; fascinating facts; why it’s so tempting and may be addictive; safety. IDEAS for class activity/discussion: • Check some of the stats and see how they’ve changed. (Refs at end of section.) • Do the smartphone addiction quiz on p31 • Discuss problems they think might come from being dependent on phones/screens. Have any tried to reduce usage? What good/bad habits do they feel they have? • Discuss the online safety tips. Do students have stories to tell about problems they’ve had or heard about? • Make a Six Tips to Be Safe Online poster. They should hone the words to make most impact.
Transcript of THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO LIFE ONLINE by Nicola Morgan … · THE TEENAGE GUIDE TO LIFE ONLINE by Nicola...
THETEENAGEGUIDETOLIFEONLINE
byNicolaMorganTEACHINGNOTES
ThankyouforyourinterestinTheTeenageGuidetoLifeOnline(TTGLO).Youmightbethinkingofusingthebookinschool;ortryingtounderstandcurrentscienceaboutthepositivesandnegativesofscreen-use,theWebandsocialmedia.Oryoumightbeplanningavisitfrommetoyourschool.IgivetalksonadolescentwellbeingallovertheworldandIknowthebesteventshappenwhenthestudentsarewell-prepared.Butyou’rebusy,sotheseideaswillmakeiteasyforyou!
Whateveryouraims,thisshortsetofnoteswillhelpyou.TTGLOisperfectforthewholeofsecondaryschool.Itwouldalsobeusefulforupperprimaryandforparentsandschoolstaff:anyonewhocaresaboutadolescentwellbeing.ThesenotesshowyouwhatTTGLOcoversandofferideasandactivitiestohelpyourstudentsgetthemostfromthebookandhelpyouencouragehealthyonlinebehaviours.Ienvisagethatyou’dreadeachchapterbeforesharingaspectsofitorreadingittothem.Youwon’tneedaclasssetofTTGLO–thoughschoolsdousemybooksinthatwayanditwouldbeagreatidea!Youjustneedacopyforyourselfandmaybeoneortwointheschoollibrary.IfI’mdoinganeventwithyou,Ialwaysbringafreebookortwo.WHATTHEBOOKCOVERS–ANDIDEASFORACTIVITYORDISCUSSION:Note:everysectionapartfromtheintroductoryWelcometotheInternetissplitintoPositivesandNegatives,andthenhasHowtoAvoidTheseNegatives.WELCOMETOTHEINTERNETBriefhistoryoftheWeb;fascinatingfacts;whyit’ssotemptingandmaybeaddictive;safety.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Checksomeofthestatsandseehowthey’vechanged.(Refsatendofsection.)• Dothesmartphoneaddictionquizonp31• Discussproblemstheythinkmightcomefrombeingdependentonphones/screens.
Haveanytriedtoreduceusage?Whatgood/badhabitsdotheyfeeltheyhave?• Discusstheonlinesafetytips.Dostudentshavestoriestotellaboutproblems
they’vehadorheardabout?• MakeaSixTipstoBeSafeOnlineposter.Theyshouldhonethewordstomakemost
impact.
SOCIALLIFEONLINEOpportunitiestomakefriends;broadenminds;contactpeoplewithsameproblems,valuesorneeds;easeofconversation.Manypossiblenegativesincluding:over-use;oversharingandonlinedisinhibition;competitionwith“perfect”lives;“like-spamming”;self-esteem;trollingandcyber-bullying;more“friends”thanyoucanmanage;lossofconversationskills.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Debate:“Socialmedialeadstobettersociallives”.Generateaformaldebate,withoneteamarguingforeachside.Vote!(Anddotellmetheresult!)
• Eachstudenttochooseapositiveoranegative(orboth)andwriteashortpieceabouttheirexperienceofeach.
• Whatistheirfavouritesocialmediaplatform?Aretherethingstheywishweredifferentaboutit?Whatwouldthe“perfect”platformbelike?Whyhasn’tsomeonedesignedit?(Thinkaboutcommercialaspects–needtomakemoney.)
• Howimportantisitthatpeople“like”orrespondtoposts?Howdoesitmakethemfeelwhenveryfewdo?Whataretheproblemswiththisfeeling?
THEKNOWLEDGEANDINFORMATIONEXPLOSIONPositives–suchastheeaseoffindingfacts;becominggoodatskim-reading;abilitytogrowexpertise;alltheamazingappsandtools–arebalancedagainstnegatives:informationoverload;losingdeepreadingskills;reducedmemory;fakenews;accesstopornography.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Howdoweknowwhatwereadistrue?Whyistheresometimesfalseinfoonline?(Deliberateandaccidentalreasons.)Howcouldyoucheck?Howmucheffortdoyoumaketocheck?Doyousometimesjustbelievethingsbecausetheysoundexciting?
