Parent ProTech (https://www.parentprotech.com/) and Krystina O'Bryan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystinaobryant/) t join Dr. Alfonso Mendoza on My EdTech Life to challenge one of education’s biggest assumptions: being a digital native does not mean being digitally ready.
In Digital Natives Aren't Ready for This, we explore what students are actually facing online and why knowing how to use technology is very different from having the emotional maturity, critical thinking, and judgment needed to navigate it safely.
Krystina O'Bryant (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystinaobryant/) , Chief Academic Officer at Parent ProTech (https://www.parentprotech.com/) , shares how schools and families can move beyond checkbox digital citizenship and start having meaningful conversations about screen time, social media, AI companions, digital wellness, online behavior, and the rapidly changing world of generative AI.
We also talk about why adults need to get back into the digital citizenship conversation, the difference between active and passive screen time, the surprising rise of AI relationships among young people, and why character traits like responsibility, kindness, self-control, and good judgment matter just as much online as they do offline.
Technology will continue to change. The bigger question is whether we are preparing students with skills that will still matter when the next platform, app, or AI tool arrives.
If you are an educator, school leader, parent, instructional coach, or anyone helping young people navigate technology, this conversation is for you.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome and Thanks
00:45 Sponsor Shoutouts
01:19 Meet Krystina (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystinaobryant/) and Parent ProTech (https://www.parentprotech.com/)
03:01 Krystina’s (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystinaobryant/) Educator Journey
06:05 Digital Natives vs Literacy
10:02 What Parent ProTech (https://www.parentprotech.com/) Offers
15:11 Beyond Checkbox Digital Citizenship
20:41 Screen Time and Digital Wellness
23:33 AI Risks and Rapid Change
28:06 Character Education Meets Digital
31:08 Spanish Support and Accessibility
33:43 Timeless Safety Skills
37:53 How to Connect and Get Access
40:43 Lightning Round Fun
43:49 Final Thanks and Wrap Up
🎙️ ABOUT MY EDTECH LIFE
My EdTech Life is about more than the latest tool or trend. Dr. Alfonso Mendoza brings educators, researchers, founders, and thought leaders together for conversations about what technology means for teaching, learning, and the people at the center of education.
We keep the conversation practical, thoughtful, and human.
☕ THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
A huge thank you to Comeback Coffee, Book Creator, Eduaide, and Peel Back Education for supporting the mission of My EdTech Life and helping us continue bringing meaningful conversations to the education community.
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Are we giving digital natives too much credit simply because they know how to use the technology?
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