Child Development and the Internet

Alef Innovations is a young and dynamic company with interests in Technology Innovation. Through one of our products – Social Media Marketing – we discovered that most children as young as 8 years are very active users of social networks. It aroused our curiosity how activity in the cyber community was affecting young minds in terms of their development and academic pursuits. We also came to realise that Education Technology was equally taking off like a whirlwind taking both educators and parents by surprise. Whilst it is easy for academic institutions to put policies and procedures in place on how Social Media can be accessed during schooling hours, when the child is at home at times parents do not see the need to monitor what children get up to when they are online. 

It is becoming almost impossible to ban our children from accessing the internet as it has become an invaluable source of information. Care needs to be taken though that not every piece of information in the cyberspace is authentic. It is equally important to note that there are many hazards that young minds can come across in the cyberspace. Some parents are literally addicts of social networks and may not be the best role models for their children.  However educators do have success stories of better results attained through incorporating the internet in the learning experience. 

It is for this reason that we thought it prudent to bring together stakeholders in child development, Information Technology and Social Commentators who are active in Social Media and are well acquainted with the happenings around these networks.

The objective of such conferences is to get these experts to share best practices in dealing with Social Media where children are involved.  For parents we want to make sure that they are aware of the dangers within these forums, we also equip them with available means of child online protection. For educators we assist them with policies and procedures suitable for their unique environments. We share with them the latest education technology available. We want these discussions to shape public policy on incorporating technology in the learning experience of our children. We also share with social workers how to identify and handle child development discords caused by technology. We share best methods of prevention and possible remedies where the situation has gone overboard. We want to involve organisations that provide this technology either as a service or particular products. From them we need to understand what systems they have put in place to protect minors. This discourse cannot be complete without the involvement of community and civic leaders. There is current legislation that governs technology in its various forms, it is important to understand what it is and how it protects minors. 

We are hosting one such conference on the 3^rd of March 2016 in Cape Town at Lagoon Beach Hotel Conference and Spar. We still have seats available and you can book yours by following this link www.cognitoforms.com/ALEFInnovations1/ConferenceRegistration 

The challenges of Education Technology

Technology is known to improve our way of life. It helps us multi task, we are able to save costs as processes can be streamlined. Through technology some physical barriers like distance can be overcome. I remember watching a short video a couple of weeks ago about refugees from one African country that were mesmerized when they found themselves in America. The cultural differences were just overwhelming. Technology makes it possible for us to have relationships with anyone from any corner of the world, and interact with them in a manner that exposes us to their lifestyles in real time.  I also watched an interesting video of airplanes battling strong winds during take off and landing, something that I have never encountered throughout my flying experience. Social Media makes it possible for us to share our experiences with the rest of the world, helping all of us to expand our worldview. This type of exposure is being exploited extensively in the education arena. Not only to expose students to other parts of the world but also to help with their learning experience. A friend on Facebook recently shared how proud they were of their child who recently completed a research on the continent of Africa. The child is only 10 years and still primary school. Some institutions are literally going paperless. Online applications (computer programs) are used to teach various concepts. Business innovation has enthused others to set up computer study centers where children get extra lessons conducted via computers.

Education Technology is most effective when it is online. Educational software is available some for free and some at minimum costs. Most schools have gone out of their way to provide hardware in the form of desktop computers, tablets and electronic boards. Schools as responsible institutions, have restrictions on which sites students are allowed to visit in the cyberspace. They are laid down policies and procedures on the access of internet even Social Media networks. However just like textbooks, parents find themselves pressed to avail cyberspace accessing gadgets for children when they are at home. Some parents have bought their kids laptops, tablets and or smartphones. Some of our homes have broadband internet with wireless connectivity (wifi). Our kids are able to navigate the internet from home for school work and entertainment. This is where the challenge begins for an average parent.  The policies and procedures from school are not applicable or enforced at home. So who is supposed to monitor what our kids are exposed to when they are at home? Who supervises their activities on Social Media when they are at home? In fact, even at school, maybe the polices are not as effective because we have seen disturbing images and videos of school children in school premises, some in classrooms. The internet and Social Media in particular, makes sharing of these videos very easy and they go viral inflicting serious emotional damages on our children.

