Raising digital children

In these days parents are buying smart devices and giving their approval to use modern technology to the new generation.  Parents are handing over smart devices to their kids and being proud that their kids are using technology.  It is something common parents are passing over  their smart phones to entertain kids, while they were out shopping or sitting with friends, at cafe, or eating out.

In my opinion, just hand over smart devices will not finish parents rule. We should teach our children  internet glossary, teach them how to be safe online. Parents, teachers both have a responsibility to teach a new generation about digital safety because we are raising digital children.

Therefore, it is part of our duty as parents , as teachers, teach them to make good decisions online even if you are not around. We should provide them all the knowledge about internet. I collected some information, I think all the parents should know before handing over smart devices to their kids.

Parental control : use parental control tools to block access to inappropriate content, monitor the amount of time your kids spend online and create internet activity reports. . Windows 7 and 8 comes with a suite of parental controls. Consider independent parental control software as a means to bolster or reproduce standard Windows 8 controls.

Piracy                                              

Piracy is often strictly enforced and can result in thousands of dollars in fines as well as confiscation of your home computer. Talk to your kids about piracy. Use parental controls in Windows 8 to block downloads. Show children how to download legally.

Positioning Your Family Computer

Consider placing the family computer in a central area of the home where it can be easily monitored and observed. Talk to your kids if they insist on closed-door internet sessions, or are unusually secretive about internet use,this may be a sign of an inappropriate online relationship.

Privacy

Tell your kids not to reveal personal information about themselves or their family online. Even seemingly innocuous information like age and gender can be dangerous when revealed to the wrong audience. Discourage young kids from filling out online profiles on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook or Windows Live Spaces. As a parent, I do not allow my kids to use social media sites, I told them when you will be 18 you are free to use these sites.

As teachers, or parents, we should teach them these internet glossary. I got fallowing internet, terms from grammar you dictionary.com on their page.

Computer Terms for Children

Here are some computer terms for children that most children need to know.   

•        Backup - This is an extra copy of a file or document. 

•        Browser - This is the program you use to browse files.  A web browser will browse internet files, like Firefox or Internet Explorer. 

•        Burn a CD - This means to make a copy of data onto a CD. It is called “burn” because it actually heats up the CD.

•        Cursor - Usually a small arrow on the screen that moves when you move the mouse. The cursor is used to make a selection.

•        Caret or Insertion Point - This is that small blinking line that shows you where your next typed letter or number will go. 

•        Data - Any information stored by a computer. It can be files, E-mails, video games, songs, pictures, etc.

•        Desktop - This is the screen that appears if you are not browsing the Internet, reading a file, or playing a game. Your icons are on this screen.

•        Download - This is the process where you copy something from another computer or the Internet, and save it on your computer.

•        Drag and drop - To do this, you click on something and hold the button down. This will move the OBJECT  you clicked on and will leave it where you let go of the button. So it drags it and drops it.

•        E-mail - This is simply a way to send a message from one computer to another.

•        FAQ - This is an abbreviation for Frequently Asked Questions.

•        Graphic - This is a picture or an image.

•        Homepage - This is the first page you see when you open your browser.  You can make any page your homepage. 

•        Icon - This is a small symbol or picture that represents a program or other things.

•        Internet - Many computers that are connected like a web so you can see what other computer operators show you and you can show them things as well.

•        Logon - You have to do this to get access to a computer. You just type in a certain name or code.

•        Memory - This is the data that a computer store. Long term memory must be saved to the hard drive.

•        Password - This is a secret code to protect your data and can keep others from accessing your computer.

•        Right click - When you right click on the mouse, you are given a menu of options.

•        Screensaver - This is a picture that pops up when you are not using your computer.

•        Shortcut - When you click on an icon, it is a shortcut to a file or program. 

•        Software - This is all the instructions for the computer or a program designed to do different things. Examples are: Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, and Windows.

•        Spam: This is an abbreviation for "sending particularly annoying messages"; it stands for unwanted e-mail.

•        Task bar - The bar beside the Start button that shows what programs are open.

•        URL - The address of documents and resources on the internet. 

•        User - Anyone using a computer.

•        Virus - Software that was written to do bad stuff to your computer.

•        Wallpaper - A picture or design on your desktop for decoration.

•        WWW or World Wide Web - Group of internet servers linking computers around the world