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tokesdigitalhub · 5 years ago

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Interactive Digital Media in Early Childhood Education.

Hello Guys, i recently did a research paper on the above topic, and i would love to share my thought and findings here. Kindly share your feedbacks.

Image gotten from shutterstock.com

1. Introduction

The 21st-century era is often considered to be the “Tech Era” and children in this era are ardent users of technology, even more so than past generations. The growth in technology has resulted in a-lot of attention on its impact on the children’s brains and their socio-emotional, cognitive and physical development. Despite the increasing relevance of technology on early childhood education, much of the research in this field is still in infancy and often reveal little correlations between technology use and child outcomes, also whether technology causes these outcomes is still very unclear.

Technology has improved our social, mental, physical well-being in so many ways, and has generated incredibly useful tools that bring to our fingertips all the knowledge we need. In this context, technology help to analyse, design, develop, implement, and evaluate the educational environment and learning materials. This includes digital media, internet, file servers, data storage devices, network infrastructure, desktops, computers, and communication systems, including radio and television, and telephones used for educational purposes in classrooms. There are several scholarly views related to the pre-school use of computers. Yelland (2005) highlight that the intentional and appropriate use of technological tools can enhance young children’s diverse skills and make them active members of this digital age. However, Elkind (1998) and Haugland (1999) stressed that computers and other technological devices, such as cameras and projectors are not suitable for children under the age of three. This paper explores some of the categories of technology tools in childhood education, the effects of technology use on children in terms of their developmental dimensions, which includes cognitive, socio-emotional and physical development, highlight some of the existing literature around the medical concerns of technology on children in the early years and summarises the barriers to the effective utilisation of technology.

2.0 Use of Technology

Growth in the use of technology by children has led to increasing concern about how it affects their cognitive and physical development. For technology to be effectively and appropriately used, educators and parents, need to consciously apply such technology to meet the needs of the child. Also, the effective use of technology relies on knowing the two primary technological uses. This knowledge will further assist educators in spreading and allocating each software efficiently over time. There is a passive and active use of technology, and educators and parents need to be aware of their differences. In general, passive use of technology occurs when children consume content, such as watching a television program, a computer, or a handheld device without associated contemplation, creativity, or involvement. Active use occurs when children are involved in meaningful learning and storytelling activities using tools such as computers, tablets, and apps.

A report from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, “Take a Giant Step” lays out national goals and immediate actions, acknowledging that leaders in education must restructure time and staffing so that teachers can work together with students to use technology. (Barron et al. 2011)

An American statement produced by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and Fred Rogers Centre (2012) Reminded us of the critical need to reflect on the utilization of digital innovations. It states, “technology and media are tools that are effective only when used appropriately” (p.4). It is also of the opinion that “the appeal of technology and the steady stream of new devices may lead some educators to use technology for technology’s sake, rather than as a means to an end” (p.4).

Appropriate use of technology requires that teachers be in direct contact with children and communicate with them, instruct them on how to use the technology, and encourage them to connect with other children so they can learn from each other (McManis & Gunnewig, 2012).

Technology use should also be sensitive to the characteristics of age groups, the social and cultural milieu that hosts children, and the individual needs and interests of children (McManis & Gunnewig, 2012).

Incorporating innovation into the classrooms can help children in learning at a rate that is agreeable for them, empowering them to acquire and retain data better. Children who are conversant with technology at an early age in quality educational programs may have the advantage of technology-improved life. Most specialists concur that the utilisation of various interactive technology in the childcare setting must not be an objective unto itself. The reason for innovation ought to be to grow, advance, individualize, and broaden the general education plan.

In the digital age, the balanced mental, economic, psychological, physical, and linguistic growth of the whole child is as critical as ever. Effective technology is hands-on, engaging, and empowering. It gives children control, assist them in progressing and developing at their rates. When used appropriately, technology can improve, without substituting creative play, discovery, physical activity, outdoor activities, communication, and social interactions.

European countries use technologies as part of their national education policies and curricula. Typically, these guidelines cover the entire learning process. The European Commission has embraced a new Digital Agenda aimed at developing and maximising ICT skills, including digital and media literacy. It involves approaches aimed at providing pupils with the necessary skills, as well as providing teachers with the requisite ICT education.

According to Lim, C.P. & Tay, L.Y. (2003), technological tools can be classified into four categories:

2.1. Educational tools: These are software that provides data in a variety of formats, including text, graphics, sound, and video. For starters, virtual encyclopaedias and Internet resources can be examples of insightful tools.

