The digital world is a place where even the most informed parents and teachers can feel one pace behind children. Bombarded with scare stories about the risks of everyday Internet interactions for young people, those caring for them are frequently left to navigate online minefields more or less on their own. This book is here to help.
Two leading experts on digital childhoods, Dr Sandra Leaton Gray and Professor Andy Phippen, explore the realities of growing up online in the 21st century. They provide an informative and accessible guide to the issues young people face today, based on the latest research and scholarship. They also expose the many ways the child safeguarding industry means well, but often gets things very wrong.
The authors explain the latest research on topics such as biometrics, encryption, cyphertext and sexting, and analyse their relevance to the next generation. They raise a number of key questions about the contemporary lives of young people, including their relationship with digital technologies such as games, social media, surveillance and tracking devices. They also challenge conventional thinking on these issues. Rather than relying on technology, they argue we should instead focus on the quality of relationships between children, their peers, their parents and with adults generally. Then we can build a healthy digital future for society as a whole.
About the Author :
Dr Sandra Leaton Gray is Associate Professor of Education at the UCL Institute of Education, and her main research interests are in the area of education futures, the future of curriculum, young people’s biometrics and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in education. She is a member of the Privacy Expert Group of the Biometrics Institute and has acted as an expert advisor to many organisations including the UK Government, the OECD, the International Baccalaureate Organisation and the EU. Her other books include Teachers Under Siege, Invisibly Blighted: the digital erosion of childhood (with Andy Phippen) and Curriculum Reform in the European Schools(with David Scott and Peeter Mehisto). |Andy Phippen is a Professor of Digital Rights at the Bournemouth University. He has specialised in the use of digital tech in social contexts and the intersection with legislation for over 15 years, carrying out a large amount of grass roots research on issues such as attitudes toward privacy and data protection, internet safety and contemporary issues such as sexting, peer abuse and the impact of digital technology on well-being. He has presented written and oral evidence to parliamentary inquiries, is widely published in the area and is a frequent media commentator on these issues. His other books include Sexting & Revenge Pornography – Legislative and Social Dimensions of a Modern Digital Phenomenon, Invisibly Blighted: the digital erosion of childhood (with Sandra Leaton Gray) and Child Protection and Safeguarding Technologies – Appropriate or Excessive ‘Solutions’ to Social Problems?
Review :
In a time when school librarians are rapidly disappearing from public schools around the country, Ryan Tahmaseb presents readers with a timely, relevant, and important look at one of education's most invaluable assets. This book is a useful guide for those of us leading change within school libraries and the colleagues we partner with each day. The 21st Century Libraryis the perfect blend of theory and practice!
Dr. Kristen Mattson
In The 21st Century School Library, Ryan Tahmaseb takes a deep dive into the role of School Librarian. This book is a call to action for schools to utilize their libraries and librarians to help democratize education and allow students to follow their innate intellectual curiosity. Throughout the book, Tahmaseb advocates for student access, genuine inquiry, and opportunities to address real world problems. He outlines a holistic approach to integrating multiple literacies into classrooms, including racial literacy, and teaching alongside students and teachers in an all-inclusive community -- all while exploring collaboration, authentic research, and hands-on learning in a global learning community. This is a must-read for librarians as well as teachers and administrators, as Tahmaseb directly addresses these audiences in each chapter. You will leave this book with a plethora of ideas for making your school library the hub of your school: a place where curiosity, voice, and choice foster learning that is meaningful, inclusive, and engaging for all students.
-- Tomasen Carey, Senior Lecturer at The University of New Hampshire and Field Coordinator for Learning Through Teaching
The 21st Century School Library shows how great instruction benefits students and why empowering the school librarian to lead the way makes for great learning. Bringing in his own experiences and sharing the great thinking of librarians from across the country, Ryan paints a picture of what an essential school librarian looks like. This book is for every librarian who wants to give their students the best library program while working side by side with supportive administrators and teachers. It is perfect for new librarians, experienced librarians, and every colleague they work with.
Tom Bober, author of Building News Literacy: Lessons for Teaching Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary and Middle Schools
