Episode 157: Your Kids Can Outsmart Your Wi‑Fi, But Can They Write An Email?

The way our kids learn has changed faster than most classrooms and homes can keep up. We’re past the era of memorizing from a single textbook; the real advantage now is knowing how to verify a claim, trace a source, and turn digital tools into deeper learning—not distractions. I share a clear roadmap for parents and educators who want students to thrive in a world where search results, AI tools, and social feeds shape what children see and believe.

You’ll hear why starting media literacy in elementary school matters, how personalized and competency‑based models unlock growth, and where game‑based learning and collaborative platforms can raise engagement and agency. I lay out 10 practical benefits digital tools bring to classrooms, from real‑time feedback to publish‑ready student work that builds pride and audience awareness.

Beyond the classroom, I tackle the hidden gaps: keyboarding, file management, safe browsing, email etiquette, privacy, and data analysis. I  connect digital citizenship with social and emotional learning, pointing to tools like VoiceThread, Headspace, and Canva that foster perspective taking, mindfulness, and reflective goal‑setting. For families seeking real support, I outline a community‑powered solution—school “Tech Nights” that turn family engagement into shared learning, complete with themes, short activities, and simple guides so parents can practice the same tools their kids use every day.

If you’re ready to raise savvy, ethical, and capable digital learners, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share with a fellow parent or teacher, and leave a review to help more families find practical strategies that work.

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Chapters

• 1:01 Welcome & Host Background
• 3:36 Why Digital Learning Matters Now
• 5:39 From Memorizing To Verifying Online Information
• 7:29 CRAP vs SIFT: Credibility Checks
• 8:30 Starting Digital Literacy In Elementary
• 9:50 How Digital Tools Drive Deeper Learning
• 11:46 Ten Benefits For Teachers And Classrooms
• 18:06 The Hidden Tech Skill Gaps In Students
• 19:36 Eight Essential Student Tech Competencies
• 22:30 Tech For SEL: Kindness And Collaboration
• 24:45 Parents’ Digital Skills And Equity Gaps
• 27:19 A Practical Fix: School Tech Nights
• 29:46 How To Run A Successful Tech Night
• 30:57 Key Takeaways And Closing CTA

