gender and web use

Penni shared an article with me today from The New York Times that you may find interesting:

Sorry, Boys, This Is Our Domain

Research shows that among the youngest Internet users, the primary creators of Web content (blogs, graphics, photographs, Web sites) are not misfits resembling the Lone Gunmen of “The X Files.” On the contrary, the cyberpioneers of the moment are digitally effusive teenage girls.

teens, homework and the web

Penni shared this interesting article with me, which I thought you might enjoy.

Web-Based Homework - What Do Teens & Tweens Really Want

I look forward to see what develops from this. The widgets in particular sound very useful.

apparently teens aren't getting enough caffeine...

Stimulus Plan for Candy: Pack It Full of Caffeine

The new products are appearing as the candy industry is losing part of its most bankable audience -- kids. There were 3.3% fewer kids age 6 to 11 in 2007 as in 2002, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales of sugar confectionary dropped by 4% from 2001 to 2006, while energy-drink sales rose by more than 400% to $3.23 billion in the period, according to market researcher Mintel.

Ok...to risk sounding like I am a million years old, when did caffeine become so socially acceptable for youth? When I was a kid my folks only let me have soda at parties, and then only one of the little half cans you can rarely even find any more. (Ok, disclaimer, my folks were hippies!) It is hard not to see links to growth in hyperactivity in kids, and also rising anxiety, too. Why isn't there any regulations against this? Or do some people actually consider this healthy?

What do your teens think?

Scrapbooking 2.0

I confess, I've never understood the appeal of scrapbooking, but I do know a lot of people enjoy it. Maybe it would make a good teen program teen program? After reading this article I'm thinking it could be a lot more edgy and interesting that I realized:

Serious Scrap: Enthusiasts come unglued when avant-garde page-maker fails to follow rules

"I, seriously, was like the Lindsay Lohan of scrapbooking," Contes said.

This young scrapbooker gets a lot of grief for using pictures of herself and other non-traditional approaches...I think it is more like she combines scrapbooking with blogging. An interesting read, for sure!