Technology is great. I used it to research my information for this, and every blog I write. There is nothing wrong with using a screen. Social media can help us stay connected with friends and family who do not live near us. People share tips, tricks, and helpful hints all over various platforms. We have benefited from the growth of technology. However, science teaches us that for every force there is an equal and opposite force. The same is true when it comes to screen, technology, and social media.
A quick google search, "Technology and Children's Brains" and you will find information from; Harvard, Ohio State, Pepperdine, and more. These peer reviewed scholarly articles will inform that some technology use is good, but too much use is dangerous.
Our brains and the brains of our students need tech free time.
Think about all of the screen time there is involved in testing, Lexia, Dreambox, and Technology class. When we are rewarding students, giving students a break, and not doing active work, we must encourage tech free times. Instead of an electronics day, have a; mindfulness day, a kindness day, a board game day, a friendship building day, a favorite book day, or an outdoor clean up day.
Pepperdine.edu shares a list of 5 negative aspects of too much screen time.
1. It changes the structure of the brain. It alters and reduces attention span.
2. Reduces physical activity.
3. Technology triggers the use of the pleasure center of the brain. Too much technology wears out the pleasure center and creates a need for bigger stimuli.
4. Reduces memory.
5. Reduces sleep.
Ohio State University also shared their list of reasons we should reduce the time our students spend on a screen.
1. Harms attention. (seems to be a theme....screens reduce attention span)
2. Reduces the ability to self-sooth and self-regulate (and we wonder why our students explode so often...they do not have the ability to calm themselves down)
3. Increases aggression (anger up and ability to calm down is down)
4. Stagnates physical activity
5. Hurts school performance
6. Limits interpersonal skills
7. Affects emotional development
If you notice the lists have similarities. This tells us to pay attention and start working toward fixing this problem.
Harvard medical school has also shared their finding regarding children and technology.
Harvard reports that children need boredom and the opportunity to let their minds wander. This creates the space and time for creativity. Harvard uses the word "Impoverished" when they talk about the brain and development as it relates to screen time. Screens create impoverished brains as it relates to the development.
This week we had representatives from Inner Explorer come to our school. One of the things that they shared out stuck with me. I love learning about the brain and being reminded of things I have previously learned about and made not have thought about lately. One such thing I was reminded of this week was synaptic pruning and how our children are literally having important parts of their brains pruned away from lack of use. Due to the over use of the amygdala our students are slowly having parts of their prefrontal cortex pruned away. (Mindfulness can help change this!!)
In my research this past week I also stumbled across a video regarding ADD/ADHD. In the video a doctor shared all of the things he would not do if he had ADD/ADHD. One of the things he mentioned was spending too much time on a screen.
The doctor went on to share that screens heighten ADD/ADHD symptoms. He also shared that screens addict you and steal dopamine. This reflects nicely on what we previously learned from Pepperdine and OSU. Dopamine is our happy brain chemical. Screens create a need for more and more because we have worn out the pleasure center. Using a screen uses up our dopamine.
The doctor then called ADD/ADHD basically a Dopamine Deficit Disorder. Those with ADD and ADHD already are low on dopamine. A screen takes what little they have left. These friends are then going to need more stimuli to create more dopamine. (This is when we see them ramping up behaviors)
Our brains do not fully develop until about age 25. Due to this our students lack the development of the control center and thus they struggle and cannot shut off the obsessive behaviors created when screens trigger the reward center of the brain.
Knowing that the majority of our students will head home and sit on a screen the rest of the night we should take great effort to create a space to help them develop the logic center of their brains.
Mindfulness is a great way to strength the brain. It also calms the body. It will help our students in a great tech free space. Even using Inner Explorer can be done without the screen on and just listening to the sounds.
Get creative in class and create a space to grow and learn.
One last thought to leave you with this week. A great many of our students have smart phones. This is harming mental health. Another great reason to have tech free days in class.
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