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:36

Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education Insights, Empowering Parents of Color Podcast. The podcast that converges at the intersection of educational research and parental actions. It's about making the trends, topics, and theories in public education understandable so that you can implement them into practical, actionable strategies that work for your children. My name is Dr. Kim J. Fields, former corporate manager, turned education researcher, and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast. I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African-American mom raising my two kids who were in the public school system. I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system. Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress. This battle-tested experience is what I provide as action steps for you to take. It's like enjoying a bowl of educational research with a sprinkling of motherwit wisdom on top. If you're looking to find out more about the current information and issues in education that could affect you or your children, and the action steps you can take to give your children the advantages they need, then you're in the right place. Thanks for tuning in today. I know that staying informed about K-12 public education trends and topics is important to you, so keep listening. Give me 30 minutes or less, and I'll provide insights on the latest trends, issues, and topics pertaining to this constantly evolving K-12 public education environment. Digital learning is now deeply integrated into public school classroom curricula. When students can learn from using digital resources, they'll be better prepared to navigate information in an increasingly digital world. But using digital technology and understanding how to use it responsibly are two different things. In this episode, I explore how digital technology has changed learning, the benefits of digital learning, and why digital learning is different and necessary. I also suggest a creative way in which you can learn more about the digital technologies that your children use at school so that you can help them with their online assignments at home. Let's gain some insight on this. Schools are constantly trying to figure out how best to use new technologies, including artificial intelligence and apps that run on the internet. Schools have overall done a good job adapting to the numerous digital tools that have been introduced in classrooms and offices. But the bigger question is why do school districts feel the need to reinvent the wheel every time a new technology is released? Instead of looking at each new technology as yet another tool that must be integrated into the curriculum, why can't schools determine what's missing from current instruction and then identify what prevents integration from occurring naturally? For centuries, learning material has come from a variety of physical resources, including textbooks, documents, audio recordings, movies, and paintings, as well as from teachers. In traditional instruction, teachers spend a great deal of time teaching students information from these physical resources, but the physical nature of these resources limits their availability to all students. To ensure that students have long-term access to the information provided by using these physical resources, most traditional instruction emphasizes memorization, summarizing, and note-taking. But with digital resources, students can access information at any time from anywhere, which means learning how to retain information is less important than learning how to effectively find credible information. It's the authenticity of the information that matters because the same tools that are used to access digital resources can just as easily be used to create new digital resources. As you know by now, there's a lot of misinformation available online, and most of it consists of personal opinions. Students need to not only be able to search for information online, but they also need to be able to verify the authenticity of online information. This key skill of identifying misleading or false information online is the skill that would benefit them in their personal and academic lives. By understanding how online searches work, students can be more discerning when it comes to reviewing search results. They need to be aware that the most helpful site does not always appear at the top of the search list. To help verify the authenticity of the resources and the information found through an online search, a popular checklist method from the early 2000s called CRAP, that would be C-RAAP, which stands for currency or timeliness, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. That method called CRAP has been used, but the method doesn't ensure the accuracy of the information on a website. In 2019, the SIFT SIFT, which stands for stop, investigate, find confirming resources, and trace claims methodology. The SIFT methodology was introduced in 2019, and this method focused more on determining if online content was credible. Students need to have access to high-quality digital resources starting in elementary school. When teachers instruct students about how to verify websites at an early age, this will help students understand from the beginning that there's a lot of misinformation available online. Schools just need to make sure that they provide access to digital resources that are age appropriate. Teachers should hold the expectation that students practice responsible internet behavior. Introducing a select number of digital resources in elementary classes is a first step toward creating discerning researchers who will gain the ability to effectively judge a website's appropriateness and usefulness. Teaching and learning about digital resources is different, yet traditional instruction does not meet the learning needs of today's students. Giving students the opportunity to master learning digital resources will prepare them for the next newest technology that comes out and will enable them to determine how best to use it on their own. Digital learning tools help to improve learning. They contribute to creating learning environments that support students in achieving successful outcomes that can prepare them for their futures. Digital learning contributes to deep learning for students so that they can master core academic content, think critically and solve complex problems, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and learn how to learn. Digital learning tools help to customize educational experiences while serving the needs of individual students on his or her own unique learning path. Digital learning promotes deeper learning through, number one, personalized skill building in preparation for deeper learning, such as adaptive learning. Two, schools and tools that foster deeper learning, such as project-based learning networks, and three, extended access. In other words, expanding access to quality courses and effective teachers online. Digital learning has changed the world by connecting billions of young people to the idea economy. It's also improving working conditions and career opportunities for educators. The shift from print to digital is a profound transition in how we learn, and some may consider it more significant than the development of the printing press. The transition to go more digital is transforming formal education and spreading informal learning opportunities. Digital learning is reinforcing 10 benefits for teachers and how they bring lessons to the classroom. These benefits include one, personalized learning. The opportunity to help every student learn at the best pace and path for them is the most important benefit of digital learning. This involves providing personalized, relevant, and contextualized learning that can be tailored to the student's own passions, strengths, needs, family, culture, and community. Personalized learning will also help educators more quickly diagnose any learning gaps so that progress can be accelerated. Two, expanded learning opportunities. Learning happens at many times and in many places. Having access to full and part-time online learning means that every student, depending on state policies where they live, has access to world languages, college preparatory curriculum, and advanced studies. There are thousands of university courses by some of the best professors in the world that are available for free to anyone with an internet connection. 