2.2. Situating tools: Such incorporate programs that put students in an experimental environment. Simulations, games, and virtual reality are among those devices.

2.3. Constructive tools: These tools are general-purpose tools for manipulating information, creating new knowledge, or visualising one’s understanding. Examples of such tools may be mind-maps or applications for social networking that enable students to organise their knowledge, ideas, and reflections.

2.4. Communicative tools: Such tools make interaction simpler between students and educators. Examples of communicative tools can be e-mails, chats, forums, teleconferences, and also interactive whiteboards. Technology offers new chances to fortify numerous parts of childcare practice. The International Society for Technology in Education (2007) suggests necessary skills in technology operations and concepts by age 5. Despite rapid growth in the use of digital technology by society, most children in low-income families are unable to access and use technology in the same manner as their more affluent peers. The less- privileged children have less opportunity to learn, explore, and communicate as well as develop the required workforce skills needed in the future.

3.0 Children and Technology

In education, technology is related to how best to use computers and the internet to improve the effectiveness and quality of the teaching and learning process (Guha, 2003). In 2008, the Digital Education Revolution was a driver for transforming teaching and learning through digital education and focused on all aspects of education, from teacher training and professional learning to digital resources, curriculum design, and community engagement (Digital Education Advisory Group, 2012). It proposed through this activity that digital innovations ought to be utilised to upgrade social involvement and encourage child-focused learning in both formal and casual learning situations. Conlon and Simpson (2003) stated that technology can have a transformative effect on education systems because it is a potential powerful tool for extending educational opportunities; facilitating the acquisition and absorption of knowledge through the use of a computer.

The early years of a child are the periods of rapid development. During the first few years of life, a child’s brain may create over 1 million new connections per second, which is essential for development of various functions such as hearing, language and cognition (Center on the Developing Child, 2009). Digital technology has transformed the way children and young people interact and communicate with each other. In particular, children from birth through to the age of five learn very quickly, using all their senses and bodies to take in stimuli and experience the world around them. During this period of their lives, they learn through play and exploration across five essential developmental dimensions (Kagan, Moore &amp, Bredekamp, 1995). These dimensions include:

3.1. Social and Emotional Development: This requires a sense of personal well-being that comes through whole experiences in early childhood lives and interactions that allow children to engage in self-positive learning activities, their peers, and their teachers. This dimension serves as the basis for relationships that make school experience meaningful. On the other hand, emotional development can be seen as “Self-Concept” which determine the traits, behaviours, capacities, motivations, social roles, goals and values that determine how we view ourselves while social development involves the ability to establish and maintain social relationships with adults and friends.

3.2. Language Development: Language empowers children to engage in the learning program actively. Written and oral language learning offers opportunities for children to communicate with others to reflect their ideas, interaction, and experiences. Effectively engaging with other children and adults and experiencing increasing literacy with various forms of language are fundamental elements of this aspect. Verbal language includes listening, speaking, social uses of language, vocabulary and meaning, and questioning.

3.3. Physical Well-being and Motor Development: The health of a child is linked to preparation for and performance in learning activities. Healthy children can focus on and actively engage in experiences crucial to the learning process. Necessary information on the history of the child’s health is vital in order to understand the state in which children come to school. Also, early childhood educators stress the importance of optimum motor development in children, ranging from large motor movements on the playground to small motor activity required to hold a crayon or put together puzzles.

3.4. Cognition and General Knowledge: Represents the accumulation and reorganisation of interactions arising from engaging in a productive learning environment with qualified and useful input by adults. Children build knowledge of patterns and relationships, cause and effect, and methods of solving problems in everyday life from these experiences. The four types of knowledge under cognition and general knowledge are:

A. Physical Knowledge: This helps children in the understanding of objects gained through observation and experience. For example, a blue, heavy ball rolling downhill.

B. Logical-Mathematical Knowledge: This type of knowledge enables the child to establish similarities, differences, and connections between things, events, or individuals. For example, a white and black bead may be different if the variable under consideration in the child’s mind is color, or the same if it is based on size.

C. Social-Conventional Knowledge: Knowledge which reflects agreed societal conventions and which cannot be reinvented by any generation of learners. For example, the English language has 26 letters, including 5 vowels and 21 consonants.

