May 20, 2002 | KU Radio News Line

Audio



Educational Web site helps children navigate Internet's perils


Contact: Frank Barthell, University Relations, (785) 864-8869; Lee Hornbrook, Center for Research on Learning, (785) 864-0647.

Radio News Line text:
KU researchers provide safe, kid-friendly Web site for summer surfing

FOR KIDS, SUMMERTIME MEANS MORE FREE TIME, POSSIBLY MORE TIME ONLINE, AND AN INCREASED RISK OF ACCESSING INAPPROPRIATE WEB SITES.

THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS OFFERS A SAFE, KID-FRIENDLY WEB SITE CALLED 4-KIDS-DOT-ORG. LEE HORNBROOK IS PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE SITE. HE SAYS 4 KIDS STARTED SIX YEARS AGO TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THE PERILS OF THE INTERNET.
Hornbrook: "4 Kids started in response to the public outcry of adult content getting into kids' hands in 1996. So we're able to provide reviews of kid-friendly Web sites that protect kids from adult content because everything is hand-chosen. Everything is monitored daily." (21 sec.)

THE 4 KIDS HOME PAGE FEATURES WEEKLY REVIEWS AND LINKS TO SITES THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO CHILDREN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE. NONE OF THE FEATURED SITES CONTAIN ANY ADVERTISING. CURRENTLY THERE ARE LINKS TO ABOUT 15-HUNDRED WEB SITES FOR CHILDREN. HORNBROOK SAYS 4 KIDS GETS ONE MILLION HITS A MONTH.
Hornbrook: "We get the most hits in our fun and games section. We run a lot of sites about space and animals; they just love animals. Another big topic is nature and conservation. " (9 sec.)

THE 4 KIDS DEVELOPMENT TEAM INCLUDES A JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, AS WELL AS SEVERAL K-U STUDENTS. HORNBROOK SAYS THE STUDENT EMPLOYEES WRITE THE REVIEWS, WHICH KEEP THE WEB SITE CUSTOMIZED TO THE CHILDREN WHO LOG ON.
Hornbrook: "So we make sure that we still have some contact with younger kids and the reviews are tailored for age groups. So 'kid-friendly' in the sense that it's going to appeal to kids in the way that it is written." (13 sec.)

ONE POPULAR FEATURE OF 4 KIDS IS THE "ASK AMY" ADVICE COLUMN, STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH A 14-YEAR-OLD LAWRENCE NINTH-GRADER, AMY SCHIMMEL. HORNBROOK SAYS AMY RECEIVES HUGE VOLUMES OF MAIL.
Hornbrook: "We get mail, approximately 500 to 600 letters a month from kids asking all sorts of questions. Most of them are about their schoolwork or subject matters related to their schoolwork, about how things work, how the Internet works."(15 sec.)

SCHIMMEL IS NOW A K-U FRESHMAN AND CONTINUES TO WORK AT 4-KIDS-DOT-ORG.
Schimmel: "From the start, it's been learning all the way. Working here has really shaped me and led me in the direction I've gone." (8 sec.)

4 KIDS STARTED AS A NEWSPAPER COLUMN AND IS NOW SYNDICATED IN ABOUT 80 NEWSPAPERS WORLDWIDE.

4-KIDS-DOT-ORG IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND IS PART OF ADVANCED LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES AT K-U'S CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON LEARNING.

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