Whilst the internet has brought in Education Technology, which enhances the learning experience and prepares our kids for the feature, it comes with some challenges. We cannot overlook the possibility of some of our educators not being technologically sound to handle appropriately this phenomenon. Neither can we underplay the possibility that some parents are equally challenged to supervise kids appropriately around this technology. Psychologists have made observations that too much time spent online leads to developmental challenges on our children. Whilst the internet has proved to be a good learning tool, it is also known to kill off imagination and self confidence two important aspects of any learning experience. Therefore, it is dangerous for kids to spend a lot of time glued to the internet. But how much time is too much time online for a child? What do you do if your child already has an internet accessing gadget but their school is not yet using any Education Technology? How can you assure the safety of children when they are online at home? For kids that already show signs of addiction, how can they be assisted? Join us as we discuss these and other cardinal issues on Child Development, Learning Experience and Online Safety in a one day conference on Social Media and Minors. For more details follow this link  alefinnovations.com/wordpressfiles/events/ 

It takes a village to raise a child - the cyberspace ain't no village

There is an old African saying that goes, "It takes a village to raise a child". The meaning behind the saying can only be understood by taking a look at an African village. An African village was made up of close family members. The village set up was such that the family head would offer pieces of land around his homestead to his offspring . The village head/chief or councilor would also be one of the close family members. Hence a child born in any of the homesteads within the village is either a brother, a cousin or a nephew. All adults in the village were related. Family matters could not wait for maternal parents seeing everyone was a close relative. When it came to matters of child upbringing, anyone within the village would always have their best interests for any minor.

Urbanization came and distorted this setup. In pursuit of economic opportunities we are now scattered so far away from our paternal families. I stay in a multi-racial complex. I have seen kids the age of my son, around 10 years publicly smoking in my neighborhood. We are of different nationalities although the majority are from our host country. Whatever values that I hold as a parent, can never be the same with those of my neighbor who hails from a different country. Most of our schools are multi-cultural, multi racial, multi-religious, and so are the teachers that spend most of day hours with our kids. I remember my father telling me that the headmaster at the school where he did his primary education was his father's (my grandfather) best friend; they actually called him uncle. Whilst we relate with our neighbors and community leaders, we are literally strangers to each other and hold different values.

Over and above urbanization we are now in the digital era where the internet rules supreme. We are now connected to strangers 24/7. You can get a solution to any situation through search engines. Someone can give you advice on how to commit suicide - even though they haven't done it themselves. You can belong to online networks and communities where there are faceless friends. Physical relationships are slowly being replaced by online relationships. For any caring parent, if your child has 5000 followers on a particular network and is chatting to hundreds of friends from chat platforms - never mistake the global village for the physical village. The cyberspace is infested with many hazards that you need to be aware of and alert your child about. In the rural village where we grew up, if my parents disciplined me and I went next door to bad mouth them, either I would get a hiding or I would be strongly reprimanded. Online we have seen children calling their parents all sorts of expletives, and you will find some members of the Cyber village encouraging such behavior. Unfortunately the same people who encourage children to do bad things, turn around and use that against them. They might start bullying them or black mail them in one way or another forcing the poor child into compromising decisions. Once emotions are damaged at a tender age, fixing them is very difficult.

Parents can not block their children from accessing the internet as some school requirements demand that. Other schools are going paperless and lessons are conducted using online applications. It is also not possible for parents to be technology masters in order to protect their kids. Some parents may not have the time to go through the child's phone/tablet/laptop and follow up on all conversations to make sure that their child is safe. Denying children access to a phone/tablet/laptop might not be possible. How best can we protect our kids. Carr Snow says, "Technology....is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other." We live in the technology era, it is our responsibility as parents to make sure our kids don't get stabbed at the back. For more information on how to protect your child, or what role you can play for a safer internet environment for children, we invite you to our conference. For more details kindly log into our website
alefinnovations.com

Smart Phone and Tablet the gift of choice for most parents

Most parents have bought their children gifts in the form of a smart phone or a tablet. Those that have not, are waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so. These clever gadgets are convenient. They make communication easy and affordable. With a budget of data only, you can still make voice calls. With these gadgets parents can trace the exact location of their kids at any particular time. Just this past week I saw a Facebook update of a parent who was fuming that her school runner had forgotten to pick up their child at school. If the child was in possession of a smart phone, the parent could have discovered this mishap earlier and easily by confirming the location of the child through online applications.