3. High engagement learning. Digital learning can boost student motivation, especially through the use of game-based learning, which offers better engagement, invisible assessment, and deep learning. This type of learning recognizes students as active participants in their own learning and engages them in the design of their experiences as well as the realization of their learning outcomes in ways that are appropriate for their developmental level. Four, competency based learning. With competency based learning, students show what they know and they progress based on demonstrated mastery. Five, assessment for learning. Digital learning provides continuous feedback from content embedded assessment, games, simulations, and adaptive learning. Student motivation and agency improves when they can track their own progress. Six, collaborative learning. Digital learning builds collaboration skills. Social learning platforms like Edmodo make it easy for teachers to create and manage groups. Even collaborative writing environments like Google Docs make it easy for teams to co-author documents and presentations. Seven, quality learning products. Digital learning tools allow students to produce professional quality products and share them with public audiences near and far. Presentations, publications, and portfolios change the classroom culture from a turn it in environment to a production environment for public audiences. Student writing typically improves with continued use of quality learning products. Eight, sharing economy. There are numerous free and open content digital learning tools. Schools can save money while ensuring equitable access and the sharing of these platforms have made it possible for millions of educators to share tools and resources across state lines. 9. Relevant and regularly updated content. Students have more access to relevant and regularly updated content regardless of their age or the type of content. Having the ability to update easily means students have access to updated materials and features on a regular basis. And 10, next gen learning for educators. Blended, personalized, and competency-based learning applies to educators as well. Teachers can join online professional learning communities and stay connected with peers and global communities. Creating high-quality, customized education for all students includes digital learning in traditional schools, online and virtual learning, and blended learning that combines online and on-site learning. It incorporates elements such as student eligibility because all students are digital learners, student access to high-quality digital content and online courses, personalized learning, advancement, meaning that students progress based on demonstrated competency, quality content, quality instruction, quality choices in high quality digital providers, assessment and accountability, funding, and delivery through an infrastructure that supports digital learning. Digital learning involves students using technology to master educational concepts, yet, this may not always equate to students having the necessary tech skills to succeed. No doubt. Today's students have grown up with smartphones, tablets, and virtual assistants. They don't even know the world that existed before the internet. Most of them can comfortably navigate any new app or digital device and can typically outsmart parental controls. But there are many students who are missing basic technology skills and many illiteracy skills, such as actually typing on a full-size keyboard, searching the web, determining if an online source is legitimate or writing an effective email message. All of these are necessary for success, not just in school and careers, but in their personal lives also. Here are the text skills that most educators say every student should have. Number one, basic computer skills. How to open a file with the right program, how to find a document, and how to save files on an external hard drive. Students should also develop proficient typing skills if they're going to be using computer keyboards regularly. 2. Digital communication skills. Students need to be able to communicate their ideas clearly using technology, whether it's through email, social media, video conference, or word processing and presentation programs. They should also be able to collaborate with others in a digital environment to create shared files. 3. Students need to have the skills that will protect their sensitive information from cyber criminals. They need to learn not to share personal information and should be able to recognize when a website is secure and legitimate as well as how to avoid email phishing attempts by hackers. 4. Media literacy. Media literacy skills include the ability to access information, analyze and evaluate it, create content, and act on that content using all forms of communication, whether that be through print, TV, or the internet. Students must be able to think critically and evaluate the authenticity and reliability of any information they see and hear online. 5. Digital citizenship. This is about teaching students how to use technology thoughtfully and empathetically. Students need to know how to be kind and respectful in the online environment so that others feel safe and welcome to participate. 6. Research and data analysis. Students need to be able to sift through vast amounts of information available online and be able to analyze what's valuable and worth using or sharing and what needs to be ignored or dismissed. 7. Problem solving. Students should also know how to use digital technology to find solutions to the world's problems, whether that's coding an app that will save lives or figuring out how to clean up the ocean. They also need to know how to troubleshoot problems, show persistence, and be able to learn from failures. 