Safe In 60: Keeping Kids Safe As They Learn Online
Aug 10, 2020, 7:14 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Most of Utah’s children are learning how to learn in an online environment – more so than ever before due to the pandemic.
When students log on for the fall semester, some as early as this week, will they get the same protection at home that they would at school?
“When we get those devices home and we’re on home Wi-Fi, not all the time those protections remain in place,” said Dani Sloan with the Utah Education Telehealth Network. “So it’s something that parents need to be aware of and monitor.”
Sloan said her goal is to make sure parents know how to keep their kids safe, how to find the right filters, and how to choose the right technology. Most importantly, though, she wants to make sure parents know how to talk to their kids to make sure they are in a position to make good choices.
“The first thing, the most proactive thing you can do is inform your student about what to look for and what not to look for,” she said, “and what are our family values when it comes to being online? And who are we online?”
She advises families not to run out and buy an expensive laptop because the chances are your child’s district will provide the right hardware for each students. She also suggests parents check with their internet service providers to find adequate filters for parental control.
UETN’s website provides information for parents, teachers and students – from homework and schoolwork to relationship and social issues.
Sloan said one of the main issues to talk to children about is how to be positive and avoid the negative in the social media sphere.