CIC Blog

  • Have you ever wondered what happened to a character in a documentary after the filming ended?

    Cartoon Network is airing an abridged version of CNN’s original documentary THE BULLY EFFECT this Sunday, April 28th, at 5:30 and 8 p.m. (ET/PT). CNN anchor Anderson Cooper hosts and engages in a frank and candid conversation about bullying.

    Last year, Anderson Cooper’s AC3600 followed the kids profiled in Lee Hirsch’s 2011 film “Bully” to find out what happened to them since the documentary’s release.

  • The other day I learned that a colleague won a contest, the prize for which was a gift card for a store I’d never heard of. Curious, I Googled the store to find out what they sold (women’s accessories). The next time I went on Facebook, lo and behold, there was a sponsored ad for that store right next to my news feed.

    Creepy? Maybe, but predictable. Facebook, like many websites, tracks where you go online and uses that information to serve you ads customized to your likes and habits.

  • It’s April 1st, and many of us are encountering April Fool’s jokes. It might be an article in the newspaper, a story on the radio, someone’s Facebook post, or an e-newsletter. In recent years, corporations have gotten into the act, too. In one famous example from 1996, Taco Bell took out a full-page ad in the New York Times claiming they’d purchased the Liberty Bell to help reduce the US national debt. This year’s example looks like it will come from Scope, with an ad introducing a new, bacon-flavored mouthwash .

  • Page Harrington, Executive Director of the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum, home of the historic National Woman’s Party, reflects on Women’s History Month, the 100th anniversary of the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913 and how sufffragists used a sort of social media of their own.

    There have been great articles celebrating, remembering and raising awareness of women’s issues as part of Women’s History month. Whether 100 years ago or today, the disenfranchised still struggle to break-through and have their voices heard amongst the hyper-chatter inside the Beltway, Washington, DC.

  • Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty has won awards for its ads and viral videos. From the 2005 Evolution video , which shows how makeup and styling transform a relatively normal looking woman into looking like a supermodel, the videos have been unique and interesting.

    In the latest installment of the campaign, Dove released a free Photoshop Action (a one click tool for achieving a particular effect) called “Beatuify.” Purportedly, it would help give skin a rosy and healthy glow.

  • What do Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common with entertainer will.i.am, actor Ashton Kutcher, and NBA all-star Chris Bosh? It’s not the ability to dunk a basketball. Nope. These very different celebrities share an appreciation for coding, the ability to write the code that lets computers and digital devices do the extraordinary things we often take for granted. And that’s why they’ve gotten together at code.org to emphasize the importance of learning to code.

  • Not everyone looks good in pink. But masses of people, all wearing pink, can send a powerful statement.

    A few years ago, a couple of Canadian teens noticed a 9th grader was being bullied because he wore a pink shirt and, ergo thought the bullies, he was gay. The teens decided to do something about it, to no longer be bystanders but to become “upstanders.” They purchased 50 pink tank tops and, the next morning, handed them out to friends at school.

  • Getting a message from beyond the grave used to be the stuff of old horror movies or mediums hosting séances. Now, says a CNN story, several companies are offering services where your social networking site can continue to send messages from you after you’re dead.

    Is this a good idea or not? I’m not sure.

    Cool or Creepy, it’s a logical extension of social networking into the afterlife. We’ve already seen any number of tribute sites created to celebrate the life, accomplishments, and friendships of a deceased individual.

  • A few years ago, there was a major focus on Internet safety education, as if protecting kids from online predators and pornography were all that was needed for children to safely and effectively surf the Web. Today, much more attention is being paid to other areas of digital citizenship, for example responsible, ethical behavior and digital literacy. That is reflected in the results of two polls Cable in the Classroom released today.

    We think of digital citizenship as a positive and proactive approach to helping children use digital tools safely and effectively, bringing together Internet safety and security with digital literacy, responsible, ethical behavior and civic engagement.

  • Over at edSurge comes word of a project to craft a “Bill of Rights and Principles for Learning in the Digital Age.” The current version is a work in progress, with thoughts and contributions actively sought. The document currently focuses on what students should expect from others. It would be nice to detail what others should expect from students. Maybe it should be about rights, principles and responsibilities.

    One of the things I like about digital citizenship, and a reason we at Cable in the Classroom support digital citizenship education, is its focus on rights and responsibilities.

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The STEM Journals on Cox 7 Arizona is the new show in town and it’s all about STEM! A locally produced television show about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in Arizona. Join Cox 7 Arizona’s STEM Road Warrior, Brad Piccirillo, as he travels the state looking for his next adventure, on the STEM Journals.
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Cartoon Network telecasts on Sunday, April 28, 2013 - THE BULLY EFFECT bringing together experts and the opportunity to participate in a live online chat with Rosalind Wiseman, author and renowned bullying prevention expert.
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Since the day you were born, a slimy three-pound blob has been controlling your every thought, memory, movement and emotion. Visual perception, sound, creativity, lying, attractiveness and persuasion are just a few of the mad skills of the mind to be explored and explained in the new world premiere series Brain Games.
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The 80's: The Decade That Made Us. Craziest. History Lesson. Ever.
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Turner Broadcasting is launching a corporate philanthropic program. Turner Voices in Technology is a day-long workshop that explores one of several areas of technology.
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Turner Broadcasting is launching a corporate philanthropic program. Turner Voices in the Arts is a week-long program for high school age Metro-Atlanta area students who are interested in learning more about artistic and creative careers at Turner.
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It’s time to channel your inner Iron Man/Tony Stark and let your inventing imagination go wild.
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STORIES FROM THE ROAD TO FREEDOM, a new two-hour special narrated by Deon Cole celebrates Black History Month.

Beyond Internet Safety: Teaching Kids to be Good Digital Citizens
This webinar discusses the results of two research projects to measure the views of parents and educators about digital citizenship.

Teens, Kindness & Cruelty on Social Network Sites
A research report on digital citizenship from Pew Internet and American Life Project, the Family Online Safety Institute and Cable in the Classroom.

PointSmart.ClickSafe.
Information for parents about using concepts of choice, control, and education to help kids be smart and safe when online.

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Disney Friends for Change: Project Green
This site lets kids pledge to make a difference through small projects and see progress other children are making around the world.

Behind the Screen: Educational Games as Effective, Engaging Learning Tools
This webinar, featuring the game Coaster Crafter, discusses how developers integrate learning & gameplay, what the research says, & what teachers should look for when evaluating games.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
Video clips, featured biographies on famous Latinos, classroom resources, trivia, and more explore Hispanic heritage.

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Coaster Crafter: Build. Ride. Scream!
In this free, online game, students design exciting roller coasters while learning math and science concepts.

eLECTIONS: Your Adventure in Politics
Role-play your own virtual candidates running for President.

Adoption Plus (A+)
A proposed, two-year public-private partnership designed to promote sustainable broadband adoption.

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Cable in the Classroom (CIC) is the national education foundation of the U.S. cable industry. Working in partnership with, and on behalf of, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and our cable industry partners, CIC advocates digital citizenship and the visionary, sensible and effective use of media in homes, schools, and communities. Since 1989, through CIC, local cable companies have been providing complimentary connections to schools, and cable programmers have offered quality educational programming.  CIC enables educators to access the best of cable’s video and web content. Read more.