Don't we love these gadgets, they have saved many of us from embarrassment  as parents as they provide answers to our kids' home work. We can simply refer them to Google and this lady does answer any question you can imagine. With education technology, some of our schools are going paperless. Although in some instances tablets are provided, there are some instances where the child needs to have their personal gadget. If the tablet remains at school, when the child gets home, they at times become a nuisance disturbing us as we conduct important business on our gadgets. Hence the motivation to buy our kids these internet accessing gadgets. These gadgets have also eased up competition with our kids for the television set. When you want to watch your favorite program and the little one wants to watch their cartoons - its a battle you can never win. With a smartphone or tablet, kids can bury themselves in numerous games and educational material. 

However, good as these gadgets may seem, they can be very dangerous if we are not careful with what our kids are exposed to. The programs broadcast through televisions have have age restrictions, and we would not allow those under age to watch them. But even programs with 18SNVLP would not explicitly bare body parts and human copulation. The Internet accessed through smart phones and tablets leave nothing to the imagination. In fact, the Internet will show some things that are shocking to adults. This is not the only danger one encounters online, but the Cyberspace is infiltrated with strangers that have ulterior motives. Some may not be strangers but well known individuals who are given the courage of being anonymous to become iniquitous. Internet has innocent circles like Social Media networks, they may look harmless but are known to cause damage to human development.  Many families are dysfunctional because children are addicted to Social Media, they no longer converse nor are they interested in reading and school work.

It is cardinal to know what your child gets up to when they are online. They are measures that can be put in place to protect children. Schools have a role to play in Child Online Safety. For those of us in Social Work we need to understand how to care for the vulnerable who face challenges in the Cyberspace. Our community leaders must take charge in encouraging us to be responsible parents. It is now more than ever that we need policies that make the Internet a Safe Environment for all minors. In view of these concerns, on the 3rd of March, we will be hosting a conference on Social Media and Minors. You are invited to come and learn more about protecting your child from the hazards of the Cyberspace. We can not avoid having our kids access the internet - how can we secure their safety? For registration and more details visit http://alefinnovations.com/

Responsible Parenting and Cyber Gadgets

The 6th of December was my son's 11th birthday. For his present he wanted either a smartphone or a smart watch. We settled for a smartphone. The first thing we did after acquiring it was to make sure it is installed with software that blocks access to sites that have content above his age. Then we had to set rules on how he should use his gadget. We have WiFi at home and through his phone he has access to the internet. Almost all his classmates have smart phones and they have a class chat group on WhatsApp. This group can get very active and at times when I am working late they are messages that beep into his phone. The night activity of this group influenced another rule, that the phone does not go into his bedroom when he goes to sleep. Over the holidays we discovered that he was being bullied by one of his friends, a situation we had to address. Does this sound normal to a teenage parent?

As technology develops, it comes with challenges of varying degrees. I understand some kids as young as 5 years own smartphones or tablets. The challenge we face then is when we react to the hazards that come with these gadgets. At schools and at our work places, there are rules and regulations that govern the use of these gadgets. Unfortunately some of our homes are a free for all. We end up with kids who are addicted to online activities. Besides cyber bullies and sexual deviants, another danger our kids are exposed to online is Social Media communities. It becomes harmful when we fail to give them proper guidance on how to navigate this technology jungle. Maybe the bigger challenge is that we don't know how to handle it ourselves as guardians. Digital Marketing analyst Brian Solis says, "Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology." So, as a parent, its not about how much you are technically knowledgeable, its more about how your child is being influenced online. There is an African saying which goes, it takes a village to raise a child. That village used to be our physical neighbors. With connectivity and mobility, you have a million possible characters that have the potential to influence the character development of your child.