• AccordingtoWikipedia,whatwasmynamebeforeImarried?(Wikipediaiswrong!)• Cantheyfindanyexamplesoffakenews?(SeeSnopes,thewebsite–
www.snopes.com–forcheckingtruthofviralnews/videoetc.)BUSYBRAINS:ACTIVEANDALERTOurscreensallowustoexerciseourbrains;neverbebored;learnskills;freeourmemoryforotheractivities.Butthisisanareawithreallyimportantnegatives:distractionandlowerconcentration;mentalexhaustion;lossoffree-thinkinganddaydreamingtime.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Discuss:howeasydoyoufindittoconcentrate?Whohasaphoneinviewwhiletryingtowork?Whydoyouthinkthatmightaffectconcentration?
• Designanexperimenttomeasureeffectofworkingwithphonenearorofhavingotherwindows/Appsopenwhileworkingonscreen,comparedtoworkingwithoutpossibilityofinterruptions.Whatideascantheycomeupwithtotestthis?
• Experimentwithperiodsoftimewhennoscreensareusedinclass.Talkabouthowitfeels.Doweagreescreens/Internetarefantasticbutmaybetherearetimeswhenit’sbettertoswitchoff?
• Getstudentstomakeadiarytorecordon-screen/off-screentimesover24-hourperiod.Anytimespentlookingatscreen(includingphone)countsason-screen.Alsorecordhowoftentheycheckphone.
• Whosometimesfeelsexhaustedbyonlineoron-screenactivity?UseSwitchOffScreentime.Increasedailyoff-screentimebydeliberatelybuildinginfun,engagingoff-screenactivities:playsport,havefun,chat,becreative,readabook,rideabike.
THEINTERNETANDCREATIVITYTheWebprovidesloadsofopportunitiestobecreative,inart,video-making,writing,craftsorlearningnewskillsandhobbies.Youcanshowcasecreations,makemoney,improvetechnique,usedesigntoolsandevenbefamous!Onthedownside,youmightpublishworkbeforeit’sready;yourisknotlearningcrucialbasicskillsbecausesoftwaredoesitforyou;workcanbestolenoryoucanberippedoff;andthere’scopyingratherthantrueoriginality.Butthesenegativesareeasytoavoid.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Whatcreativethingsdoyouenjoy?Whohasmadeavideo,recordedmusic,writtenstories,createdartwork,andputitonline?Whatdotheylike/notlikeaboutthis?
• WhatarefavouriteAppsforcreatingthings?• HowhastheWebhelpedyoulearntodothings?
READINGONSCREENSReadingonscreenmeanswedon’thavetocarrylotsofheavybooks;wecankeepourreadingprivate;wecanadapttextifwe’redyslexicorvisuallyimpaired.Butarewelosingabilitytoreaddeeply?Ifwereadquickly,mightwemissthings?Evidencesuggestsscreenreadingismoredistracting;somepeoplefindithardertogetintoabook.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Whoreadsforpleasure?Whoreadsebooks?Whofindsitaseasy/enjoyabletoreadanebookasaprintbook?
• Investigatebenefitsofreadingforpleasure.(Mywebsitehasasectiononthereadingbrain;also,put“readingforpleasure”or“readaxation”intothesearchbox.)
• Downloadthe“readaxationdiary”frommywebsiteanduseitasaclassactivity.THEINTERNETANDMOODThisiswhereresearchtellsusleastandheadlinesshoutloudest,butIbelievewecanuseself-awarenesstoseehowscreensmightaffectmood–forbetter,worseorboth.Positivesincludebeingabletogetsupportonline;thingstolaughat;chancetotakeourmindoffworries.Butnegativesabound:increasedanxietyorlowmoodfromreadingscaryorsadnewsstories;bombardmentofinfo;seeingeveryone’sapparentlyperfectlives;howeasyitistoreactangrilyandemotionally.
IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:Caution:thisisanareawheretriggeringnegativethoughtsisagenuinerisk.Thistopicneedstobetackledverysensitively,withstrategiesforoptingoutandforexpressingstress.Beawareofwhichstudentsareespeciallyvulnerable.Emphasisethatitisnormalhumanbehaviourtobeaffectedbysad/scarythings.
• Howdoyoufeelwhenyoufirstreadastoryofsomethingbadhappeninginthenews?Howdoyoufeeleachtimeyoureadaboutitagain?Doyoufeelcompelledtoreadallthedetails,overandover?Doyougetthefeelingthisisunhealthy?Canyouthinkofsomestrategiestoavoidthis?
• Howmuchdopeoplefilterandeditwhattheyputonline?Whateffectcanithaveifwealwaysseeperfectversionsofotherlives?
• Createapoemorpieceofartworktoexpresshowsomeonemightfeelwhentheyseeeveryone’sperfectlives.
• LookatsomeoftheDoveCampaignforrealBeautyvideos–thesearenotonlyaimedatgirlsandIthinkallgendersshouldseethem.
