I often find that whenever I see my laptop in the distance that I can almost feel the dopamine receptors going off craving one more check on Facebook, my four (sometimes five) email accounts, my wife's Facebook, my virtual classroom, my ebay posts, even Amazon, songpop, the response to a blog, and I have just checked 15 minutes ago. This situation is all too common with adults and children (tomorrow all of the family will show up at my in-laws and at any given moment at least 5 devices will be going, in addition to whatever football "matters"). The point is that technology is addictive, and in the last 10 years science has proven this point. Our brains are easily molded by it, especially with the thrill of expectation at receiving some type of personal recognition (i.e. email, Facebook like, a challenging and confrontational blog post, and worse). Like any addiction it is not necessarily the activity itself, but the propensity for excess that makes it dangerous. Therefore, with technology the most proactive means of ensure a balanced blend, is simply helping all individuals develop a sense of balance and the awareness of when this balance is being violated. The simplest way is to have technology free times, or set limits. For example, only check email at three times a day, or limit responses to 5 minutes. Also ask if the technology is being used, or is it using us in some manner. For example, using my computer to type this blog has me using technology, but if I get distracted and find that 90 minutes of my life are gone playing some meaningless Facebook game that I never intended to play, then it has used me. I don't want to suggest that mindless use of technology is bad (in the 70s and 80s my parents watched their share of mindless television), but that the user should at least be aware that he is using it this way. Often I don't think that people even recognize their own addiction.
What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health?
1. Set limits. With some of my more technology addicted students, I simply ask them to spend the next 10 minutes away from it. As they get better I extend the time and ask less.
2. Use technology for the greater good. Along with the rubbish in technology land, there are also a lot of interesting and well done educational resources. Sometimes it is simply enough to show an interesting youtube video as a means of positive technology.
3. Blend the two as much as possible. I encourage my students to use technology when they are doing other mindless tasks. For example, with audio books I encourage them to listen to books and readings that I have assigned while they are doing mindless chores, exercising, or driving to school.
4. Remember that the main technology abuse is the fact that we think that we want what can in fact hurt us. This is always more dangerous than any outside control. Therefore, we need to continually education students about the differences between quality and not so quality technology.
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