D. Cognitive Competencies that Young Children Develop Through Interaction with Different Types of Knowledge: This includes representational thoughts, problem- solving, mathematical knowledge, social knowledge, and imagination.

3.5. Approaches Toward Learning: This refers to inclinations, structures, or styles rather than skills that represent the myriad ways children learn and develop their inclinations to follow them. In many ways, a child can be successful in school, and parents and educators should understand the different ways children participate in learning to know how to improve and not discourage their participation. Some of the ways to improve early learning and development are curiosity, creativity, independence, cooperativeness, and persistence. The International Reading Association (2009) highlighted the importance of integrating technologies, including digital texts such as e-books, into current literacy programs. Hisrich and Blanchard (2009) highlight that early exposure to digital media presents a potential learning opportunity for emergent literacy development and digital tools that can help pre-schoolers learn communication skills.

4. Medical Concerns of Technology on Children in the Early Years There are questions as to whether young children in early childhood education should have access to software and electronic media. Many associations of clinical and community health and child advocacy groups are concerned with child development and their health issues such as obesity. Screen time was interchangeably used to refer to TV viewings and interactive screen technology tools such as laptops, phones, and video games (Strasburger et al., 2013). 85% of children under 24 months were reported to be watching over 2 hours of TV daily(Early Childhood Ireland, 2016).

The Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies (Birch, Parker, & Burns 2011; Institute of Medicine of the National Academies 2011) recommend that childcare settings limit screen time (including television, audio, digital media, video games, social devices, cell phones and Internet) for pre-schoolers (age 2 through 5) in half-day activities, fewer than 30 minutes a day or less than one hour per day for children in full-day programs.

5. Barriers to the effective utilization of Technology Several factors should be considered; access, educators’ readiness and experience, student foundation, educational plan content, instructional techniques, and new instructive assets.

5.1. Teacher’s Preparation The issue of enhancing teacher preparation and ongoing learning led to the creation of the Digital Age Teacher Preparation Council, established by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute, with generous support from the Joyce Foundation. They discussed emerging best practices, changes in policies and programs, as well as creative approaches to improving education and support for children and teachers.

5.2. Resource Materials Resource materials and facilities need not only be available but be in the right quantities (Gross et al.,1971). Lack of resource materials and facilities frustrates and demotivates teachers. According to Kocchar (1990), a teacher who has adequate and relevant teaching materials and facilities will be more confident, competent, and productive.

5.3. Reliability Another barrier given by Butler and Sellbom (2002), and Chizmar & Williams (2001) is reliability. Reliability includes hardware failures, incompatible software between home and school, weak or slow internet connectivity, and out of date software, which is available mostly at school while the students/educators have more up-to-date software at home. Despite schools flooded with computers, the evidence is mixed as to whether overall student achievement has notably increased or the achievement gap has visibly narrowed as a result of the use of technology (Barton, 2001; Cuban, 2001; Healy, 1998; Wenglinsky, 1998; Wilson,1999; Yau, 1999).

Conclusion Technology today has many impacts on our children, but how could it not be when our culture is evolving into a world of technology. Due to the ubiquity of technology in the lives of 21st century children, a concerted effort needs to be made to protect children from the risks associated with technology use, and also to promote positive habits and modes of use that are beneficial for child development. Also, technology evidently provides children with a number of learning and socialisation opportunities, and digital competence will likely be necessary for the next generations to enter the labour market. As the rapid take-up of digital technologies and social media by children and young people continues, it is crucial to adopt an approach that minimises the risks without restricting the considerable opportunities and benefits digital technologies and social media have to offer. Early childhood educators need to be mindful of all these issues and understand the vital role they play as educators in the use and filtering of software and media for young children. Their role is crucial because they are expected to prepare carefully, carefully execute, reflect on, and assess all right decisions on how to incorporate and integrate any form of technology or media into the classroom experience. Additionally, these children and their families should be empowered to be responsible online participants and educated about appropriate digital use and risks. Industry should be encouraged to produce relevant, appropriate and accessible content and tools. It remains critical that children and young people who display signs of mental illness get help early.

References

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Barron, B., G. Cayton-Hodges, L. Bofferding, C. Copple, L. Darling-Hammond, & M. Levine. 2011(p.3). “Take a Giant Step: A Blueprint for Teaching Children in a Digital Age.” New York: The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. http://joanganzcooneycenter.org/upload_kits/ jgcc_takeagiantstep.pdf.

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zipgrowth · 6 years ago

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Coursera Turns 7: Celebrate With Us!

