Page 209 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Chapter 8 • Tools for Parents

As with any technology tool, these are constantly being updated, changed, or
rendered obsolete. One rule of thumb that I preached early on in my career
was having a strong filter on a family computer that was placed somewhere
in the center of the house. Now with mobile devices and 4G internet, there
are times where no internet filter is being accessed and the “computer” can go
anywhere.

Thus, while some of the restrictions and filters in this chapter are specific to
a tool or device, be aware that they are ever-changing. Also, as the tools for
restriction change, so do the tools for getting around the restriction—which is
why we spent several chapters going over scenarios and the hard conversations
that need to take place with you and your child.

Caution: These tools do not replace parenting.

Tools for iOS Users

Being the director of a 1:1 iPad implementation, I have a heightened sense of
awareness when it comes to all things iOS. That coupled with the fact that of
the kids in our community who own a phone, 80% have one from Apple. The
tools and restrictions mentioned in this section are based on the most up-to-
date (summer 2016 as of this writing) tools in the current operating system.
As those will change over time, I’ll also include some links to resources and
places to go to find more information in these areas.

App Management Strategies

One of the biggest concerns we discovered early on was that some students
spent a great deal of their screen time on non-instructional or entertainment-
based apps. Although we could restrict certain categories, it becomes an
almost futile effort to block everything that a child may or may not download.
Some of these strategies are iOS-specific, but many of them also exist in some
form on other mobile-device operating systems.

90 Mobile Learning Mindset: The Parent’s Guide to Supporting Digital Age Learners

Mobile Learning Mindset: The Parent’s Guide to Supporting Digital-Age Learners 209