The academic space is equally moving with times. There is e-Learning and all schools are taking advantage of technology. Some schools have websites and are active on Social Media. This improves communication with stake holders. When there is an important message - it can be shared in real time at the click of a button instead of making numerous phone calls. Teachers can utilize various online programs for information dissemination and or conducting experiments. Carrie Snow, a stand up comedian and TV Series writer states, "Technology....is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other." Quite a mouthful. So as we cherish the advanced development that comes with technology like Social Media applications, let us beware of the hazards that come with it. Knowledge is power and we get knowledge from information; information is now readily available on the internet. However we ought to take heed of these wise words from Mitchel Kapor the founder of the spreadsheet Lotus 1-2-3, "Getting information off the internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant." The pressure can inflict serious injuries - although they can be physical, most are emotional and emotional injuries take time to heal. As a responsible parent, you would want to guide your child's Cyber Space experience.

We will be hosting a conference on Social Media and Minors in Cape Town, on the 3rd of March 2016. If you are a stakeholder in the provision of a safe environment of children, join us in this important discussion. For more details visit alefinnovations.com

Digital Marketing in January.....

January marks the beginning of the year. A lot of social activities begin with the new year. Children begin school whilst other move to a higher grade. As individuals we make resolutions for the new year and at the first month we try our level best to honor those resolutions. Businesses also have plans and programs that begin with the new year. Budgets are released and spending is generous for some whilst others are very cautious as they seek to spread their resources throughout the year. Most of us would have over indulged during the festive season and January finds us literally broke. Broke as we are, we are part of your valued customers and it is through us that you will meet your objectives for this new year. The question is, since most of us are generally broke and our buying power is literally at zero, do you ease up in reaching out to us until our situation improves? Some of us might actually need a couple of months before we recover from festive expenditures.

When we are down, we normally need a shoulder to cry on. We need someone to assure us that tomorrow is going to be better. We seek solace from friends and acquaintances. Cyber space has removed the barrier of distance to be in touch with those whose company we enjoy. A problem shared is a problem solved. We naturally turn to Social Media where we get motivational messages. Some of our friends share jokes that have a relaxing effect; showing us how we over indulged during the festive season. Social Media is the place that gives us temporary relief from our real life January misery. An astute marketer should be able to help any business tell their story such that they appeal to a target audience despite the audience's mood. This is the time to drive traffic to our website. Our audience is already online though not necessarily looking for us. Care must be taken not to be too pushy and forcing our products in front of our audience. That can be offending. The information we share should showcase how our products will solve the problems our clients are facing.

Social Media is mainly about being social and having fun. Our content strategy should have the same theme. When our content is deemed to be both fun and problem solving, we will entice our audience to share our material. When our material is widely shared we tend to benefit from the exponential effect - a friend shares with their friend who shares with their friend - and might even end up with a viral campaign. So content marketing should not only be serious and factual but witty, humorous and entertaining. It is not always possible to get an internal person who can have all these attributes, hence the need to outsource part or all of our digital marketing activities. 

Should you be in need of assistance with your Digital Marketing, Website, Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, you can visit our website www.alefinnovations.com or contact us directly. Your comments are also most appreciated, do not hesitate to also share this article - sharing is caring.

7 Reasons Social Media should be part of your marketing strategy for the Festive Season

It's that time of the year again, the festive season. Everyone is looking forward to the annual break. But before going away on holiday there is some shopping to be done. Not only are we going to shop for personal presents, but in our professional circles we are going to share year end presents. Technology has made it possible to buy services that can be consumed anytime. Whatever sector you are in, you stand a chance for your product or service to be purchased as a year end gift. Therefore, we all need to package ourselves in a manner that takes full advantage of this shopping frenzy. Most of our clients including potential ones have some presence in Social Media networks. It is cardinal for us to reach out to them where we will find them and find them in the right mood. Here are 7 reasons why you should use Social Media to maximize on the Festive Season shopping spree.

