To Tech or Not to Tech?

That is the Question

Over the past several decades education has rapidly moved to incorporate more digital technology in the classroom to keep up with the ever-changing digital world. Post-pandemic parents and teachers are beginning to question the amount of digital technology that saturates our classrooms. Our children are bombarded with activities that involve screens, from video games to social media, and we're beginning to wonder if additional time at school is necessary or harmful. Experts have linked obesity, irregular sleep, behavioral problems, poor academic performance, and violence to non-academic screen time greater than two hours (Children and Screen Time: How Much is too Much?). We need to consider how to keep a balance and teach our children to navigate the digital world they live in?

There are times I feel ill-equipped to guide my children through the technology they have access to (especially since my tech skills are ridiculously lower than their's). At their age I never faced even a small portion of the digital resources they are exposed to daily. As educators and parents, our lack of first-hand knowledge can cause us to feel hopeless which may result in an overreacting or an under reacting. Sometimes we have a tendency to overreact and restrict every form of digital entertainment or education (and then go brag about that on our social media... think about the irony). Other times we under-react and assume our kids are able to control themselves better than other kids their age because they are a Christian. Neither one of these approaches are going to help our children, and have the potential to harm them.

We've Not Been This Way Before

We must remember that God orchestrated that our children would live in this time; it is His purpose and plan for their lives (and ours too). So instead of over- or under-reacting, we should follow the example of Joshua. It was said of the Israelites as they were preparing to enter the promised land that "...you have not passed this way before" (Joshua 3:4, ESV). The land was unfamiliar to them and to those who had led them through the wilderness, they had no frame of reference for what to prepare for. Just as our children face a new digital world, the Israelites were entering the unknown. As they prepared to face their unknown future Joshua admonished the people saying, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Joshua 3:5, ESV).

Just like the Israelites, when we are facing a new challenge our first step should be to consecrate ourselves. The Hebrew word used in Joshua 3:5 promotes the concept that the people would devote themselves to God, to keep themselves pure, or to be set apart (Bible Study Tools). Our first reaction to the unknown place we find ourselves in the world of digital technology should be to seek God and dedicate ourselves, our families, and our schools to follow God's leading. To help our children successfully navigate the digital world, we must teach them to be dedicated first to God. From a place of dedication we more often able to see clearly the best course of action for our children.

We are able to take our questions to God: How much digital technology is beneficial for our kids? How much is too much? How do we help foster a healthy balance?

How much is beneficial? 

Experts believe that the use of technology by children can assist them in becoming independent learners, providing digital literacy, and benefits hand-eye coordination (Children and Technology: Positive and Negative Effects). Technology became a means of social interaction throughout the pandemic as it was one of the few ways our children could spend time with their peers. Technology has the ability to benefit our children significantly if used properly, there are also essential skills our kids need for the their future.

Education Week says that there are eight essential technology skills students need. First, students need to be able to turn on, open a file, save a file, and use a keyboard and mouse. Next, students should also know how to use digital communication such as email, social media, online meetings, and digital presentations. The third and fourth skills are being able to utilize cybersecurity and being able to access and analyze online information. Fifth, is that our children would know how to be thoughtful and considerate through digital citizenship. The sixth and seventh skills involve being able to find and utilize research online and problem-solve. Finally, students should have time for creativity through fun, games, art, podcasts, or videos. (8 Tech Skills Every Student Should Have)

How much is too much? 

A recent Barna study showed that 60% of young adults surveyed said their generation spends too much time on screens (Barna, 2021). Our children are even aware that they are too connected to screens. But how much is too much?

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry suggests that children under 18 months should only use technology to video conference an adult, from 18-24 months it is recommended that only educational programing should be seen with an adult, and from ages 2-5 it is recommended that non-educational screen time is limited to 1 hour or less (Screen Time and Children). Pediatricians recommend that above 5 years old screen time should be limited to no more than two hours per day except for school work (Kids' Screen Time: How Much is too Much?).

How do we promote a healthy balance?

These recommended limits help create a safety net for our children to have a health balance in their lives. As educators, we must use caution to only use technology in a truly academic way. Our classrooms should not use videos or games to "fill time" but should be careful to only use these resources when valuable to learning. Doing so shows that we prioritize the correct use of technology in the lives of our students.

As parents, we have to help provide guidelines  for our children. Parents are the key to promoting a healthy technology balance as they are able to manage their children's non-academic screen time. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents take a holistic approach for their home and suggest making a media plan for their family (Make a Family Media Plan). 

One Last Thought...

The previous section hints at the idea that we take a look at our own technology usage as we make strategies for our children. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "...be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (NKJV). One of the most important duties we have as parents and educators is to be an example to our students. Therefore in the discussion of digital technology use, we have to take a deep look into the example we are providing our children.

If we take a look at ourselves, we likely see an over-use of screens in our lives (I'm sure I'm not the only one). If it's bad for my child, isn't it bad for me too? I would like to think I am more mature so I can handle Instagram in a better way than my children; but I have discovered that is not true. Overuse of social media in adults has been linked to anxiety, depression, loneliness, and fear of missing out (UC Davis Health). As parents and educators we need to stop the cycle of "do as I say and not as I do" and look into our own use of technology.

We cannot ignore the age we live in; and God placed us in this time period with a purpose. So as we consider our use of technology we need to start with consecrating ourselves to God and examining our own used. From this point we can create a strategy for how we address screen usage as a family. We cannot address technology from a place of fear but we must holistically search how to best navigate this digital age for every person in our family, not just the kids.