U-M Digital Wellness Youth and Parent Symposium
This event occurred on January 21, 2023. Archived materials and content from the event are accessible below.
Middle school can be a time when kids are diving into the digital world for the first time. Let's explore this with parents and their kids!
About this Event
Calling 6th, 7th and 8th Graders and Their Parents/Caregivers!
Middle school can be a time when kids are getting their first phones, texting, signing up for social media, and exploring the web on their own. Sometimes, online life is fun and rewarding, connecting us to our interests and the people we care about. At other times, it can feel overwhelming, addictive, or manipulative.
The past two years have reminded us of how much we rely on our devices. We want kids to thrive when they are online, and we want parents and caregivers to have confidence and tools for supporting that journey.
Please join us Saturday, January 21st, from 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m., for the U-M Digital Wellness Conference! We’re looking for two-person teams (middle schooler plus parent/caregiver) to join us on Zoom for a fun morning of learning, conversation, and activities about healthy online behaviors. There will be time for tween/teen-only activities with U-M students, time for adults to engage Q&A with the featured speaker, breaks to get up and move around and at-home conversation prompts or challenge activities to complete together.
Our Keynote speaker will be an expert on digital wellness and health from CommonSense Media.
Each family that participates will receive a Digital Wellness care package after the symposium which includes Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology, as well as some fun University of Michigan swag!
The Digital Wellness Symposium was developed by Professors Liz Kolb (U-M SOE) and Kristin Fontichiaro (UMSI).
This project is made possible in part by the University of Michigan School of Education, the University of Michigan School of Information, and the University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. The project is also supported by the Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning (MACUL).