Listen to “#804 From Likes to Consequences: Navigating the Digital Minefield” on Spreaker.
On this episode of The Small Business Radio Show…
Segment 1 with Lisa O’Masta at 0.00.
We have talked on the show, the effects that social media is having on our world. But where does it intersect with educational technology and teaching our children? What is happening here?
My first guest is Lisa O’Masta is the CEO of Learning.com, which provides educators with solutions to prepare students for success in a digital world. She is a dynamic leader and change agent with over two decades of experience dedicated to shaping the landscape of the education market. Lisa is committed to empowering students to navigate the digital world responsibly and safely while expanding opportunities for equity and access to all students.
Here is what we discussed:
- Social media warnings and bans aren’t sufficient for protecting kids on social media.
- It’s essential that we teach kids the behaviors to create healthy relationships with technology. Not only will digital literacy education support improved academic outcomes and the development of essential life skills, but it will also create the framework to minimize ongoing increases in mental health caused by uneducated use of social media.
- When used responsibly, social media — and technology at large — has led to a boom in community, innovation, and education. It allows people to connect, learn, and grow.
- No one disputes the dangers of social media, but like all technology, utilizing the platforms productively requires continuous learning and growth. We can more effectively safeguard children by establishing a healthy relationship with technology, setting thoughtful boundaries around technology use, and teaching them essential skills that can help protect them now and in the future.
- Integrating digital literacy programs, like Learning.com’s EasyTech Digital Literacy Curriculum, can equip children with the guardrails to safely and effectively navigate online content and interactions. Lessons should cover topics like online etiquette, the permanence of digital footprints, recognizing safe websites, interacting safely online, differentiating between real and fake information, and understanding online advertising and its influences.
Segment 2 with Jamil Khan and Heather Jiang at 18:30.
We have talked many times on this show about the unique challenges that woman and entrepreneurs of color face in getting funding.
Its good to hear that at least one established company is doing something about it. Jamil Khan is the Chief Strategy and Small Business Officer for H&R Block. In this role, Jamil is responsible for helping to identify and lead the company’s strategic development and growth opportunities and generate value for stakeholders as it continues to disrupt the tax preparation industry and expand its services Heather Jiang is the Fund Her Future grant winner with her company Allégorie, a small business founded in 2019 to provide leather alternatives through plant-based fashion accessories, ultimately helping to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
Women are one of the fastest-growing segments of new small business owners in the US. However, women founders face unique barriers to accessing the funding and resources required to truly succeed in their ventures. That’s why Block Advisors by H&R Block created Fund Her Future, H&R Block’s Business Grant for Women, which provided $100K this spring to one winner and four finalists to help close the funding gap between genders.