8. Creativity. All of this learning should be fun and gamified if possible, because this helps foster their creative thinking skills. Additionally, they need to learn to use digital tools with their imagination so that they express themselves and connect with others, whether that's through digital art or podcasts or videos. Technology is often blamed for causing bad behavior among students, especially middle schoolers, but it can also be used to promote positive social skills if it's used intentionally and correctly. When it's used intentionally, digital technology can promote kindness, collaboration, and other essential social skills. Students need to learn how to work productively and communicate respectfully with one another on online platforms in order to successfully navigate their digital worlds and future careers. One way to do this is for teachers of all subjects to incorporate technology and social emotional learning exercises into their existing lesson plans. These exercises include topics such as conflict resolution, problem solving, and mindfulness. BoiceThread is an app that can help middle school students learn to see other points of view and cause them to pause and think before responding. These skills are important not just for working in groups at school, but also for being respectful and positive on social media. Headspace is another tool for improving students' emotional regulation. It teaches students social emotional skills such as emotional management and social awareness through short videos. The tool has videos that cover lessons on how to show gratitude as well as the health benefits of smiling. One last and most likely a familiar tool is Canva. Students could use Canva to create templates for reflections and goal setting, both of which are important to develop their self-awareness. For middle school students, this tool can be especially helpful for those students who struggle to write by hand and for those whom journaling may be a struggle. Visually representing their goals might help these students reflect on their behaviors. Do you wish you had stronger technological skills so that you could help your children with their online class assignments? Well, your child's school may play a role in improving your digital know-how so that you can help your children work through online class assignments at home. It turns out that 83% of families want their schools to provide more information on how to use digital tools to support their children's learning. However, about 51% of parents said they felt very comfortable managing their children's passwords and access to online learning sites, digital textbooks, and curriculum. But given that school districts are already facing a lot of demands when it comes to policy, practice, and guidance with issues like cell phone bands, digital citizenship, media literacy, and AI, they may not have the internal capacity to be able to handle teaching parents these technological skills. Maybe there's a need for a more community-wide approach because parents need to be given the resources they need to help them support their children's digital skill development at home. Some states, including Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Mexico, are working to boost the digital citizenship skills of both parents and students required by schools and teach these specific skills alongside academics to students. Not surprisingly, low-income parents, those with lower education levels, and those whose first language is not English are more likely to struggle in helping their children use technology to complete school assignments at home. This only exacerbates existing inequities. My question to you is: are you aware of the resources that your children's school provides to help you understand the technology that's required for them to complete their assignments at home? This might be something that's definitely worth your while to check into. So, what can you do with the information I just shared? Here are the action steps you can take regarding digital learning in today's classroom. Here's an ideaful one way for you to become familiar with the technology your child uses to complete their online assignments at home and in class. As you know, research shows that parental involvement in your child's education leads to higher academic achievement, greater motivation, and increased student success. Although schools often organize events to get parents involved in their children's learning, drawing parents in can still be a challenge. An idea sparked by a technology resource teacher in the Portsmouth School District in Virginia might be of interest to you. This teacher found success by turning family engagement into shared learning experiences through a series of tech nights. Parents were able to see what their children were doing in the school and the district with the digital tools that the district provides. Students could demonstrate the activities that they perform at school on the digital tools with their parents. In other words, parents could participate with their children in using these digital tools. The key is to build events around fun and engaging themes. These events also serve as opportunities to promote digital citizenship and to help parents become more familiar with the digital tools that the school uses to communicate with families. If you like this idea, here are some recommendations to organize a successful tech night at your child's school. One, choose the time, date, theme, and location. Themes could include tech or treat, tech camp, love of tech, etc. Two, collaborate with others in your network, such as the PTA. Three, choose tech tools that you want to highlight. Make sure you have multiple sets of each of these tools. Four, design short, engaging activities around the theme and the tools. Keep each activity between 10 to 15 minutes. Provide giveaways, food, and or entertainment for the event. Five, create a one-page instruction sheet so that families can complete the activities with little hands-on support. 6. Coordinate with the school to ensure that staff support is available as needed. And seven, market the event well in advance. This could include sending flyers home with students, sending emails to the family with links to sign up for the event, as well as promoting the event on the district website, social media, or school newsletter. Getting parents to the event and connected to the digital tools the district uses may still be a challenge when you first run the event, but the more events that you do and the more resources that are provided for parents, the more parents are likely to engage with the event. Give it a try. Here are this episode's takeaways. Teaching and learning about digital resources is different, yet, traditional instruction does not meet the learning needs of today's students. Giving students the opportunity to master learning digital resources will prepare them for the next newest technology that comes out and will enable them to determine how best to use it on their own. Digital learning tools help to improve learning. They contribute to creating learning environments that support students in achieving successful outcomes that can prepare them for their future. Digital learning contributes Contributes to deeper learning for students so that they master core academic content, think critically, and solve complex problems, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and learn how to learn. Digital learning involves students using technology to master educational concepts, yet this may not always equate to students having the necessary tech skills to succeed. Basic technology skills and media literacy skills include skills such as actually typing on a full-size keyboard, searching the web, determining if an online source is legitimate, or writing an effective email message, all of which are necessary for success, not just in school and careers, but in their personal lives also. Did you enjoy this episode? Then be sure to subscribe to my podcast on whatever service you're listening to this. Thanks for listening today. Be sure to come back for more insights on K 12 educational topics that impact you and your children. Until next time, learn something new every day.