The Building Better Tech Habits workshop offers parents and guardians actionable strategies for managing screen time, with a focus on the understanding that digital well-being solutions are not one-size-fits-all. The workshop addresses both the opportunities and challenges that digital technology presents to youth and adults alike, and provides a comprehensive and informed perspective on digital well-being.
Internet & Mobile
Grades: 6-12
Duration: 60 to 90 minutes, plus extension activities
Author: MediaSmarts and TELUS
Learning goals:
Key concepts/big ideas:
In this lesson, students explore AI chatbots and their impact on human relationships. They compare chatbots to friends and learn how large language models function through pattern recognition rather than traditional programming. Through a “red-teaming” exercise, students identify risks such as privacy concerns and misinformation. Finally, they complete a “Build-a-bot” activity, designing safe, ethical prompts by defining roles, purposes, and guardrails. This teaches students to interact with AI critically and responsibly while understanding its limitations.
You can train the algorithms on social networks and video sites to show you more of what you want, and less of what you don’t want. Here are some tips:
This tip sheet will give you some tips for building a healthier relationship with social media so you can avoid the comparison trap and feel better about yourself online.
Understand How the 'Comparison Trap' Works
Here are a few things about social media that make us more likely to compare ourselves to others:
Here are some tips to develop a healthier relationship with technology:
Have you ever seen a photo or video online that seemed too good to be true? With today's technology, it's getting harder and harder to tell what's real and what's fake, especially with things called deepfakes.
The Raising Digitally Resilient Kids parent workshop outlines how parents and guardians can support children’s well-being and help them balance the risks and benefits of digital media. Based on insights from MediaSmarts’ research with youth, the workshop provides an overview of online risk categories and provides resources and essential strategies that participants can take to manage these risks.
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The house hippo is here to remind you to check before you share anything you see online. Find out how below!
This guide provides an overview of what AI is – and in particular Generative AI – and gives two examples of main AI tools you are likely to encounter. Then it explains some key ethical and social issues related to Generative AI.