Digital Wellbeing In The Classroom: Choosing Technology That Supports The Whole Child

Technology is rapidly acquiring a new centerstage role in classrooms. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an unmatched era of technology use as teachers and students had to rely on laptops and tablets for many months in order to continue learning. With children’s and adolescents’ daily screen time increasing both at school and at home, educators and parents must acknowledge and grapple with the wide-ranging effects that these new habits can have on wellbeing. This capstone project sought to answer the question: How might a professional development series support teachers as they consider the impacts of screen time on wellbeing while also determining the effectiveness of digital tools on student learning? By providing knowledge about screen time and wellbeing, as well as a set of tools to help analyze educational apps, this professional development series will empower educators to carefully consider technology’s role in student learning and wellbeing