Bill Gates: "No phone 'till you're 14!"

Bill Gates: "No cell phone 'till you're 14!"

What is the earliest age that a child should have a cell phone? Parents wonder what the right answer to this question is - at what age did YOU get your first cell phone?

Well, Bill Gates chimed in on the subject during a recent interview - he says that his children didn't get one until they were 14. Click HERE for an article on the subject.

Take a look at the "...list of questions parents should answer before giving their child their first phone" at the bottom of the article.

We'll watch this 60 Minutes story in class about how cell phone apps "hack our brains".

HERE is an article about proposed legislation to ban 'pay to win' features in games, such as loot boxes.

What should a student do to make sure that they don't "overuse" or become addicted to their phone or "screen". Do you think you've become addicted to your phone?  What IS the earliest age that you think a child should have a cell phone?

Knowing the risks, what types of things would you want to talk to a child about, like a younger brother or sister, before they are given the responsibility of having a cell phone?

The Skills Gap

 

The Skills Gap

After watching the 60 Minutes report, (link below), discuss the following in your post, and posted conversations during the week:

Despite the fact that the U.S. has a very high unemployment rate, there are some career areas where there are thousands of jobs available that can't be filled.  Why is this?

What can be done - who, according to the video, should have a greater role in this? Who do YOU think should handle the training - or the cost of the training?

As you've thought about what career path you might follow, have you considered the schooling or training that's required?

Be sure to discuss all of these questions, at least in your first post.

60 Minutes: "The Skills Gap"

March of the Machines

 

March Of The Machines

Technology is making our lives simpler, and helping industries to be more efficient, but is it at the cost of our jobs?

Everyone thinks about "what they want to be when they grow up". Do you have to take another look at what you've planned, or start thinking of a new career, because of advances in technology? If you think about it, it's a good thing that we've rolled out the ACP program, because it's important to be aware of what your talents, skill, and abilities are, and how they align with what's waiting out there in the world.

What is the job market going to look like when you look for that first job?

Discuss this idea. I've just given you a couple of questions to get the thought process going.

60 Minutes: "March of the Machines"

The Data Brokers

 

The Data Brokers

After watching these 60 Minutes videos, discuss how you feel about the business of selling private information:

1. Should it be legal? People willingly put their information into questionnaires and online surveys, so marketers or "data brokers" are just using information that people have put out on the internet.

2. What, if anything, should be done about the practice? 

3. If you've filled out a survey or shared personal information with a company, did you have any idea that they'd be able to sell your information?

4. From the second video, what do you think about the steps the woman takes to protect her privacy?

Link: "The Data Brokers"


Link: "How To Defend Your Privacy Online"

What To Do About Misinformation?

 

What To Do About Misinformation?

Social Media Is a Huge source of information - not all of it is GOOD information. Urban legends, myths, conspiracy theories "deep fakes" and other types of false information are everywhere, and it can be difficult to determine what is really true. It's bad enough if this type of information would affect or even harm us individually, but we know that it can also affect us on a global scale, such as influencing an election (and not just the US elections).

Obviously, we have to learn how to identify information that might be biased or untrue - but what about those sources that host the information, such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube? What responsibilities do they have?

The 60 Minutes video we watched in class talks about YouTube and its policies regarding invalid or harmful information. What do you think? Should entities like YouTube, Facebook, etc. be responsible for blocking or identifying misinformation, or should it be the responsibility of the viewer to educate themselves about how to spot "fake news"?

Your Online Image #2

 

Your Online Image #2

You are the young manager of a local ice cream parlor that is beloved by local families. You are looking to hire some teens for the summer when the shop is open late every evening. You require an application and at least one reference. It occurs to you that you could look on Facebook to find out a bit more about the applicants.

What might you find that would make you not hire someone?

Is there anything wrong with using Facebook in this way?

Below are a couple of articles that talk about how employers use social media to help screen applicants.

Keep It Clean: Social Media Screenings Gain in Popularity

Employer’s using social media in hiring process: Why do they do it?

Your Online Image #1

 

Your Online Image #1

You've discussed in your Keynote presentations about how important it is for you to be very careful when you're online.

- be careful with your personal information

- be careful about what you say about others

- be careful about language, images, etc

- be careful about secrets, embarrassing or other personal info about others

Things that you post online can also be damaging to your reputation - now, or in the future.

We're going to handle the blog differently in the next couple of weeks.  You will be presented with different scenarios, that involve online social networking.  Respond to the question(s) asked. Give your answer some thought. 

First Scenario:

You are finally old enough to join a social networking app/site and set up your own profile. You spend a lot of time adding pictures and connecting with things that you "like", and you have links to many friends. Your mom makes her own profile and asks you to be her “friend" (or let her "follow" you, etc).  What do you think about that? Explain your thinking.