The purpose of this page is to assist you to inspire the love of reading, keep your child safe online, and navigate the world of ever-changing technology. .
_____________________________________________________________________
I will be adding links and information periodically to keep you informed about the issues facing all of us as technology becomes more a part of our everyday lives.
Please contact me if you have any concerns, questions or information you would like to share.
Nancy Kunz, CHS Library Media Specialist
_____________________________________________________________________
Post #3 - 11/23/2011
Looking for a great gift for your student this holiday season – how about an e-book reader?
Prices of e-book readers have dropped dramatically – you can now get a high quality reader for around $100.00. The two most popular brands are the NOOK from Barnes and Noble and the Kindle from Amazon.
The basics – what you need to know:
First you need to decide if this device will be used solely for reading books or do you want it to be a device that surfs the web, downloads music, plays video and stores books for reading?
If you are looking to just read we suggest looking into the NOOK Simple Touch or the Kindle Touch. Both sell for about $100.00 and are easy to use, light-weight, and WiFi ready. With both of these e-book readers your student can purchase books or borrow books from both the public library and the Catskill Secondary Library via the Overdrive system.
If you are looking for a more powerful device (with a much larger price tag) – then you are looking for a tablet. These devices range in price from about $200.00 for the Kindle Fire and NOOK Color all the way up to $500.00+ for an iPad. In addition to functioning as an e-reader these devices will allow users to surf the web, download apps, music, and video.
Check out the links below to do some more research on the devices out there.
TechnoLog on msnbc.com: Kindle vs. NOOK
Invention and Technology New: NOOK Tablet vs. Kindle Fire
CNET Reviews: Best e-book readers
In January the Catskill Secondary Library will be holding sessions to teach students how to use their new e-readers! Students will be able to use the OverDrive system from both the Catskill Secondary Library and the Catskill Public Library. The OverDrive system allows students to download both e-books and audio books onto their portable devices (iPod, NOOK, Kindle . . .). Check out this link to learn more about OverDrive available through Questar III School Library System.
This holiday season give your student a gift that will truly last a lifetime – an interesting, new approach to reading – buy them an e-book reader!
________________________________________________________________________
Post #2 - 5/19/10
Social Networking Sites
You've probably heard a lot about MySpace and Facebook lately - they are the two most popular "social networking" sites today. According to the PEW Internet Project, a social networking site is an “online place where a user can create a profile and build a personal network that connects him or her to other users.”
These sites can pose a threat to the safety and well-being of your child.
You should know if your child has a “page” and what it says on it!
The list below is from NetSmartz411.org – a great website for Internet safety ideas – share it with your child!
Tips for Kids and Teens
 | Never post your personal information, such as cell phone number, address, or the name of your school. | ||||
| Be aware that information you give out in blogs could also put you at risk of victimization. People looking to harm you could use the information you post to gain your trust. They can also deceive you by pretending they know you. | ||||
| Never give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian. | ||||
| Only add people as friends to your site if you know and trust them in real life. | ||||
| Never meet in person with anyone you first "met" on a social networking site. Some people may not be who they say they are. | ||||
| Think before posting your photos. Personal photos should not have revealing information, such as school names or locations. Look at the backgrounds of the pictures to make sure you are not giving out any identifying information without realizing it. The name of a mall, the license plate of your car, signs, or the name of your sports team on your jersey or clothing all contain information that can give your location away. | ||||
| Never respond to harassing or rude comments posted on your profile. Delete any unwanted messages or friends who continuously leave inappropriate comments. Report these comments to the networking site if they violate that site's terms of service. | ||||
| Use the
privacy settings of the social networking site:
| ||||
| Remember that posting information about your friends could put them at risk. Protect your friends by not posting any names, ages, phone numbers, school names, or locations. Refrain from making or posting plans and activities on your site. | ||||
| Consider going through your blog and profile and removing information that could put you at risk. Remember, anyone has access to your blog and profile, not just people you know. |
_____________________________________________________________________
Post #1 - 3/28/08
What are they talking about? (Wat r dey talkin abt?)
Have you ever tried to decipher one of your child’s “text conversations” – a text message on their cell phone or an Instant Message (IM) on the computer? It is difficult to understand the abbreviations teens use while “chatting” but it is important that as the parent you try to keep informed.
The list below contains “The Top 15 Acronyms Ever Parent Should Know”
Use the websites below to help to “translate” what your child is texting.
NetLingo: http://www.netlingo.com/top50parents.cfm
The Parents Edge: http://www.theparentsedge.com/acronyms.html
Teen Chat Decoder: http://www.teenchatdecoder.com/top-27-teen-acronyms.htm
_____________________________________________________________________