1. Festive season exudes the shopping spirit
During this time of the year, there is a shopping spirit that hovers around everyone. Some shop for things that they will only use once during the coming holidays. Some shop for presents to be given as rewards to loyal customers, whilst some shop for presents that can be used to lure potential customers. The same scenario is true for family and friends or any other social relationship. Literally everybody is shopping this time of the year. Most retailers come up with various discounted products to maximize on this once a year phenomenon. Despite your product or service, you may find yourself with a sale influenced by the festive season. Social Media if used appropriately, can be a medium to reaching out to shoppers looking for your product to buy out there

2. Brand Awareness
If there was a time for potential clients to remember your brand, it is now. If there was a time to receive referrals it is the festive season. There is no better way to have your product be in the wagging tongues of everyone than felt presence in Social Media networks.  We are at this time discussing the best presents to buy, and we will be looking for the best brand. Some of us are not sure what to buy, and our decisions will be influenced by our peers. The advertisement that you did some time back during the year, which made a significant impact -  might be best to repeated now - just to remind us how awesome your products are. Repeating the advert in the conventional media might cost you an arm and a leg, but in Social Media it is possible to run campaigns at competitive costs. Social Media is structured such that, you can repeat your campaigns several times, with a once off action.

3. Viral Campaigns
This is probably the best time to come up with a campaign that can go viral. The spirit of generosity could help the spread of your campaign. I have often received messages in my inbox about the impact a blog I wrote would have made on someone. But the same individual in-boxing would not have shared my article.  At this time of the year, everyone wants to share, if your campaigns are able to scratch your followers where it's itching, they will definitely share them creating the exponential effect which fuels a viral campaign. In any case sharing is caring and this is the time we show how caring we are. There is no scientific formula for a campaign to go viral, it all depends on the reaction of your audience. The audience is already been put on a sharing mood by the Festive Season, give them something to share, and that might as well be the campaign that will propel you to reach your maximum potential.

4. Identify the popular # hashtags and ride your campaigns on them
There are several hashtags that will be coined for this season. Identify the most popular one within your industry or area of influence and take full advantage of it. The hashtag might be of something not directly related to you, but if it is popular you can ride on its popularity. There is no need to spend time trying to promote a personalized hashtag and fail to make it popular. You will be like re-inventing the wheel; we have different car models but they all use the same wheel. In business we have to exploit possible opportunities to our maximum advantage and that is what you do when you ride on a popular hashtag. By the way, whatever you do on that hashtag, still promotes the originator, its a win-win with any popular campaign.

5. Follow up on any leads - everyone is buying
Remember that lead you once had, where interest was shown, but no commitment made? This is the time to revisit that lead. That is why it is cardinal to have a sound digital marketing strategy. You need to have a database of all your leads, whether from you website visits or Social Media networks. A short reminder of who you are and what your services or products are could be all you need this time of the year for a sales conversion. This is the time where some will buy something and wonder why they bought. But of cause we don't sell useless products or services...do we now... so they will definitely find good use for our products maybe not now.

6. Have a content marketing strategy in place
This is the time we need everyone out there having an in-depth knowledge and understanding about our products. Remember that what we are offering will not only be bought for consumption by the targeted customer. Someone might be intending to use our product or service as an end of year gift. It is crucial that at this time all necessary information is out there about us. What better way can there be to share with potential clients what we do or how our products can help them than through Social Media. We are now in the information age and clients want to buy after they understand. A slot in the television, radio or newspaper to explain our products in detail will break the bank. But we could share all the information we want to share through various Social Media networks without a heavy budget. We might need the services of an expect in this regard though if we are to do it right.

7. Use this time to give as well
Whilst we are in business and should aim to maximize on profits, we also have to take time to thank those who are loyal to us and help us succeed.  It might be impossible to reach all of them physically and hand them goody bags. Through Social Media we have access to almost all our stakeholders and technology has made it possible to share things online. With a bit of tact we could use the process of sharing our gifts as a campaign that will strengthen our brand. A year end activity of this nature can leave us strategically positioned to begin the new year on a high note.

For any further information on this aspect do not hesitate to contact us at www.alefinnovations.com