We know the importance of keeping our bodies healthy by eating well and staying active. We are familiar with keeping our minds and emotions healthy through meditation, sleep, and relationship building. But have we put much thought into staying digitally healthy? With the prevalence of technology in our world today, digital wellness is as equally as important as our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
What are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to discussing digital wellness with students? What are some simple lessons or activities teachers can use with their students today to start getting them thinking about their wellness when it comes to technology and educational technology use?
The Importance of Digital Wellness
According to a study cited by CNN, students who interact with their cell phones during class were found to perform worse on tests – often a full letter grade or more. Additionally, if a student had their phone within reach (even if they weren’t actually using it), their academic performance declined. This study shows just how distracting it is to always have a phone accessible. Our brains are wired to always be thinking about who we can connect with, social media we can look at, or games we can be playing. It can be hard for adults, and even harder for students, to block out and resist the urges to reach for that phone at any given moment of the day. This also helps when it comes to developing technology addiction.
This is why teaching students how to be digitally healthy is so important. Teachers should teach students how to be mindful and intentional about technology use. They can have discussions on digital literacy and web safety that include identifying credible sources of information, distinguishing between real and fake content, and bringing to students that the things they see on social media platforms are not always a realistic picture of someone’s life.
Encouraging these healthy boundaries with technology and instilling healthy habits will set our students to succeed in so many other areas of their well-being. What are some simple lessons to try with your students today that will help get them thinking about their digital wellness?
Lessons to Try With Your Students Today
PreK to First Grade: Compare and Contrast — What Makes You Happy Online/Offline
Even students as young as kindergarten and first grade come to school already having previous technology experiences. They were born into a digital world, and their entire lives will include technology, whether in their home, classroom, or future careers. This makes it essential for this age group to learn how to be digitally well. This simple activity is one way to get students to start thinking of digital wellness.
Have students compare and contrast things they love about technology and things they love that do not involve technology. Bring students together to share their ideas. Then discuss together why students think it is good to have a balance in their life. Ideas may include many things they love to do, so they have games to play when technology is not available, or even so that they can better interact and engage with friends. In the future, when they are told it isn’t time to use a device, you can refer back to the things they brainstormed that they love that do not involve technology.
Second Grade to Third Grade: I Am a Digital Citizen — Poster Creation
To help shape students’ digital wellness for students in second through third grade, have them create a poster called: “I am a digital citizen.” Students begin by drawing a self-portrait.
Then, have them write bullet points around their portrait that show digital citizenship. Ideas may include:
- Only going on websites their parents or teachers have approved.
- Understanding that the content on websites belongs to someone.
- Knowing that the things they put on the internet are there forever even if deleted.
Showcase these posters by having the class participate in a gallery walk or use ChatterPix Kids to record their poster talking.
Fourth to Fifth Grade: Create a Balanced Media Plan
This age of students can start reflecting on balanced technology use. Begin the lesson by proposing the questions “What is media balance?” Have students create a plan for healthy and balanced media use in their lives. What parts of their day are best to use technology during? How long should they spend on technology during these time frames? What are things in their day they will be doing that do not involve technology? Create a 24-hour schedule that shows what their days are like, when it is appropriate to include technology, and when they could or should be doing other things.
Grades Sixth+: Deescalating Digital Drama — Comic Strip
For students in grades six and up, cyberbullying is a huge topic and extremely important to discuss. According to dosomething.org, 60% of young people have witnessed online bullying and most do not intervene. These statistics need to change. Begin the conversation with students by having them create a comic that shows cyberbullying. Have the students make sure to include someone stepping in and standing up to the problem. Make this an opportunity for some to share their own experiences and how it made them feel. The more awareness that is brought to a situation the better prepared the students will be when they themselves face something similar.
We are aware of what we need to do to live a healthy life; eat well, sleep, and exercise. Yet now that technology and ed tech is such a big part of our world, and our students’ worlds, we need to broaden our ideas on health to include digital wellness. This topic needs to begin at a young age and continue lifelong. By incorporating simple lessons and activities into classrooms, students will be familiar with, and well-equipped to, start thinking about media usage, healthy technology boundaries, and overall digital wellness.
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