Although the digital age has been around for decades, many school districts are still just beginning to talk about digital wellness. But new technology is always being introduced into the classroom, and it’s never been more important.
In this guide, you’ll learn the basics of digital wellness, including why it’s important and what districts can do to help students develop healthy relationships with technology.
What is digital wellness?
Digital wellness, also known as digital health and digital wellbeing, is the pursuit of an intentional and healthy relationship with technology. This is a particularly relevant topic for today’s K-12 school districts that are introducing innovative technologies into their learning environments and educating first-generation digitally native students.
According to The Ohio State University, digitally successful people consider the impact of virtual presence and technology use on their overall health and well-being. They are taking steps to create sustainable digital habits that support their values, goals, community, and safety.
Leading down to that last point, digital wellness and online safety go hand in hand. why? Because our relationship with digital technology can put our physical or mental health at risk.
For example, it is not uncommon for young people to intentionally post demeaning comments or false rumors about themselves online. This is what thought leaders call “digital self-harm.”
There are many factors that can lead someone to self-harm, but there is no doubt that an excessive digital footprint is a prominent one. In fact, researchers have found that spending more time on social media can increase self-harm and suicidal thoughts among vulnerable adolescents.
What does digital wellness look like?
Broadly speaking, pursuing healthy digital habits requires making thoughtful decisions about your relationship with digital media. Some of these decisions focus on limiting the use of technology and reducing its impact, while others are about how to navigate life in a digital world.
Common digital wellness practices include limiting screen time, wearing blue-light glasses to reduce eye strain, and muting notifications to prevent constant interruptions. Masu. In addition to preventative measures, this also includes maintaining healthy habits such as regular physical activity, nutrition, and sleep.
Why is digital wellness important?
24/7 connectivity is one of the defining issues of our time. That’s why many organizations, such as the Digital Wellness Institute and Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab, have begun researching and developing solutions to help people develop healthy behaviors.
However, digital health is still too often thought of in the context of enterprise use cases such as employee productivity, engagement, and burnout. With millions of children surfing the internet at an early age, it’s time to focus on digital health and wellbeing. We are at the forefront of K-12 learning.
why? So let’s consider what happens when students don’t develop a healthy relationship with digital media.
- Mental health issues: Researchers say that long-term technology use increases the risk of developing mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. It can also affect your mental health through mood swings, feelings of loneliness, and negative self-perceptions. Of course, cyberbullying and online harassment can also make matters worse.
- Reduced attention span: Apps, notifications, emails, ads, the list goes on. Digital tools are constantly competing for attention, making it difficult for a young person to focus on only one task at a time. This not only complicates learning but also creates problems that can continue into adulthood.
- Computer vision syndrome: According to the American Optometric Association, using digital devices for too long can cause a type of eye strain called computer vision syndrome. More than just a nuisance, it can cause physical health problems such as headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision.
- Physical health problems: Too much screen time ultimately takes a toll on your body. In fact, a lack of physical activity seriously threatens young people’s health, increasing their risk of developing high blood pressure, obesity, cancer, and other diseases.
So why practice digital wellness? Because promoting mindfulness and healthy habits can help students avoid these negative outcomes altogether. Best of all, they can be even more advantageous in the long run.
Strengthening digital health will help young people understand their relationship with technology, which will bring tangible benefits. Knowing how to spend your digital girlfriend life can help you focus on schoolwork, improve your self-image, and even stay happy and healthy.
Promoting digital wellness in and out of the classroom
Building healthy behaviors is not as simple as forcing students to go on a digital detox. However, there are some simple steps you can take to get the ball rolling.
Here are some tips to get you started.
1. Infusing social-emotional learning (SEL) into digital health
Schools often teach SEL or Digital Citizenship separately, but did you know that they’re even more powerful when combined? Although not interchangeable, many SEL lessons can help kids use screen time more effectively. useful for use.
So social-emotional learning is all about self-control, empathy, and interpersonal skills. These competencies are key to making responsible decisions, communicating, and collaborating in a digital world. Combining SEL and digital wellness is a great way to help you practice these competencies in your daily life.
Plus, you don’t have to start from scratch. Thanks to Common Sense Education, you can access her SEL in your digital life. This is a collection of resources and lessons that address how technology impacts social and emotional well-being.
2. Teach the basics of online safety
It’s difficult to develop good habits if you don’t know best practices. So, demonstrate healthy behavior and help your students understand the basic principles of media literacy. For example, this could include:
- Basic password hygiene
- How to spot and avoid phishing scams
- Types of personal data that are not intended to be shared with others
- How to change privacy settings on social media platforms
- Why you can’t trust strangers online
3. Block access to classroom distractions
The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires school districts to prevent minor children from accessing obscene, harmful, or inappropriate content online. To do this, schools deploy content filtering software.
But web filtering is more than just CIPA compliance. It is also a powerful tool for promoting and ensuring digital wellness, especially on school devices. Solutions like ManagedMethods’ content filters allow you to block access to social media, YouTube, online gaming sites, and other potential distractions.
Additionally, with built-in monitoring, content filters notify you when students attempt to visit dangerous websites, such as those related to sex, violence, or self-harm. We also have detailed reporting tools that allow you to identify which devices and students an incident applies to, helping you determine the best response.
Looking to promote digital wellness across your school district? Request a free demo of Content Filters today.
The post Digital Wellness in K-12 School Districts appeared first on ManatedMethods.
*** This is a ManagedMethods Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog written by Alexa Sander. Read the original post: https://managedmethods.com/blog/what-is-digital-wellness/