Back in April 2012, Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng launched Coursera to enable anyone, anywhere to transform their life through learning.

Seven years ago, we couldn’t have imagined where we’d be today: connecting 40 million learners around the globe with the world’s greatest thinkers, educators, and institutions.

A lot has happened since 2012. We admire the dedication we’ve seen from learners like Balesh, Scotty, Anastasia, and so many others who have come to Coursera to learn new skills, grow in their careers, and adapt to an ever-changing world.

We wanted to take a moment to celebrate this milestone by looking back on key global trends from each year, as well as the popular courses and Specializations that went along with them.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. We can’t wait to see what you’ll learn next!

2011: Rise of Machine Learning

In 2011, Apple launched Siri, which used natural language processing to answer questions.

The same year, IBM’s Watson computer defeated television game show Jeopardy champions Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2011:

Machine Learning from Stanford University: Andrew Ng, a Stanford University computer science professor, launched his open online course on machine learning in 2011. Before long, over 100,000 learners had enrolled. Through this course, Andrew and Daphne discovered the impact online learning could have on increasing access to education, which led to the founding of Coursera.

2012: Power of Social Sharing

Social media became the go-to place for sharing in 2012. More than 50 percent of adults used a social networking site in 2012, and 67 percent used those platforms to share their opinions.

Medium also launched, giving people across the globe the chance to pen an article without their own blog. With these tools, people had the platform to tell their own story or join the national conversation.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2012:

Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments from Duke University: This course, taught by Dr. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong & Dr. Ram Neta, teaches learners how to identify, analyze, and evaluate others’ reasoning. It also detailed ways to craft your own winning arguments. Richard Faigo, who took the course, said, it gives “clear technical insights with regard to analysis of arguments.”

2013: Hello, Sharing Economy

People worked together in new ways in 2013. The sharing economy took off in 2013 with the rise of Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb.

Crowdfunding, which allows people to come together and collectively back projects, broke into the mainstream. In 2013, crowdfunding sites raised $5 billion, a 50 percent increase from the year before.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2013:

Social Psychology from Wesleyan University: This course, taught by Professor Scott Plous, dives into human behavior and shares tips on how to apply evidence-based findings to decision making, persuasion, and group behavior. Marisa, who took the course, said, “I have truly enjoyed and learned tons about why we humans act the way we do. Professor Plous is a pleasure to listen to, and the team behind him has done a great job in making this course relevant and interesting.”

2014: Spotlight on Lifelong Learning in a Changing World

A 2014 Bloomberg report showed that half of occupations could be automated over the next two decades.

Individuals and companies began thinking about ways to adapt to a changing workforce by learning new technologies.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2014:

Learning How to Learn from McMaster University and University of California, San Diego: Today, more than 2.4 million people across the world have learned to apply research-backed best practices and master tough subjects with this popular course taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski. Chinelo O. who took the course, said, “It totally changed my mindset positively. I use Pomodoro for time management, and my life perspective is more open-minded.”

2015: Unprecedented Demand for Data Scientists

In 2015, “data scientist” emerged as one of the most coveted and best-paid professions in the U.S.

Demand for data scientists outpaced other tech professions, like engineers and data analysts, by 50 percent.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2015:

Data Science Specialization from Johns Hopkins University: Quickly becoming one of the most popular Specializations in Coursera’s history, this series of courses taught by Professors Jeff Leek, Roger Peng, and Brian Caffo teaches the entire pipeline of data science concepts and tools. One learner said the course was challenging and compulsory for anyone who wants to work with data or become a data scientist.

2016: Coding as an Essential Skill for All

In 2016, more than half of the jobs named by Glassdoor as top “lucrative, in-demand” professions required programming skills.

A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report forecasted software developer jobs would grow by 17 percent and IT jobs would increase by 12 percent over the next 10 years.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2016:

Functional Programming in Scala Specialization from EPFL: This hands-on series of courses taught by Professors Viktor Kuncak, Heather Miller, Martin Odersky, Aleksandar Prokopec, & Julien Richard-Foy introduces students to a widely-used programming language, Scala. A learner called it, “an excellent introduction to the concepts of functional programming that had the ‘side effect’ of getting me hooked on the language!”

2017: Real-World Applications of Deep Learning

In 2017, after nearly ten years of research, passengers rode in Waymo cars that utilize deep learning for the first time.

AlphaZero, an AI program powered by neural networks, beat the world’s best chess players.

