An 80:20 talk-based, training session, where you get 80% of what you need to know in 20% of the time most training sessions take. You'll either live without the other 20% or at least know the questions to ask and where to get answers.
An hour long, perfect for lunchtime brain food sessions.
Title: Helping kids manage screen time
Because: 'Screen time' is the elephant in every room, creating almost as much tension between parents and kids as between parents themselves. But what, if anything, to do?
Background: This is my black ops session and will make me public enemy number one for some kids, not least my own. Managing screen time at all may seem odd coming from a self obsessed geek, who helped launch PS1 and Tomb Raider and pogo'd with Lara Croft to Blink 182 at the XBox launch party in LA in 2001.
It stems from my surprise at the impact screen time has on families yet how little most parents know about how they can manage it.
I'm baffled why many highly educated, often tech literate families simply pull the internet router of the wall every evening to stop their kids going on line. Talk about cutting your nose to spite your face! Why not just kill the electricity supply while you're at it and go to bed yourself?
Many parents and teachers are just too busy to find the time to look into it further, so this one hour session will tell you all you need to know. The good things about screen time and the bad and how you can help your kids manage their screen time with simple tools and technques.
They'll probably never thank you for it. They might hate you for it. Me to, but hey one day they'll realise that some of the people they most respect had their screen time managed and manage their kids' time too.
Who: This is a very accessible session that covers a whole range of entry level approaches to understanding the impact of and helping kids manage their screen time. It is suitable for parents, god-parents, grand parents, neighbour hipsters as well as teachers/TAs for CPD. No computing ability required beyond basic use of a computer.
Covers:
What is 'Screen time' and when and why should you try not to even call it that!
To manage screen time or not, that is the question.
Digital creation .v. digital consumption - give a child a computer game, they'll play it. Give them coding skills and they'll create games. And maybe a future for themselves.
A look at screen addiction, the sign and potential damage.
On overview of various tools and strategies to help manage screen time at home and away. Many are free, all affordable and some you've already got, you just haven't bothered to RTFM.
Includes: Delegates will get summary notes, links and further references as well as access to a short refresher video.
Why me, Nick Corston: As a dad and via my work with parenting experts, educators and child psychologists. I have gained extensive experience and understanding of the issues around screen time management but like you I'm no expert and my kids are no angels.
I consulted to the first BBC Education documentary on coding the Raspberry Pi and have worked with Barclays Digital Eagles on teaching primary children to code the BBC:Microbit. I have delivered a course on Google Campus as part of London Internet Week to an audience that included a wide range of parents including members of Google's tech team, all of whom found it invaluable and enjoyable.
This course is an eye opener for parents and teachers alike.
