[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1836-S1837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MOBILE MAMMA
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, on behalf of my constituent, Christy
Teslow, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
information about a program she founded to help educate children of all
ages about the importance of being a good digital citizen.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Mobile Mamma is a non-profit organization which was founded
in 2017 in Cresco, Iowa. We are 6 moms who are working
professionals that use a common-sense approach to educate
about the impact of technology. We personally have children
ranging in age from kindergarten to college and wanted to be
better educated about using devices of daily use, with the
common goal to keep our children safe and secure while being
online. From our own research, we felt compelled to design a
curriculum to share with students and adults of all ages.
Statement of the Problem. Children today are so self-
reliant on their mobile devices which in turn has caused a
social disconnect with society. Children are more concerned
with their ``e-reputation'' and not as much of what their
real-life reputation is. Parents have an ethical and moral
role to provide children with online safety. The problem is,
children are not safe online and parents are unaware of the
detrimental dangers, harms, and effects of social media.
Conceptual Framework. Clear and concise communication about
parents' expectations are especially important. Research has
demonstrated that teens, whose parents use effective
monitoring practices, are less likely to make poor decisions
such as having sex at a young age, smoking, using illegal
drugs, drinking alcohol, being physically aggressive, or
skipping school (Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
2012). Teens who believe their parents disapprove of risky
behaviors are less likely to participate in these behaviors.
Teens rely on their parents and other adults in their daily
lives for information about online safety. In 2013, a study
by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention titled
``Adolescents, Technology, and Reducing Risk for HIV, STDs,
and Pregnancy'', a participant stated ``I multitask every
second I am online. At this very moment, I am watching TV,
checking my email every two minutes, reading a newsgroup
about who shot JFK, burning some music to a CD, and writing
this message'' (a 17-year-old male). According to Farrukh,
Sadwick, and Villasenor (2014), parents seek information on
how to best protect children online through various channels.
Parents utilize general news media 38% of the time, other
parents 37%, and school teachers 29%.
Statement of the Purpose. The purpose of the Be a B.E.A.R.
program is to educate children of all ages about the
importance of being a good digital citizen. The Be a B.E.A.R.
curriculum is designed to teach children from kindergarten
through high school about what is acceptable to portray on
social media and what is not acceptable. The intention of the
Be a B.E.A.R. program is not only designed for children but
can be applied to adults as well. The purpose of the program
is to gain a positive structured approach to handling online
situations.
Significance of the Program. There is an ethical and moral
responsibility of schools and adults that give these devices
to children, to properly educate themselves and their
children. With the rising mental health crisis, not only in
Iowa but across the Nation, the devices of daily living (also
known as Smartphones, tablets, etc) are causing these issues.
Some of these issues include: low self-esteem, anxiety,
depression, sadness, sleeplessness, and paranoia. Due to the
mental health concerns, if we can get this program in schools
it will help give a positive
[[Page S1837]]
use to technology by determining what a good digital
footprint and digital citizen are. This program continues to
educate both parents and children about cybersecurity/safety,
the potential harms and dangers associated with the evolving
virtual environment, and discusses in detail about the
responsibility needed by all ages when it comes to the
constant influx of technology in our children's lives. With
the increasing suicide rates, there is a direct correlation
between human trafficking, cyberbullying, and sexting that
are negatively impacting society.
Definition of Terms
Good digital citizen: While online portraying yourself as a
positive person and using appropriate etiquette
Good digital footprint: Leaving positive markers when using
the internet and social media sites
B.E.A.R.:
B = breathe, stop and take a breath before reacting to a
situation that may cause you negative feelings
E = explain to the other person or parties how the negative
behaviors that are being portrayed are impacting you
personally
A = affirm actions, your choice is to walk away, block the
other party on social media, and ignore
R = report the unwanted behavior to a trusted adult such as
parents, teachers, or counselors.
Timeline. Currently, we are involved with two Northeast
Iowa School Districts. We are using a 7-week program to
educate the students in the following grades kindergarten,
third, sixth, eighth, and eleventh about the Be a B.E.A.R.
program. Each student has completed a pre-test about the
different objectives that are covered in the core curriculum.
After completion of the program there will be a post-test
administered to determine the learning curve of the students.
Currently, we do not have substantial results because of
the initiation phase we are in. After the completion of our
7-week program we will have results to support our statement
of intent.
Conclusion. By implementing these steps of the Be a
B.E.A.R. program with children and adults, we can bring
positivity and education while being safe online.
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