There were more than 10,000 job vacancies in the US for people with AI or machine-learning skills, according to a study of job ads.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2017:

Deep Learning Specialization from deeplearning.ai: Touted as a series of courses that helps individuals break into AI, this Specialization helped learners gain the most highly-sought after skills in tech, like neural networks and machine learning. Zohair Shafi said, “[Andrew Ng’s] courses on Machine Learning and Deep Learning got me to where I am today. In all my years of formal education, I’ve never met anyone who can break down concepts and explain as well as Professor Ng does.”

2018: The Year of Self-Care and Wellness

The modern-day “wellness” trend went viral in 2018 and turned the wellness industry into a $4.2 trillion global industry.

Trends like mindfulness, self-care, and mental health took root. People wanted new ways to stay healthy and happy in a modern-tech era.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2018:

Science of Well Being fromYale University: Professor Laurie Santos taught Yale’s most popular class ever on the good life. Before long, she launched her course on Coursera so that people around the world could learn about ways to cultivate the things that make people happy. One recent learner said, “A quality course everyone should take, especially after you’ve started your career or overloaded with school. It’s like hitting the refresh button when living an overscheduled life hour-by-hour.”.

2019: AI Goes Mainstream

While 2017 was a pivotal year for AI breakthroughs, 2019 looks to be the year we realize how much AI already impacts our daily lives. 72 percent of today’s CEOs regard AI competencies as the most important asset of a company.

64 percent of organizations said AI helped them get an edge on their competitors.

Most popular course on Coursera in 2019 (so far!):

AI For Everyone from deeplearning.ai: In this course, Andrew Ng teaches non-technical professionals about the power AI can have for businesses. A learner who took the course said, “I got a comprehensive overview of what AI is and the meanings of various concepts being talked about in this context. Excellent course for one to start on a solid ground. Five stars!”

P.S. Did we miss your favorite course? Share with us @Coursera and give a shout out to your favorite instructor!

The post Coursera Turns 7: Celebrate With Us! appeared first on Coursera Blog.

Coursera Turns 7: Celebrate With Us! published first on https://medium.com/@GetNewDLBusiness

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ktspence1000-blog · 8 years ago

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Beginning of INSIDER (Abridged) Update sent on March 9, 2017…

______________________________________________________________

Hello Everyone!!!

After four years of dealing with three separate schools who have been defiant with following State and Federal Laws and are so far gone in their willful and knowing participation in the racketeering schemes of the Judges in my cases, I finally filled a complaint with yet another governing body of the Federal Government, the US. Department of Education.

It honestly blows my mind year in and year out that people of faith… rather individuals with no moral compass hiding behind religious brands… are able to maintain their jobs (working on behalf of children and families), “professional” licenses and even school accreditation's. It’s not only legally and morally wrong, it’s pure evil and I am BEYOND sick and tired of the individuals in positions of authority at schools as well as the schools themselves being PAID and enriched (their main reason for participating in the corruption.)… all while maintaining their statuses in communities and State / Federal LICENSES.

My prayer is that under this new administration, the laws of this land will finally be upheld and something will finally be done about the rampant corruption and lack of accountability… immediately, so that Spencer (and millions of children and families just like Spencer, William Windsor and I that have been forced to continue languishing and suffering under systemic oppression) can finally return home and / or to a place of safety, peace and love.

In as much, I reached out to President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy Devos (via White House Sr. Advisors) in a separate message to remind them that the ball is in their Federal Court, once again.

Here are the References / Reminders (other State and Federal Agencies have had this same information for years) as provided to them…

Here is only one of the many U.S. Department of Justice Responses

http://nebula.wsimg.com/5df9f446275177ac387567b1ffd7e4e9?AccessKeyId=7289AA1E7DB2AF71611B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

Timeline of Corruption and Photographs of willing participants

http://nebula.wsimg.com/2e5c43b29bb7734b5c16ee54a2e875c3?AccessKeyId=7289AA1E7DB2AF71611B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

Before I wrap up this update, I’d like to take a moment to remind everyone that this sick and evil pattern of corruption that you all have come to know as my story or What’s Best Spencer… is not a singular example of what’s wrong with our :systems” of government, it is only one example of the crisis that is plaguing the lives and families of millions of voiceless American’s across this great nation.

Here are five thought provoking reads, which substantiate this point....