• Doyouknowthatlaughterraisesmood?WhatareyourfavouritefunnyYouTubevideos?Cantheclasswatchonenowandseehowitimprovesmood?
• Howhardisittostepawaywhenyourealisesomethingonlineismakingyoufeelbad–whethersadstoriesonanargumentamongstfriends?Canyoucomeupwithstrategiesforsteppingaway?
• Dramaactivity:ingroups,createa<5-minutedramaaboutsomethinghappeningonlinewhichisnegativelyaffectingsomeone.Howdoesitturnout?
• Whowillyouturntoifsomethingbadishappeningtoyouonline?Dowehavestrategiesinplaceforthat?
THEINTERNETANDSLEEPThisistheonlytopicwhereIfoundnopositives!(OtherthantheabilitytousetheWebtolearnaboutsleep…)Icoverthereasonswhyusingscreenscanhaveanegativeimpactonsleep,becauseofthelight(usually)beingasimilarwavelengthtodaylightandourdevicesbringingusalerting,excitingorstressfulmessages.IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Askstudentstoinvestigatethescience–it’softenamoreproductivewaythanussimplytellingthem.
• Discussthe“digitalsunset”ideainmywebsitearticle:“Digitalsunset–agreatideaforwellbeingandsleep:www.nicolamorgan.com/life-online/digital-sunset-great-idea-wellbeing-sleep/There’salinktoausefulvideo.
• Challenge:foroneweekagreetokeepallscreensofffrom1.5hoursbeforeanagreedbed-timeuntilthemorning.(Wherepossible,devicesshouldbeoutofthebedroom,toavoidtemptation.)Getparentstodothesame.
USEYOURNEWPOWERSThefinalsectionencouragesreaderstomakeuseofwhattheyhavelearntandsuggestsarangeoftipsforgoodscreenhabits,followedbySIXSTEPSTOONLINEWELL-BEING.(Ihaveausefulpostcardtohighlightthefourmostimportantpoints.)IDEASforclassactivity/discussion:
• Readthetipsanddiscusseach–orchooseafewtofocuson.• InvestigatethePomodorotechniqueandthinkofwaystoapplyit.• Howmightyougetparents/familytofollowthesameguidelines.• Eachstudentcouldmakeapostertoshowthewaystheyspendtheirday,including
onlineandoff-lineactivities.(Couldbeaclock-face.)Askthemtodecidewhethertheyfeeltheydoenoughofthefollowing:sleep,physicalexercise,face-to-faceconversation,offline/off-screenhobbiesandjusttimetolettheirmindswander.(Daydreamingisgoodforus–thereismoreonthatinthebook.)
GENERALIDEASFORYOURSTUDENTS1. Downloadapostcardoftips,whichyoucanprintand/orenlargefordisplay.(See
www.nicolamorgan.comàBooksàTeenageGuidetoLifeOnlineàscrolltothelink.)IfIvisityourschool,I’llbringsomesignedpostcardsandsomepostersfortheschool.
2. Askstudentstoinvestigatemeonline.Theyshouldusemywebsiteandotherplaces.Getthemtoconsiderhowthey’llknowwhatisreliable.• WhatsortofpersondotheythinkIam?WhydoIunderstandteenagerswell?AmIa
scientist?WhydoIwanttohelpyoungpeople?DoIspendalotoftimeonline?!WhatsocialmediaplatformsdoIuse?DoIusethemwell?WhatdoInotuse?Why?
3. TakethisLifeOnlinesurveyonline:www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/P8R939R4. TakethisPositivelyTeenagesurvey:www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5L8LCQK5. TaketheReadaxationsurvey:www.surveymonkey.com/r/QHRPCC96. Chooseaquestiontoaskmeviamywebsite.Obviously,Ican’tanswerloadsandloads
ofquestionsbutifyourclasspicksoneI’llbemorethanhappytoanswer.Imightansweritonmywebsiteandgivetheschool/classaname-check–letmeknowifthat’sok.ContactusingtheContactpageofmywebsite.(UntilJune8th2018there’sacompetitioninvolvingaskingquestions.SeetheNewssectionofmywebsite.)
7. IfI’mvisiting,discussquestionstoask.Youcanmakethisworkbestwithaclassdiscussioninadvance,sothattheclasscanchooseinterestingquestions.Wecouldputtheminaboxformetopickoryoucouldsendtheminadvanceorwhateveryoulike.
Dovisitmywebsitetoseeallthefreeresourcesaswellasinformationaboutmyotherbooksandworkwithyoungpeople.IhopeyouenjoyTheTeenageGuidetoLifeOnlineandmyotherbooks,especiallyBlameMyBrain,TheTeenageGuidetoStress,TheTeenageGuidetoFriendsandPositivelyTeenage.Remember:Idoeventsforteenagers,professionalsandparents.SeetheSpeakingareaofmywebsite.NicolaMorganwww.nicolamorgan.com
Notes
