Digital Citizenship Expert Allison Ochs Returns to TAS for a Week of Community Learning

This week, Taipei American School welcomed back Allison Ochs, internationally recognized expert in digital citizenship and online safety, for a week of engaging conversations with students, parents, and faculty. Through interactive assemblies, small‑group discussions, and a dedicated parent webinar, Ochs guided the TAS community in navigating digital spaces with greater awareness, balance, and compassion, supporting TAS’s ongoing commitment to healthy digital habits and responsible online engagement. 

Understanding AI, Digital Safety, and Kindness Online 

Ochs kicked off her visit with an interactive Middle School assembly focused on digital safety, recognizing online misinformation, and responding thoughtfully to unkind behavior. With her engaging approach in which she kept the session quite interactive, she invited students to participate through show‑of‑hands to answer scenario-based questions. 

During a conversation on AI, Ochs emphasized that while technology can be a useful tool, and may even talk like a friend, it can never replace a real friend or be an actual genuine human connection. To show this, she spoke to an empty chair to drive the message home to students that when they turn to AI for advice or for companionship, there is no person on the other side. She also provided practical examples relevant to Middle Schoolers, such as distinguishing real emails from scams and identifying deceptive content in games like Roblox. 

The assembly concluded with a demonstration to model behavior for how to respond when someone is unkind or mean to them. Two students were invited to be intentionally “mean” to Ochs, who modeled how to diffuse conflict through kindness, such as through changing the subject or asking a question instead. Ochs demonstrated to the audience that instead of matching someone’s “meanness” it is often better to be kind as that can diffuse a situation and keep it from escalating. 

“Before They Click—What Children Wish Adults Understood” 

In a recorded evening webinar, Ochs presented Before They Click: What Children Wish Adults Understood, offering parents insight into the pressures, distractions, and digital influences students experience in this day and age. She discussed how constant connectivity affects focus, friendships, and students’ sense of belonging, and she highlighted the limits of parental controls in today’s online environment. 

Throughout the session, Ochs answered questions and equipped parents with practical strategies for fostering safer, healthier digital habits at home. Her advice centered on strengthening communication and collaboration between children and parents to increase safety in digital spaces for all involved. One example being that children are also often looking at their parents and how parents should also be mindful of their own digital practices as well. Ochs shared many anecdotes to give real-life examples to parents of various issues or dynamics that have appeared and how other parents and children have navigated them.  

Rethinking Digital Habits Through Story, Reflection, and Dialogue 

Over the course of the week, Ochs facilitated 80-minute small-group sessions with Upper School students discussing technology habits and digital safety. Ochs guided students through real-life stories and scenarios, ranging from image editing and handling mean comments to recognizing when technology habits cross a line. She also explored practical ways to use AI, emphasizing how AI can be a helpful tool while also reminding students to recognize when reliance begins to interfere with authenticity, relationships, and personal integrity. These sessions encouraged students to reflect critically on their relationship with technology, taking the time to examine how digital habits shape their daily routines, academic focus, and social interactions. 

In the second half of the sessions, the groups moved into smaller groups of four to five where students explored prompts such as “What makes it easy or hard to put technology aside?” and “What are the gains and losses of stepping away from your phone during the day?” The small‑group work culminated in a whole‑group conversation, where students anonymously submitted questions for Ochs to address. This structure created a safe, open environment for honest dialogue and encouraged students to examine thoughtfully how digital choices shape their daily routines, social interactions, and overall well‑being. 

A Shared Commitment to Balanced Digital Lives 

Ochs’s visit reinforced TAS’s dedication to supporting students as they learn to engage responsibly, empathetically, and thoughtfully in a world shaped by rapid technological change. Her relatable examples, evidence-based guidance, and warm approach sparked meaningful conversations across the community, mirroring the intentional, schoolwide commitment to student well-being and balanced digital citizenship. 

As the digital environment continues to evolve, TAS remains devoted to fostering a culture where students can develop healthy, informed, and confident relationships with technology, both in school and at home. The school is grateful to Allison Ochs for her continued partnership and the valuable insights she brings to our community each year.