nrcmmc – Siouxland Modern Media Committee

11Mar 2026 by nrcmmc

Laptops in Education

A changing environment Over the past decade, laptops and tablets have become a mainstay in education. Many schools now issue devices to students as early as junior high—and sometimes even upper elementary—while traditional textbooks are used less frequently. Class assignments, research, collaboration, and even testing increasingly take place on screens rather than on paper. With the recent surge in artificial intelligence tools, students are beginning to rely on laptops not only to complete required homework, but also as a primary resource for acquiring information about the subject they are studying. A student can quickly type a topic into a search engine—often enhanced by AI—and within seconds have a large amount of information displayed in front of them. This makes completing assignments easier and gives students rapid access to information that…

10Dec 2025 by nrcmmc

Child-friendly AI?

Apps, Devices, Filters, Privacy, Resources, Reviews

Edge, Chrome, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, Safari, AngelQ. These could be interesting names for models of cars, but actually these are all variations of web browsers. What is the difference between each of these options? More importantly, which one should you pick for your family to use? The owners of big technology sites won’t even put their own children on their site, states co-founder of AngelQ, Josh Thurman. Their browser, however, was created FOR kids to use - safely. AngelQ was created by Josh Thurman and Tim Estes in May 2025 as a safe alternative for families to give their children internet access without as much risk of finding age-inappropriate content. The AngelQ app uses the power of AI to make searches productive and fun, without accidentally clicking onto a site with…

06Nov 2025 by nrcmmc

Generative AI

Chatbot News, Guidelines, Hazards, Reviews

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that creates new content–such as text, images, code, music, and videos–based on patterns it has learned from existing data. One of the most common generative AI tools is ChatGPT. To use ChatGPT, simply ask a question or type a prompt, and it will produce a response. If the response is not satisfactory, you can continue prompting it until it meets your needs. Some people have even replaced their traditional search engines with generative AI. Perhaps you are wondering what the usefulness of generative AI is. The following are a few examples of “everyday” generative AI use: Writing aid: Many people use the writing ability of AI to assist with something they have created or use it to actually create an essay, blog…

11Oct 2025 by nrcmmc

Book Review- The Anxious Generation

Resources, Reviews

Book Review: “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and author of acclaimed works like “The Coddling of the American Mind”, returns with “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness”. In this book, Haidt tackles one of the most urgent questions of our time: Why are rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges skyrocketing among young people? Haidt’s analysis is both sharply secular in its methodology and, quite surprisingly, convergent with the views of some of today’s most vocal conservative Christian commentators—particularly when it comes to recommendations. A Rigorous, Secular Analysis Haidt takes care to ground his arguments in comprehensive psychological research, demographic analysis, and a synthesis of national data. He steers away from religious or…

16Sep 2025 by nrcmmc

Distracted Parenting

Cell Phones, Devices

The Impact of Distracted Parenting: How Cell Phones Affect Our Relationship with Children In today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard to imagine a time when cell phones didn’t dominate our daily lives. While these devices have brought about countless conveniences, they’ve also introduced significant challenges, particularly for parents. The phenomenon of “distracted parenting” where caregivers prioritize digital interactions over face-to-face engagement has become a growing concern. The Rise of Distraction: Cell Phones and Parenting The arrival of smartphones brought a new wave of connectivity and entertainment. While they offer many benefits; their widespread use has led to an increasing phenomenon: distracted parenting. Whether scrolling through social media, responding to work emails, or playing games; many parents today find themselves regularly distracted by their phones, often during critical moments of family time.…

04Aug 2025 by nrcmmc

OnlyFans

Hazards, Pornography, Reviews

A sports website? Spoiler alert - it’s not. And it’s really unsafe for you and your family. OnlyFans is a website where users can upload content and offer it to the public for a set price. While some of the content is good, 98% of it is sexual in nature. The world today is hypersexual; therefore it is easy to offer sexual content at a premium price, due to the appetite for the general public to view that type of content. In some cases, the uploader can be persons we are familiar with; a friend, coworker, or even a relative. Persons uploading content to OnlyFans are often using OnlyFans content as a source for supplemental income. Some uploaders are making large amounts of money from the content they upload. OnlyFans…

04Dec 2024 by nrcmmc

Cyberbullying Stories and useful tips.

Filters

The following story is based on real facts but pseudonyms are used to protect the identity of those involved. Lexi is a very popular young girl. She is talented in most anything that she is involved in. She is a kind hearted, easy going young lady. She was raised in a home where family values of honesty, respect, and communication were upheld and where first person communication was regarded as the best way to communicate with another person or group. Lexi has one older brother and one younger sister. Over the past summer of 2023, Lexi was allowed to have a phone which could be used to communicate with her friends, since Lexi was getting older and more independent. Many of the boys in Lexi’s grade, and also older grades,…

11Nov 2024 by nrcmmc

Math AI Tools – What Parents Should Know

Guidelines, Hazards, Reviews

Math-focused artificial intelligence (AI) tools offer a new way to support students in learning and practicing math at home. From tools that provide interactive explanations to apps that help solve and visualize problems, there are many resources available that can enhance understanding and make math more approachable. Here’s what parents should consider: 1. Benefits of Math AI Tools Step-by-Step Explanations: Tools like Photomath, Microsoft Math Solver, and Khan Academy’s AI-driven practice provide guided steps, helping students understand each stage of problem-solving. Personalized Practice: Many apps, like Prodigy or DreamBox, adjust difficulty based on the student’s skill level, ensuring challenges are appropriate and minimizing frustration. Instant Feedback: With AI-based assessment, students can get immediate feedback, helping them correct mistakes early and understand where they went wrong. 2. Learning vs. Shortcuts Encourage…

14Oct 2024 by nrcmmc

Hidden Dangers of Spotify: A Caution for Parents

Apps, Cell Phones, Devices, Hazards

Music streaming platforms like Spotify have millions of tracks at your fingertip, offering a convenience that’s hard to resist, especially to teens. We know many teens and families use these music platforms, but we would suggest with the little 'profitable' material to be obtained that we stay away from them as much as possible. However, as parents, it's important to recognize the potential dangers Spotify might pose to teens and adults. Here are several to consider: 1. Explicit Content One of the most significant dangers on Spotify is the sheer volume of explicit content. Spotify does offer a “clean” version for younger listeners. Many songs feature explicit language, themes of violence, drug use, and sexual content. Spotify does label songs as “explicit,” but it is easy to bypass this. Here…

16Sep 2024 by nrcmmc

The “Dirty Dozen”

Apps, Devices, Hazards

Each year since 2013, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) releases a list of 12 mainstream companies that facilitate, enable, or profit from sexual exploitation. This list is termed the “Dirty Dozen.” Some companies on the 2024 Dirty Dozen list include Apple, Meta, Spotify, and Roblox. NCOSE explains each company they place on the list. For example, they say that “Apple is rotten when it comes to child protection. This Big Tech titan refuses to scan for child sex abuse material, hosts dangerous apps with deceptive age ratings and descriptions, and won’t default safety features for teens.” NCOSE provides updates for each company throughout the year if they attempt to improve safety for their users. If you go to the NCOSE website, you can find the Dirty Dozen and…

Author: nrcmmc