Showing posts with label Like Documentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Like Documentary. Show all posts

Monday, October 26, 2020

Back by Popular Demand: LIKE Documentary + Expert Panel


Back by popular demand, Minnetonka is hosting a fourth (virtual online) screening of the compelling documentary LIKE followed by a discussion panel on Thursday, November 12, from 7-8:30 pm.

Last year, more than 800 K-12 parents and all Minnetonka students in grades 6-12 saw this powerful film about the very real effects social media can have on our lives. Watching/re-watching this film together will help continue conversations. Even parents of elementary students found the film incredibly valuable to see as they set up guidelines for their children around the use of personal technology tools. LIKE captures interviews with students, parents, psychologists, doctors and experts from a wide-range of fields and perspectives.  

This time, we are adding a panel discussion with experts featured in the film who will share ideas and resources to help parents and students work toward a healthy relationship with social media, personal technology, and entertainment screen time. Panelists include:
  • Max Stossel, Head of Education & Content at Center for Humane Technology

  • Dr. Jerry Bubrick, Senior Psychologist at Child Mind Institute

  • Scilla Andreen, CEO and Co-Founder of IndieFlix 

  • Dave Eisenmann, Director of Instructional Technology for Minnetonka Schools

RSVP on our District Digital Health & Wellness website to reserve a spot for the free screening or to receive access to a recording of the event for 48 hours afterwards. On the webpage, you may also view trailers of the film, watch a 20 minute talk I gave about managing screen time and setting technology guidelines, and view numerous tips and resources around iPads and more.

Thank you for your help discussing these topics with your students and family!

Related Posts:

        Posted by at No comments:
        Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

        Monday, January 27, 2020

        Social Media & Parenting Panel Discussion in Minnetonka March 12



        As a follow up to our three parent screenings in Minnetonka of the powerful LIKE documentary this year, we are offering a panel discussion about the film and the impact of social media on our lives. On the evening of March 12, Minnetonka parents can engage in small group discussions with others about ways to support healthy technology use, include kids in the conversation and successfully implement changes. Panelists will share tips and ideas to help and answer questions. Panelists include Mathew Meyers, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Cindy Andress, Minnewashta Elementary Principal, Paula Hoff, Minnetonka Middle School West Principal, and Jeff Erickson, Minnetonka High School Principal. I'll moderate the panel. Parents can RSVP on our District Digital Health & Wellness page.

        One of many screenings of LIKE in Minnetonka.
        Minnetonka students in grades 6-12 saw this documentary during school this year; grades 7, 8 and 10 viewed it in November, and grades 6, 9, 11 and 12 view it in February. The hope is that seeing the film will help spark informed conversations about social media use and help guide everyone toward a healthy relationship with social media, personal technology, and entertainment screen time. Here is the handout that accompanied the film, Tips for Managing Social Media Use, as well as numerous tips and resources below. 

        If you haven't seen the LIKE documentary, consider watching Max Stossel's 45 minute recorded student assembly and/or 60 minute parent presentation here. He's the star/narrator of the LIKE film and the Head of Education for the Center for Humane Technology. It's almost the identical content, just not professionally produced like the documentary which included interviews and graphics, etc.
        Thanks for your help discussing these topics with your students and family!
        Related posts:

        Posted by at No comments:
        Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

        Thursday, September 26, 2019

        Minnetonka Screening "Like" Documentary About the Impact of Social Media


        In our continued efforts to help our children (and ourselves) practice a healthy balance with our use of technology, Minnetonka Schools will be hosting a parent screening of a new documentary about the impact of social media on our lives called Like on November 13, January 27 and 31. (If you're in the area you can RSVP here and claim a free ticket). All students in grades 6-12 will also see the film this year as part of their health curriculum. 


        I first learned about the film early this summer and previewed it with one of our principals. Then I pulled together a group of about 30 others         to see it (principals, health teachers, counselors, media specialists, administrators and others). They confirmed its value and we discussed how to have our students and parents see it. Our health teachers liked the direct ties into their curriculum on relationships and the role of technology in our lives. Guidance counselors and administrators liked its messages about the impact of social media. Everyone agreed that it could be a helpful way to further educate both our students and their families and promote a healthier relationship with personal technology. 

        Pros
        Overall the film is really well done. It has a nice balance of interviews with students as well as experts. The film relays information about the purposeful design of social media apps to get us to use them more, a message that the Center for Humane Technology is working to inform the greater public about. This is an organization that I have been following and written about previously. The film includes interviews with Max Stossel, Head of Education & Content. It ends with an updated version of the Panda is Dancing short clip that Max stars in from a few years ago. The film also interviews the co-founder of the "Like" button on Facebook, Leah Pearlman, and discusses the effects of this numeric value on our interactions.

        The film does a great job of educating the viewer on these important topics. The film not only addresses some negative effects of social media and phone use but also highlights positives, as well as suggests steps to take to regain a balanced and more healthy use. This is something other films I've seen haven't done and therefore we've avoided showing our community because they basically were too fear mongering and would not help bring change.


        Post screening surveys were very positive about the film. As shown in the chart, 100% of parents agreed that the film was informative and worth seeing. Parents also listed many things they had learned from the film that they plan to implement.
         
        Cons
        Unfortunately one part of the film that is not helpful is a short, misleading 3 minute section on "Technology in the Classroom." They interview the principal of a middle school that is going phone free with expensive magnetic locking cell phone pouches for kids to carry around. They quote the often cited myth that Silicon Valley executives send their kids to tech free schools--including Steve Jobs--whose children were in school prior to the iPhone and iPads. Yes, a small percentage do, but relative to the thousands of executives in SV it's a very small number. Be sure to read Carl Hooker's blog post related to this about Technology Fear Therapy for Parents and Schools. At least at the end of these three minutes they acknowledge that creativity and intuition can happen "in conjunction with machines." When I spoke with Scilla Andreen, the CEO and Co-Founder of IndieFlix, I encouraged her to cut this section out. Any screening of LIKE should point out these misleading blanket statements and myths. 

        More info
        During the screening, I paused the film three times and gave the attendees a few minutes for discussion with others around them on some questions I posted on the screen. At the end I also shared a number of tips and ideas from my own family to work toward a healthy relationship with social media, personal technology, and entertainment screen time. You can watch a nearly identical recording of that presentation here: My 20 Minute Ed Talk: Screen Time & Student Well-being

         As a follow up to our screenings of LIKE, we are holding a Social Media & Parenting Panel Discussion in Minnetonka on March 12.

         In addition to the trailer linked above, here are two other for the film bit.ly/LikeTrailer2 and bit.ly/LikeTrailer3. To learn about the Like documentary, visit thelikemovie.com.

        Related posts:

        Posted by at No comments:
        Labels: , , , , , , , ,
        Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)