A presentation given at Centerville Presbyterian Church in Fremont, CA on March 13, 2011. It was a conversation for parents about the pros & cons of technology and some advice for how they might go about engaging their children in conversations about technology.

1. presentation by Adam Walker Cleaveland
Centerville Presbyterian Church
Fremont, CA
March 13, 2011

2. Me
• Husband
• Pastor
• Blogger
• Designer
• Social Media Consultant
• Gadget Geek

3. Technology
Wonders & Worries
This will help frame our conversation this afternoon.

4. A Day In the Life...

5. Does this sound familiar...?

6. We certainly are a Digital Nation.
• Frontline’s “Digital Nation”
http://video.pbs.org/video/140

7. The air we breathe...
• This is the water we’re
swimming in - it’s not going
away
• Technology changes at a
rapid pace
• This isn’t a new conversation
• Technology expands our
world
• Use & moderation will look
different for everyone
• Nothing should get in the
way of our calling to love
God & love others, whether
that’s technology or
anything else

8. Web 1.0 & Web 2.0: What’s the difference?
• Static content • Dynamically generated content
• Enhancing knowledge • Enhancing creativity
• Information download • Information sharing
• Little to no interaction • Collaboration
• Users are passive recipients of • Users are required to engage
information with information, create it
• FINDING • CREATING & SHARING

9. The World is Obsessed with Facebook
• “The World Is Obsessed With Facebook” Video
http://vimeo.com/20198465

10. Takeaways...
• Author Daniel Pink says that
parents must “prepare our
children for their future, not
our past.” Technology is
awesome - enjoy it and
prepare them!
• Vibrate: OFF
• You are the parents; you still
get to make the rules.
• Be aware - use common
sense.
• Everyone’s family will be
different.

11. Wonders: Creativity, Collaboration &
Connection

12. Creativity & Collaboration...

13. Pomplamoose covers Beyonce’s “Single
Ladies”
• Pomplamoose: http://www.youtube.com/PomplamooseMusic
• Single Ladies cover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIr8-f2OWhs

14. Connection...
• New communities are formed
and new friends are made
• Deeper connection are made
within already existing
communities
• Kids get connected with the
world: Iran, Egypt, Japan...
• Belonging

15. Worries: Privacy, Safety & Too Much?

16. Privacy...
• Young people often do not
get this
• Once it’s out there, it’s out
there
• Must know & understand
privacy settings on social
networks
• Some great resources on
your handouts
• Privacy connected to safety

17. Watch out for...
• Formspring: cool website
that spirals downward VERY
quickly
• Chatroulette and its clones
(zupyo, Omegle, Flirtspin,
etc): online video chat,
essentially a way to
accidentally stumble across
pornography

18. Just too much...?
• Facebook friends with
people they don’t even
know
• Pre-school reunion???
• Relationships used to last
for seasons, not we carry
them all with us (and the
online photo galleries to
prove it)
• Always connected
• Smartphones in bedrooms?
81.5% said YES

19. So where do we
go from here?

20. #1: Enjoy it!
• We live in an EXCITING time
• Embrace the awesomeness
• Use technology for good
• Connect with and help out
other people
• Prepare your children for
their future, not your past...
• Have fun with your kids -
start a blog, make a video,
post it on YouTube, get
creative!

21. #2: Vibrate: OFF
• Spiritual direction
• Find times when you and
your kids are “unavailable”
• There was life before
smartphones and handheld
gaming devices
• Help your family connect
with God (whatever that
looks like for you) and not
with others for periods of
time

22. #3: You make rules
• You are the parents and you
STILL get to make the rules
• Even if you don’t
understand the technology,
you are in control.
• It also means you have a
responsibility to learn and
stay up-to-date on the tech
your kids are using

23. #4: Be aware.
• Work on your awareness
• Use common sense
• You will know - or your
spouse/partner/child will let
you know
• Notice when it’s becoming a
distraction to you or your
child’s spirituality and
connection with God

24. #5: Everyone will
be different...
• Get advice from friends, see
what has worked for others
• But in the end, find what
works for YOUR family and
be okay with that
• Everyone will be different

25. Questions & Responses

26. Sources
• Nielsen report: How Teens Use Media
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/reports/nielsen_howteensusemedia_june09.pdf
• Frontline’s “Digital Nation”
http://video.pbs.org/video/140
• “The World Is Obsessed With Facebook” Video
http://vimeo.com/20198465
• Pomplamoose: http://www.youtube.com/PomplamooseMusic

27. Connect with me here:
Email: cleave@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/adamwc
Twitter: @adamwc
Web: www.adamwc.com
Slides available here: www.slideshare.net/adamwc