Jeff Guo (The Washington Post - Thank You, Thank You Sincerely!!!) prepared a brief Analysis on the State of Disenfranchised America entitled "If White America is in "crisis," what have black American's been living through?"

https://www.google.com/…/if-white-america-is-in-crisis-wha…/

Secondly, Alana Semuels (The Atlantic - Thank You, Thank You Sincerely!!!) examines opportunities in the city of Charlotte, NC using typical measurements (statistics and real life experiences… rather than relying on formally educated scholars to pontificate theories based on limited or no comprehension of real life / real world application of policies and theoretic scenarios impacting the lives of African American Descendant of Slaves and Disenfranchised communities.) in her article entitled "Why it's so hard to get ahead in the South."

https://www.google.com/…/www.theatlanti…/amp/article/521763/

Adam Murphy (Thank You, Thank You Sincerely for your bravery!!!)… get to know his name, but minimally WACTH his powerful video testimony to “leaders” regarding his real life personal experiences dealing with the aftermath of the water crisis in Flint, MI.

http://www.knowyourleak.com/Flint-Fathers-Emotional-Plea...

Mom sentenced to five years in prison for STEALING FREE Public EDUCATION. Remember that news headline? Remember Tanya McDowell (The Hour - Thank You, Thank You Sincerely for your bravery!!!)… her story? Read on for an update.

http://www.thehour.com/news/article/Tanya-McDowell-is-out-of-the-shadows-and-living-11027917.php

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2108733/Homeless-mother-Tanya-McDowell-sent-son-6-better-school-wrong-town-jailed-years.html

All of the articles highlight general economic forces at play and the impact that these "general" forces have on children, women and families... citizens. However the articles fail to link the Crisis and / or the economic forces in correlation with this Nations longstanding history of extracting free labor via highly profitable... corporate, political and judicially backed "systems" (currently America's free Slave trade industry called Mass Incarceration), as THE CRISIS and/ or the primary means, cause or economic force impacting the lives of millions of Disenfranchised communities, particularly African American Descendants of Slaves across this great nation.

There IS a historically rooted problem… a crisis in this nation that must be resolved for the betterment of this nation and the work starts with YOU… each of YOU. Stand UNITED… for UNITED We STAND!!!

All TEAMS, INSIDERS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS, please continue to use their gifts, time, talents, resources and finances to HELP form the more perfect UNION that we (as in We the People) ALL WANT RIGHT NOW… for our children and for our children’s children. There is STILL yet work to be done.

"Lead by example with good character, un-wavering values and high integrity. You can not LEAD and follow Crooks at the same time. You CAN NOT follow Crooks and LEAD at the same time AND the transformative future of this nation is at stake. All citizens deserve access to their inalienable Constitutional Rights."

Thank you and MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA and the progressive future of this nation!!!

Kimberly

Title: Spencer’s Mom

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END OF MESSAGE March 9, 2017 Update.

Beginning of INSIDER (Abridged) Update sent on April 14, 2017…

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Hello Everyone!!!

Happy Good Friday and Upcoming Easter Sunday!!!

According to the Fulton County, GA "Order on June 7, 2013 Hearing", filed and date stamped on June 12, 2013, my family and I are entitled to spend Easter weekend (beginning today) and Sunday with Spencer.

http://nebula.wsimg.com/2380e428dec61d39e11bd8df765bd474?AccessKeyId=7289AA1E7DB2AF71611B&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

Of course I could take this time to explain once again... WHY my family and I don't have access to the parental and family rights that should NEVER have been taken away (I legally still have Joint Custody of Spencer.), but minimally should have been provided to us as written in the fraudulent Orders... but by now you already know and understand the full breath and scope of corruption and pure evil of those who are being PAID to run our most vital systems of government. Therefore there is no need to recap what has been proven time and again over the last 4-8 years.

The point of today's message is to remind everyone that Spencer is not a brand; he is actually a living human being who should no longer be used as a political pawn and / or bait to get to me. Spencer didn't deserve to be subjected to missing out on 4 years’ worth of Easter's, Christmas Celebrations, Birthday's, Graduations (his and his close 1st cousins Kindergarten Graduation as well as a second 1st cousins college and graduate school graduations and family celebrations)... ALL Holiday's… Special Occasions… Milestones… School and Activity functions, etc..... with his family, especially his Mother. The Order also says that he should minimally be allowed to speak with me, his Mother, but Spencer hasn't been allowed to speak with me or anyone else in my family in nearly two years. Spencer age 9 now) tried to Face-time me on Christmas Day (2016) from his paternal grandparents phone, but I was at my 91 year old grandmother house at the time and the call would not go through because she does not have WI-Fi. I called back immediately using the regular phone and later on that day when I had access to WI-Fi, but he could no longer be reached via phone, text or email. There is NO Excuse for this ignorance and pure evil. Period. None. Not on the part of the corrupt judges or the three participating Willis family members (Attorney Willis and his parents, only or the religions brands that are operating for profit private schools that have willingly participated in the corruption for financial gain or the corrupt politicians who simply desire the continuation of corruption and / or having the ability to continue operating above the laws of this land, etc.).

