How Did You Get There?

Children today are often more technically competent than the adults around them. Kids can find the most obscure setting on an iPad or lock their parents out of their cell phones faster than mom or dad can undo the damage. As educators, we cannot simply avoid technology to save ourselves the complexity that can arise when it is used with young people. Rather, young people must be able to appropriately use technology to be prepared for higher education and today’s work force. How can we equip students to use technology in a safe way? One way is to have a technology talk.

What Is a Technology Talk?

A technology talk is a conversation with your class during which you set guidelines for technology usage at school. These conversations can help shape student awareness of online dangers and prevent future problems. You can also use a technology talk to prepare pupils for creating professional looking online profiles.

Before You Start…

Prior to the class discussion, become familiar with the technology and programs that you will be using. Do you need to know how to adjust every setting on the equipment? No, but you should be aware of its capabilities. Can it take pictures? Does it have programs that allow chatting? Knowing this information can help you guide your class's technology conversation.

Start With Why

Begin by discussing the purpose of using technology in your classroom. You can gather responses and display them on your SmartBoard, chart paper, or the like. Increasing learners' understanding of why they are using technology will help them become aware of what they should and should not be doing with it.  For example, if the class understands that the technology is for research purposes, they will be less inclined to take twenty selfies with the school's iPad. There can be multiple correct purposes. Knowing these purposes will also help to shape the class's technology guidelines.

Creating Guidelines

After discussing the purposes of the technology, have the class or small groups create guidelines for their use of technology. Have your own set of guidelines in mind in case they do not come up with everything you would like to include. Here are a few suggestions for using devices:

• Do not alter any or the personalization or settings on the device without specific instructions
• Access only the programs that are designated by the teacher
• While on the Internet, keep searches relevant to what is being taught in class

Interacting Online

Bullying and inappropriate language are more likely to appear in arenas in which chatting, posting, or commenting features are available. If you will be using a program with one of these options, the benefits of discussing appropriate online behavior will not end when school lets out. As before, feel free to ask students to generate their own guidelines for appropriate usernames and the types of things should or should not be written online.

Provided are some suggestions to have in your mind during the class discussion:

• Grandma Goggles - Ask your students to think about whether they would want their grandmother or one of her friends to see what they are about to post. If not, don't post it. This includes profanity and sexual statements. Calling this process "grandma goggles" makes it a fun way for students to remember to check what they are posting. They can simply ask themselves if they have their "grandma goggles" on.
• One Post - Place everything you would like to say in one post. Young people tend to write several posts of only a few words each. Encourage them to use only one post when possible and to say it as concisely as possible.
• Encouraging Words Only - Only words of encouragement should be posted. This disallows name calling, gossip, and bullying in one statement.
• Safety - Never post or send personal information like phone numbers, addresses, or pictures they would not want their principal to see on a public forum. 

Setting up the purpose and guidelines for online activities should involve your students as much as possible. As you wrap up your conversation, be sure to inform them of the consequences of violating these guidelines. By having this discussion and being consistent in enforcing consequences, you will have a smoother year using technology, and they will have a valuable, applicable, new life skill.