Is Your District Digitally Healthy? Creating a Balanced Culture of Tech-Powered Learning
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Balancing technology use with student well-being is a growing priority in K12 classrooms, particularly as digital devices become ever-present in classrooms and at home.
Fortunately, practical strategies are out there to help educators better navigate the increased demand for technology, while helping students cultivate healthy digital habits and manage stress effectively.
Promoting Digital Wellness Through SEL Integration
Social-emotional learning (SEL) provides a powerful framework for supporting digital wellness. This approach focuses on building students’ empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation – essential skills for managing online interactions and screen time responsibly.
The Digital Wellness Lab – an authority on early childhood digital well-being – has found that incorporating SEL in tech-powered classrooms helps students manage their digital presence and interactions constructively.
For example, educators can integrate digital citizenship lessons alongside SEL to teach students the skills needed for safe online interactions and awareness of cyberbullying.
Incorporating SEL into the modern classroom provides students with the tools necessary to manage their online presence while recognizing the emotional and social impacts of their everyday digital interactions.
Practical Strategies for Digital Well-Being
Many districts are implementing system-wide policies to enhance digital wellness in ways that are both manageable and impactful.
For example, the Jordan School District in Utah uses content filters not just for internet safety compliance but to minimize distractions by blocking access to sites like social media and online gaming during school hours. This allows students to focus on educational tasks without the temptation of non-educational content.
Moreover, Fayette County Public Schools in Kentucky has created positions for SEL leaders in each school and hired support specialists dedicated to staff well-being. By providing resources for educators to manage their own mental health, the district promotes a healthier learning environment for students as well.
Systemic approaches like these ensure that digital wellness practices are integrated at every level, creating a more supportive school environment for students and staff alike.
Engaging Families and Building Consistency
Involving families is another crucial component of promoting digital wellness in educational environments. Schools can offer resources to help parents model healthy digital behavior, creating consistency between home and the classroom.
Some schools even provide take-home guides, host workshops or invite guest speakers to educate families on how to best support their children’s social and emotional development, with an emphasis on responsible technology use.
Looking Forward: Ensuring Sustainability in Digital Wellness Practices
Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a sustainable, well-balanced approach to using technology in the classroom.
By blending SEL, family engagement, and targeted technology policies, districts can help students benefit from technology without compromising their mental and emotional well-being.
Organizations like Digital Promise and the Digital Wellness Lab are excellent resources where educators and district leaders can find detailed case studies and research-based strategies for building more balanced digital learning environments.
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