Many concerns have been cropping up concerning technology and today’s youth, from shortening attention spans to data privacy issues. To create a student population with digital literacy, we need to tackle these problems head-on and provide solutions they can use.
The goal isn’t to stop using technology, but use it more thoughtfully and integrate it mindfully into each stage of a student’s life. We’re going to explore common challenges facing students today, then break down what the education system could do to prepare them for a tech-based future.
Many students today don’t have a problem downloading apps or learning new platforms. Their issues lie closer to healthy technology usage and thoughtful integration in their classrooms.
According to a series of ZipDo surveys, 90% of today’s educators use digital tools while teaching in the classroom. This classification is pretty broad, ranging from presentation tools to editing tools. Even more interestingly, these same surveys revealed 65% of students actively prefer online learning to a more traditional classroom setting.
However, these new developments are also revealing fresh challenges. Excessive screentime has been closely linked to difficulties in childhood development, such as delayed cognitive development and reduced social skills.
Additionally, an increasing dependence on technology means that a lack of said technology can seriously impede a child’s learning progress. A 2023 study found 40% of students have experienced significant stress during their studies due to unstable Internet. Another 22% of students were stressed when they didn’t have regular access to a home computer or laptop.
Digital literacy is key to ensuring children are reaping the benefits of increased technology usage without hidden costs.
Future-ready skills start with digital literacy, but how does that actually manifest in the classroom? Limited technology usage, a focus on productivity, and a critical mind are all necessary to help students become digitally literate.
Educators using technology to help students with their studies should always keep their results front and center. If technology proves more distracting than supportive, it should be replaced with another tool.
For example, an instructor might try a gamification app to help their elementary students learn important facts about history. This app can use fun quizzes or interactive mini-games to get them involved in their studies. However, if the students start becoming isolated from their classmates in favor of using the apps, the teacher may need to cut back on using them.
This digital literacy is rooted in being adaptable and receptive. Students are a dynamic group and they need teachers ready to evolve with them.
It’s easy to get lost in all the convenient, affordable digital tools available these days. If educators aren’t careful, they can rely overmuch on technology and start losing touch with the fundamentals of teaching.
A great way to limit technology usage is to provide strict boundaries on when and where to use it. For example, a teacher may decide to let students use ChatGPT to proofread their essays, but then restrict its usage for writing. This careful balance ensures students can practice their drafting and editing skills, but still get extra help before the deadline.
A study from the National Health Interview Survey-Teen found a direct correlation between high screen time and poor health in teenagers. Balancing technology with other skills and tools teaches students not to treat digital tools like a crutch.
Some digital tools can enable bad habits or form new ones. Educators need to maintain a critical eye and always double-check the tools they’re incorporating into their students’ lives.
Some digital tools, like apps and online platforms, have harmful microtransactions that can manipulate students into paying for features or disengaging with the world around them. These poorly-designed digital tools are often distracting and overstimulating, with some studies showing an increased risk for developing gambling problems later in life.
An educator can build the habit of double-checking each app or platform before incorporating it into their curriculum. Alongside reviewing with their school board for permission, they can read user reviews or browse through product comparison guides. It’s also important to test out a digital tool personally before putting it in the hands of students.
In a digital age overflowing with advertisements and lofty promises, staying critical is a must.
What can educators do to start building a tech-based future that puts students first? We have a few ideas on how to incorporate digital literacy into the classroom.
The point of technology is to support – not replace – people. A human touch is how you ensure students don’t become isolated from their classmates or distant from their studies.
For example, a teacher can encourage students to use smartboards to put presentations together at home if it saves them time and energy. However, they can still encourage them to communicate with their classmates and get ongoing feedback through forums or in-person meetings.
The convenience of technology is a double-edged sword that can distract us from simpler solutions right in front of us. Sometimes a classroom problem doesn’t need a shiny new app or brand new program to solve.
Educators should make sure digital tools have to go through multiple rounds of approval before they reach students. Third-party oversight can look like approval from the school board or encouraging feedback from other teachers.
Sometimes a classroom doesn’t need to adopt another digital tool. If students and teachers are starting to get burned out from constant technological developments, slowing down might be the right thing to do.
One study found 45% of respondents stating digital tools hinder their productivity instead of helping it. Sometimes, less really is more.
Teaching students future-ready skills doesn’t mean waiting for the future to start. The first step toward preparing them is admitting there’s still a lot that needs to be done about integrating technology into the classroom.
A human touch, third-party oversight, commitment to productivity, and limitations will all go a long way toward encouraging a healthy relationship with technology.
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