However, as usual... I will be calling twice per day (as I do every day) to speak with Spencer and yes, I will be asking Attorney Carl Willis and his parents Carl and Janice Willis... yet again for access to my and my families right to see Spencer on this weekends designated Easter holiday weekend. There is of course yet another 60 Day Calendar hearing coming up this month and yet another chance for the corrupt judges in Fulton county to come up with yet another scheme to deny my basic human rights, specifically the right to parent and see my own child. Stay tuned...

* Update: Neither my family or I were able to see Spencer this past Easter Weekend.

Final mention on war and the decision of peace...

We've been here before. We've been here before... in this exact same point in history. The same point in history, like that of my own personal case, where evil decisions repeat itself... several times over because there is a lack of authentic leadership (no matter the party affiliation, race, gender or class, etc.) accountability in every facet of our government.

For example...

(as it pertains to the leadership decisions of those who are in this moment.... AGAIN, choosing between war and peace.)

...WE THE PEOPLE were and still are at a point in history where NONE of the past three presidents that have chosen to risk American lives to participate in war games have been willing to risk their lives or that of their children's or immediate family member's lives to non-verbally "fight for freedom and American Safety".

Second to the Presidents (past and current) and their family members, who have (again) been un-willing to serve in battle, only one (past and current) member of the White House Administration (Joe Biden, if I can recall) and two members of Congress (last I checked) were willing to sacrifice their lives or members of their families members lives in service and/ or battle.

My point in mentioning this then and now is that it really and truly must not be a serious, PATRIOTIC, national security issue if our leaders (the decision makers who have access to the intelligence information that we don't have access to) are unwilling to lay down their own lives and/ or risk death and disfigurement for members of their family members in service of this nation.... nonverbal Service which "requires" sacrifices from our fellow citizenry in order to preserve the "freedom, safety and liberty" that select citizens (certainly NOT African American Descendants of Slaves or disenfranchised communities) enjoy.

Further (yes, further and not furthermore...) these decisions are being made to the financial benefit of controlling forces that have absolutely nothing to do with preserving American safety and security. Presumably, this is why our "leaders" are unwilling to sacrifice themselves or members of their own families in battle. Of course if you are not buying this point of view or notion, then the flip side to the argument is that none of our "leaders" are patriot Americans. They are simply cowards willing to have their citizens killed and disfigured for sport. If the latter is the case, then who exactly is the aggressor or bully or sick "access of evil" or party or actual threat on the world stage... those whom we have chosen to invade and attack for sport and/ or causes that have absolutely nothing to do with securing freedom, liberty, justice and safety for select citizens who are of course unwilling (as proven in my cases and as you have witnessed over the last eight - long oppressive years.) to provide access to those same rights to our OWN American citizens... or our "leaders".

Final thought of the day...

In looking at our greatest western Allie, the United Kingdom... they require military service from the Royal Family and/ or their national leadership. I personally believe that all who serve in positions of authority or leadership in THIS nation should be required to volunteer themselves or their family members in service as well. Second to that, a draft should be enacted and implemented as a constitutional requirement during war time engagement. The thought is that if our leaders were required to lead by example, they would begin to make sound decisions on behalf of the people that they are being paid to serve. The same "lead by example" notion applies with enacting a draft. Americans will begin to speak out when the choices that are being made by our "leaders" actually impact their lives personally.

Again, there IS a historically rooted problem… a crisis in this nation that must be resolved for the betterment of this nation and the work starts with YOU… each of YOU. Stand UNITED… for UNITED We STAND!!!

