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Finding Balance: Is All Screen Time Equal?
Digital Wellness - Bits & Bytes
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SD#23, Learning Technology Department is hosting a third Digital Literacy Awareness Challenge to encourage classroom teachers and students to participate from late February to April 2025.
This challenge focuses on the topic of 'Creative & Critical Thinking, and Collaboration' - a focus on meaningful screen time and finding balance.
BC Digital Literacy Framework:
Critical Thinking: Students use Critical Thinking Skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Creative Thinking: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and process using technology.
Collaboration: Students use digital media environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
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Not all screen time is created equal. It can range from watching TV, playing video games, using a computer, to spending time on tablets or cell phones.
Screen time can be passive, like consuming media, or active, like creating content.
Beyond just our screen time usage, it's important to consider the impact of prolonged screen exposure has on our bodies, both physically and mentally.
Consider your family's screen habits. Do you find yourselves spending hours scrolling through social media, watching YouTube, or gaming?
Have you thought about shifting some of this screen time towards more active and creative pursuits? Learning to create different types of media together can be a rewarding experience.
In school, when we incorporate screen time, our goal is to teach children to be creators. We focus on how digital tools can enhance their creative and critical thinking skills and encourage collaboration. We also prioritize balancing screen time, ensuring technology is used purposefully to support learning.
Whether you enjoy consuming media, creating it, or both, it's important to stay mindful of your screen time and make sure to balance it with active, healthy habits.
Common Sense Media says "you want to look for how it engages your child. There's nothing wrong with a little mindless entertainment. But your kids will get more out of their screen time if you consider the 'four C's'.
1
Connection
It's really important that kids connect on a personal level with what they're watching, playing, or reading. Are they engaged? Engrossed? Maybe even enlightened? Getting into a storyline or identifying with characters prepares kids for more learning.
2
Critical Thinking
Look for TV shows, apps, games, and more that take a deep dive into a topic, subject, or skill. Maybe it's games in which kids think through ethical dilemmas or strategize about bypassing obstacles. Quizzes and simple Q & A-style games may be fun and seem educational, but they don't help kids find deep or long-lasting meaning.
3
Creativity
Many great learning tools give kids the ability to create something new -- a new level for a video game or a song, for instance. Kids can feel more ownership of their learning when they get to put their spin on the experience.
4
Context
Help your kids understand how their online and screen-time activities fit into the larger world. For younger kids in particular, the discussions and activities surrounding games or movies are key. Being with kids while they play or watch, asking questions about what they're taking away, and doing related offline activities can extend learning.
Visit www.commonsensemedia.org for more information
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