177. Richard Culatta with Dr. Margaret Morris—Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World

Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

How old were you when you got your first cell phone? Did “going online” ever involve listening to a series of pained squeaks and static, willing the family PC to connect to…whatever it is it connected to? Today, children are presented with a sparkling array of digital tools that many of us could barely fathom as kids. How are parents and caregivers supposed to guide small humans into the digital realm without feeling completely overwhelmed?

Instead of telling children what NOT to do online, EdTech expert Richard Culatta argued we should spend more time teaching kids HOW to navigate the online world. Cyberbullies happen. Social media isn’t going away, and neither are online games. In his new book, Digital for Good, Culatta helped caregivers prepare kids for navigating the tricky situations they will undoubtedly encounter as they move through the digital world, and offers straightforward advice for raising good digital citizens.

Richard Culatta is the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a nonprofit serving education leaders in 127 countries. Prior to joining ISTE, Richard was the chief innovation officer for the state of Rhode Island, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology from 2013-2015.

Dr. Margaret Morris is a clinical psychologist focused on how technology can support wellbeing. She is an affiliate faculty member in the Information School at the University of Washington and a research consultant. Morris is the author of Left to Our Own Devices: Outsmarting Smart Technology to Reclaim Our Relationships, Health and Focus.

Buy the Book: Digital for Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World (Hardcover) from Third Place Books

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Seattle’s Child.