A conference on “digital literacy” in Ames this fall will focus on how educators and parents can provide the best “media diet” for kids. The Mayo Clinic and Iowa State University are among the co-sponsors.
Peter Komendowski, a consultant from Waterloo, describes himself as a “futurist.” He is also president of the Partnership for a Drug-Free Iowa.
Experts suggest kids should spend no more than two-hours per day using a digital device, but Iowa State University researchers estimate the average Iowa child spends about half the hours they’re awake in the “digital world” playing games, watching videos and interacting on social media sites like SnapChat or Facebook. Much if not all of that time is unsupervised and Komendowski says without the proper “critical thinking skills,” children and teens are at risk.
The day-long event will be held on Friday, November 10, at the Gateway Conference Center in Ames.