Special- Special thanks to Jalen Rose for leading by example in his decision to develop and fund the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. Way to go!!! Thank you SINCERELY for making a difference in the lives of children and families!!!

http://www.jrladetroit.com/

Special- Special thanks to Clark Atlanta University Alum (HBCU / AUC /CAU Love) Kenya Barris (Tanasia Kenney - Atlanta Black Star) for leading by example in his decision to be counted amongst the new generation of trailblazers who are intentional about giving voice to the voiceless. I also really love his light hearted way of addressing national issues with historic facts. I personally believe that he is bridging the gap between generations, cultures and races... all while welcoming broader conversations amongst families who aren't exposed to perspectives that are not their own.

http://atlantablackstar.com/2017/03/20/kenya-barris-on-charge-black-ish-now-focused-race-im-okay/?utm_content=buffer86304&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Special- Special thanks to LeBron James for leading by example in his decision to develop and fund the I Promise School for Underprivileged Children in Akron, Oh. You are an AMAZING Philanthropist. Thank you SINCERELY for making a difference in the lives of children and families!!!

http://cavaliersnation.com/2017/04/12/lebron-james-to-open-akron-i-promise-school-for-underprivileged-children/

Special- Special thanks to the authors, artists, creators, writers and producers associated with bringing the personal stories of the women featured in the movie “Hidden Figures” to life. During this season in history, wherein it’s actually cool to be women trailblazers, I am so very thankful for the release of the movie “Hidden Figures”. I love – love – love this inspirational, untold story on the lives of Dr. Katherine G. Johnson (HBCU Love – West Virginia State College, now HBCU West Virginia State University), Dorothy Johnson Vaughan (HBCU Love - Wilberforce University) and Mary Jackson (HBCU Love - Hampton Institute, now HBCU Hampton University).

Surprise – surprise… LOL, I’ve been soaking up bits of information on the backgrounds of these extraordinary women. Below are a few references, articles and videos. Enjoy and again Special- Special thanks to the authors, artists, creators, writers and producers associated with showcasing everyday women whose lives will forever be noted as extraordinary… because they chose to lead by example and in their own way to help create a better America!!!

Watch the Yard http://watchtheyard.com/a…/hidden-figures-alpha-kappa-alpha/

NASA Bio’s Dr. Katherine G. Johnson (born August 26, 1918) https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography

Dorothy Johnson Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) https://www.nasa.gov/content/dorothy-vaughan-biography

Mary Jackson (April 9, 1921 – February 11, 2005) https://www.nasa.gov/content/mary-jackson-biography

Additional References, Articles and Videos http://www.businessinsider.com/katherine-johnson-hidden-f…/…

http://people.com/…/nasa-katherine-johnson-mathematician-a…/

http://www.npr.org/…/hidden-figures-no-more-meet-the-black-…

http://www.latimes.com/…/la-sci-sn-hidden-figures-katherine…

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/…/forgotten-black-women-math…/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PPfz9G_Bh8

https://hbcubuzz.com/…/hidden-figures-movie-tell-story-thr…/

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062363596/hidden-figures

http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/hidden-figures

https://www.nytimes.com/…/movies/hidden-figures-review.html…

AGAIN... in this moment in history, chose to "Lead by example with good character, un-wavering values and high integrity. You cannot LEAD and follow Crooks at the same time. You CAN NOT follow Crooks and LEAD at the same time AND the transformative future of this nation is at stake. All citizens deserve access to their inalienable Constitutional Rights."

Thank you and MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA and the progressive future of this nation!!!

Kimberly

Title: Spencer’s Mom

http://www.whatsbest4spencer.com (newly rebranded) the approachable- 350+ Million Views- Public Persona that WORKS! Summary… U.S. Supreme Court Windsor-Spence Case Nos 15-6566 (NC) and 15-6567 (GA) involve Enumerations of Error and / or Questions pertaining to 16 NEW intervening questions involving Mass Incarceration, Public Servant Accountability, Judicial Reform, the Best Interest of a child and ensuring access to inalienable Constitutional Rights, life, liberty, freedom, justice and equality for all citizens of the United States of America. You may find quick updates about the cases here… https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.spence.33 Please sign our petition here… http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/president-barack-obama-9 or please sign our Brand New Petition here… http://www.standunited.org/petition/scotus-grant-16-questions-about-accessing-constitutional-rights or here... https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/scotus-grant-cases-on-mass-incarceration-public-servant-accountability-and-best-interest-of-a-child Also, please remember to help fund the mounted cost of the U.S. Supreme Court Cases and What's Best 4 Spencer cause expenses by clicking here… https://www.gofundme.com/vzen8e8s

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