"In that first lesson, I introduced students to the idea of becoming "de-tech-tives," a concept inspired by the late Dr. Jason Ohler's book, Digital Community, Digital Citizen, and shaped by the themes I learned from Dr. Pamela Rutledge, two professors I'd met while studying media psychology. On that first day, the students and I explored how people throughout history have adapted to new tools."
"Over the last 15 years, I've taught thousands of students, launched and expanded Cyber Civics into a curriculum used across the U.S. and beyond, written a book on digital parenting, and spent countless hours in conversation with experts, parents, and educators. Along the way, I've learned a few things-15, to be exact-that I hope you'll find useful whether you are a parent, an educator, or like all of us, just trying to navigate technology mindfully."
Cyber Civics began fifteen years ago in a sixth-grade classroom when social platforms were nascent and AI was still science fiction. Cyberbullying prompted early media-literacy interventions and a de-tech-tives approach modeled on digital citizenship and media psychology principles. The focus emphasizes human adaptation to tools and teaching ethical, safe, and wise technology use rather than policing specific platforms. Curriculum expansion reached schools across the U.S. and beyond and informed digital parenting resources. The core lessons stress adult wisdom guiding children, mandatory digital and AI literacy in education, teaching balance instead of bans, and relying on community and relationships as primary tools for navigating technology.
Read at Psychology Today
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