Top Five Tips to Keep Your Young Kids Engaged in Safe Social Networks and Summer Learning

ePals (TSX VENTURE: SLN)

News that Facebook may allow children under 13 to join the social networking
site raises important questions about online safety for our youngest Internet
users and purposes of learning. All over the world, new learning standards are
emerging that focus on communication and collaboration as an important means to
provide the writing and media creation, critical thinking and problem solving
skills essential to the 21st century work place. Proper use of social media
tools in furtherance of learning has the potential to motivate and empower
students in ways that traditional home and school learning methods cannot match.


ePals, which operates the largest social learning networking site specifically
designed for children and teachers, has been focused on creating a safe and
secure education experience for children for more than 15 years. Please see the
following Top Five Tips for creating a safe and secure online environment for
children.


1. Understand The Differences Between Consumer Social Media and Social Learning
Platforms


It's important to distinguish between social media platforms and social learning
platforms. Social media tools for education take into account the safety and
privacy of students and teachers and are focused on social learning, not just
being social.


2. Steer Kids To Safe and Secure Social Networking Sites

Find social networking sites with the TRUSTe seal and that have active tools
such as content and language filters. Ensure that forums are screened for
appropriate material that creates a safe and secure online environment. Only
allow your kids to visit sites that are actively monitored to ensure a safe
environment for kids. Examples of top kid-centric sites can be found here.


3. Prevent Cyber Bullying

Teach your child how to recognize and avoid cyber bullies. Only allow your
children to access sites where parents, guardians and teachers have the ability
to set access levels. Should a student come across a cyber bully make sure they
know to report it to a trusted adult -- just like they would with a playground
bully.


4. Keep Kids Connected To Learning Over The Summer And Extend Summer Reading
Activities


Social learning platforms like ePals, match like-minded students, teachers and
parents with peers so they can learn together and stay connected over the
summer. One of the biggest dangers of social networking is the potential to
waste endless hours of time -- make sure the social networking site your
children use offers constructive learning experiences. Two great resources for
safe, learning content for mobile devices and tablets are Ladybug's Bookshelf
and Cobblestone & Cricket Publications.


5. Encourage Your Child/Student To Engage Safely With And Learn From Students
From Other Cultures Around The World


To prepare children for the challenges and opportunities they face in our
increasingly interconnected world, safe, social learning tools can help connect
schools and students across the globe. K-12 social learning platforms now offer
embedded language translation technology to help students break down language
barriers and improve their language skills.


About ePals Corporation
ePals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: SLN) is an education media company and the
leading provider of safe social learning networks. Focused on the K-12 market,
ePals offers elementary and secondary school administrators, teachers, students
and parents worldwide a safe and secure platform for building educational
communities, providing quality digital content and facilitating collaboration
for effective 21st century learning. ePals' award-winning products include: the
ePals Global Community(TM); SchoolMail(R)365; LearningSpace(R); In2Books(R), a
common core eMentoring program that builds reading, writing and critical
thinking skills; and popular children's educational publishing brands including
Cricket(R) and Cobblestone(R). ePals customers and partners include the
International Baccalaureate, Microsoft Corporation, Dell Inc., IBM Corp.,
National Geographic and leading school districts across the United States and
globally. ePals serves approximately 800,000 educators and reaches millions of
teachers, students and parents in approximately 200 countries and territories.
For the ePals Global Community(TM), visit www.epals.com.