The hottest Digital Literacy Substack posts right now

Too much screen time is hurting kids' learning and development. It's taking their focus away from teachers and each other, making them more anxious and isolated.
Studies show that using too much technology in schools isn't helping students. In fact, it can make their learning worse and even affect their mental health.
We need to rethink how much tech kids use in school. Instead of relying on screens, we should promote reading books and spending time with teachers to help kids learn better.

Having rules about smartphone use in schools helps students connect better with their teachers. Many teachers noticed students paying more attention and being more respectful after limiting phone use.
The shift away from screens in the classroom has made a positive difference in students' behavior and engagement. Teachers are seeing students who are more willing to participate and communicate.
Promoting more unsupervised play can help children develop important social skills. This balance is important to counteract the heavy use of technology in their lives.

Kids are often scammed online, especially in gaming environments.
The online gaming world is changing quickly and can feel overwhelming for many.
It's important for adults to understand and engage with these online spaces to better protect kids.

User interfaces have become harder to understand. Instead of getting better, they are now filled with confusing icons without clear labels.
Each company has its own symbols, making it tough for users to know what actions to take. There's no common language for things like saving or moving to the next step.
People are using softer words for tough topics, avoiding direct terms like 'money.' This change makes conversations about real issues less clear.

In today's world, it's really important to know how to find good information online and tell what's true from what isn't. Being able to filter through all the noise is a skill we need to learn.
AI is a big part of our lives now, and we need to understand how to use it effectively and recognize when we're interacting with it. It’s also important to know how to protect ourselves from scams online.
Learning how to navigate online spaces for socializing and education has become essential. Whether it's finding friends, dating, or learning new things, being savvy with technology and online interactions is key.

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Be careful with emails from authority figures; they're likely to be phishing scams aimed at tricking you into sharing personal info.
Phishing is a growing problem, with billions of spam emails sent daily, yet many still get through and lead to cyber attacks.
Studies show that humans are often the weak link in cybersecurity, continually clicking on harmful links despite warnings and training.

Typing in Chinese is complex because it involves using different input methods to represent thousands of characters. This process can be frustrating and often requires negotiating between what you want to say and how the computer interprets your typing.
There is a digital divide in China between generations and socioeconomic groups. Younger people are more familiar with technology, while older individuals may struggle to adapt, leading to varying experiences in the digital world.
Moving from typing Chinese to English can be challenging, as it requires adjusting your muscle memory and skills. This switch highlights how language and technology can create feelings of exclusion for those not fully versed in the dominant digital practices.

In the 1980's TV show Bits and Bytes, the creators had a high expectation of what the average person could understand about computers, aiming to educate at a very basic level on computer usage.
Explaining technical matters to the average person should avoid oversimplification and strive to provide useful truths, similar to how Bits and Bytes used metaphors while maintaining honesty.
When explaining complex technical matters today, it is important to strike a balance between abstraction and detailed knowledge, recognizing that the average person is capable of understanding if sufficiently motivated.

The proposal for compulsory math education until age 18 in the UK received mixed reactions, highlighting the importance of making math appealing and accessible to a wide audience.
Implementing math education until 18 requires consideration of factors like shortage of math teachers and effective delivery methods such as leveraging online resources.
Math education should cover areas such as practical number skills, understanding uncertainty and randomness, and exploring connections between math and other subjects like art and music.

To start a blog on Medium, first create a strong profile. Include your name, a short bio, and links to your other social media or newsletter.
When you start writing, pay attention to formatting using Medium’s tools. Use titles, subtitles, and images to make your posts visually appealing.
Finally, add relevant tags to your posts before publishing. This helps your articles get noticed and reach a wider audience.

The poor state of students' mental health and academic achievement in higher education is not primarily due to identity issues or campus protests, but rather stems from decades of mismanagement.
Higher education institutions are facing severe challenges such as overwhelming class sizes, underpaid contingent faculty, and a shift towards standardized, impersonal tech-driven teaching methods.
Students are grappling with a lack of basic computer skills due to the appification of technology, lack of access to computer labs, and centralization of teaching methods leading to a decline in understanding fundamental concepts.