Nutshell and Utah Education Network's Short Internet Safety Videos are Pretty Good!

   Through a blog I recently read, I learned about the website called Nutshell. It has lots of short animated videos about things people don't understand. In other words, they explain a concept or idea in a "nutshell". Well, the blog I read focused on a portion of the site that schools, counselors, and parents may appreciate. The Utah Education Network has produced and is still producing Internet safety, etiquette, and proper usage videos. I just watched a couple and thought they were pretty good, even for the high school age. If you have kids at home and don't understand something about the Internet, you could watch these videos and then have your kids watch them. Or watch them together. They are not very detailed, but the get the general idea across, in a "nutshell". Lots of other videos on the site that could be of interest, but I am posting the link directly to the Internet safety videos as well as the link to the Nutshell homepage. Enjoy

Utah Education Network Internet Safety Videos click here!

Nutshell home page click here!

Planet Nutshell | Web Videos | Explainer Videos | Educational Videos: NetSafe Episode 1: What is the Internet? (Grades K-3)

Middle School Kids and Smartphones, a Recent Survey

Catching up on my blog reading, I came across a recent national survey questioning middle schoolers and their cell phone, or more specificially, smart phone use in and outside of school. Personally, I am noticing more and more students pulling out cell phones after the school day is done and more and more of these phones are smart phones. Even my own 8th graders have told me they sometimes complete my email assignments on their phones. We currently do not allow cell phone use in school and during the school day, but I know some middle schools do. With data like this in this survey, smart phone use in schools will only continue to be debated as to whether it should be allowed or not. Please see the survey at the link below.

Middle School Smart Phone Use survey

More "Student Blogging" Links that Show Benefits to Student Blogging

As we enter 2nd semester, our 8th grade students will continue to run their own student blogs. Some students have really had fun with these and really grown in their writing skills. And some, some are still trying to remember to blog! So far, I have given them topics to write about and interacted with them by commenting on every blog (I think I commented on over 600 blog posts during the first semester!). Now, students will be posting blogs about their literacy topic they choose during the 3rd quarter. And students will be going out on the web and reading blogs they have interest in and commenting on those. So...students will start to interact with other writers out in our world and invite those writers back to their own blog. Students will be given some training on how to comment appropriately on other people's blogs and the importance of comments and feedback when writing before they actually go leave feedback and comments on blogs. These blogging assignments should be fairly easy for the students since they are not re-creating any new material (just blogging what they write for literacy) and they are reading and commenting on blogs they have interest in already. So, it should be a fun quarter for the students!

And just to re-visit why I have the students blogging, several new stories and research articles have popped up about student blogging that I thought parents and students might have interest in. Please click the links below to learn more about the powerful benefits of student blogging. Have a great 2012!

Student Blogs May Reduce Social Stress.

Six Reasons Students Should Blog

2012: Year of the Student Blogger?

And remember, if you want to view your child's 8th grade student blog, go to my blogsite (I don't use it much, but I do use it to house all of our student blogs) and look for their name down the left hand side of the screen. When you find it, click on it and you will be taken to their blog site. Enjoy!

Mr. Barry's Counseling Edublog Site

Top Ways Teens are Getting into Trouble When Online

Came across an interesting article today while going through my Google Reader updates. This was linked on a blog I read and after clicking on it, I even learned some things. As your kids/teens go online and do the many things they do (remember....online means computer, laptop, tablet computer, phone, Ipod Touch, etc....online is almost everywhere now!), they might be at risk by doing things they don't think twice about. Please click on this link and read the article. It is a little complex at times if you are like me and do not know everything about the Internet, but maybe you could have your teen read it with you and explain what it means. I have a feeling they will know what these 5 risky online behaviors are. Bottom line: You can never be too safe when going online....

Click below.

Internet Safety For Teens: Top 5 Ways Teens Are Getting Into Trouble Online

Khan Academy Can Help With Homework

I have mentioned this to many educators and I know some of our teachers have used this website before, but I thought it might be good to provide parents with the link and information in case they wanted to use it or wanted their kids to use it. So....what is "it"?

"It" is the Khan Academy website where a teacher records very simple forms of teaching on thousands of topics. Everything from adding single digit numbers to advanced calculus is on this site with more getting added all the time. It began as a way for the creator of the site to teach a relative who lived far away and he posted his lessons online through Youtube. Then, he realized that other people were viewing his videos and learning too. It has exploded from there to be a free online "teacher" of countless basic school subject lessons. The company is a non-profit company and the videos are watched in classrooms, homes, and villages across the world. So, how could you use it? Need to help your child on their math homework but lost on what they are doing? Search the topic in the Khan Academy and re-learn the problem on your own time and impress your child by teaching them how to do it!! Or, watch the video with your child and learn together! I have attached the website to click on below, but I also put a video so you can learn just exactly what the Khan Academy is. Please visit and use this amazing site!

Khan Academy

Watch this short 3 minute video to learn more and prepare to be amazed!

Go Online WITH Your Kids Sometimes!

I liked this video as it was simple and short and made me think. Now, your kids are not driving your car, but they are driving on the Internet Superhighway....are you a passenger or did you just wish them luck? Just like driving, you might have to train them for several years before they are ready. Once they are ready, you might have to test them. If they pass the test, you might have to ride "shotgun" with them for awhile. And finally, you might have to let them drive the Internet on their own and hope they remember all of your tips, hope they are responsible and mature about this right of theirs, and hope they come back safely when they are done. As a counselor, I see "wrecks" all the time on the Internet with our students and I worry we as adults don't do enough to train them. Partly because we didn't grow up with the Internet, but also partly because we just don't have time. I am starting to realize that I (and we) need to make time. The Internet is a large and strange place without many rules, but can be a great tool as long as we are taught how to use it correctly and responsibly. Something to think about as you watch this short video.....