Summer Technology Homework 

Here are some “assignments” for all ICS students and families to work on during the summer holidays:

- Try out some free open source software. We will be using OpenOffice in school next year, as well as other free and open source software. Students and families can get a head start and get copies of the software from the IT department (or download it yourself) to play/work with during the holidays.

- Protect your privacy by adjusting your settings on any social networking site (e.g., Facebook) that you participate in. Don't let just anybody see what your posts, photos, tags, etc. are.

- Change your passwords. Pick a couple of reasonably strong ones you can use and reset your passwords on any main sites you use. Have a strong one for any webmail services, and a very strong one for any banking or shopping sites (do you have them save your credit card number?) you use.

- Explore some new tools. There are plenty of interesting creative projects students and families could do. Have you tried Animoto? What about Wordle? BigHugeLabs is a fun place ...try some out.

But, perhaps more importantly, here's another suggestion: have a no-screen day (or week). Turn off the computer & TV, put the iPod away, put your cell phone on mute, and spend time interacting with people personally, not digitally. It's important for us all to have balance in our lives and, while technology tools are fun and useful and engaging, it's worthwhile to spend time away from it all. Walk around without your own MP3 soundtrack, but listen to people, animals, traffic, whatever. Talk to the people around you, not your distant friends. Watch a sunset or a live football match, not a video or TV show. Take a break from tech. (Parents, tell your children that it's an assignment from the school's IT Coordinator!)