The students of today are growing up in a completely different environment than we did when we were kids. To many of them, having a mobile phone means more than just communicating with others and playing games on it. Students make use of these devices for various reasons – to take virtual classes, search for information, study and do homework, connect with other people, watch movies, listen to music and browse social networking sites.
It is certain that the use of technology has made things much simpler for the young generation. But, along with the rising number of cell phone and social media users, there comes a challenge to the students – how to remain connected with the technological world without distancing themselves from their own selves and society.
The Digital Life of Today’s Generation of Students
For many students, their routine begins and ends with their screens. They start the day by checking their phones, attend their classes digitally, study using the internet, and then spend many more hours browsing on social media or consuming other online content. The issue does not lie in the technology per se. It lies in its usage.
Smartphones could be great allies in the learning process for students who use them to watch educational videos, e-books, language learning apps, or factual information. Yet, the same phone could be a source of distractions when the student constantly switches between notifications. Some students find themselves with their books in front of them, while their minds are elsewhere, in the phone. Just one notification could distract their focus. Gradually, studying becomes harder, and the student finds himself incapable of focusing on his studies.
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Social Media and the Emotional State of Today’s Students
The usage of social networks has led to a significant change in the way teenagers communicate with each other. It became possible to communicate with your peers irrespective of the distance between you. The posting of one’s pictures, accomplishments, opinions, and experiences has become very easy.
However, there can appear some kind of a rivalry among the users of social media. There are many pictures of the lives of other people on the Internet, and the students will find out that other people are more successful, happy, and rich than them. In this way, they will get dissatisfied with themselves.
Furthermore, the number of likes, comments, and followers will have some effect on the respect for oneself. The lack of interest from other users will make them sad. As teachers, we should teach our students that social media are not important to them at all. Just a part of real life is being captured by the pictures.
Screen Time and Students’ Well-being
Besides, screen time can affect the routine of the students. Being online at night influences the quality of sleep. Sleep affects attention, mood, and academic results negatively.
They will rarely get an opportunity to go outdoors and socialize with family or any other activity. Slowly but surely, their digital world would overshadow the physical one. This very aspect makes the concept of digital balance so pertinent. The idea of digital balance does not pertain to avoiding smartphones and social networking sites altogether. This means gaining knowledge regarding the way the technology should be used.
What Should the Parents and Teachers Do?
The parents and teachers have a very vital role to play in making sure that the children act properly in the digital world. It cannot be achieved simply by asking them not to use the smartphones. The children require someone to guide them.
The parents can make sure that there are certain times when the children are not using the phone especially during meal times and before going to bed. In addition, they can spend some time with the children to make sure that the phone is their sole form of entertainment.
First of all, parents should try creating some screen-free moments, especially during meals and bedtime. Moreover, parents should spend some quality time with their kids in order to ensure that the cell phone is not the only source of fun and support for the kid.
Being digitally well-educated should be included in the classroom curriculum as teachers would inspire the kids to join lessons on cybersecurity, netiquette, fake news, privacy, and good social media practices.
Most importantly, adults should set an example of how to live well digitally as kids copy adult behavior much better than listen to adults.
How to Learn to Put the Phone Away
In today’s digital world, kids should understand that going online does not mean being emotionally accessible.
However, there could be occasions when communicating with his parents is enough to make him happy without changing his status on the social media platform. Likewise, there would be occasions when going out for a walk with friends could be much more useful than doing nothing but wasting time online. The boy might realize that he can resolve a lot of problems that he faces simply by avoiding his mobile phone and instead reading a book, exercising, listening to music or meditating.
Questions that the student needs to ask himself:
What is my reason for using my mobile phone at this moment?
Is it really necessary or is it all just a waste of time?
What do I feel like after such activities?
These questions would allow the boy to see a clearer picture of his behavior on the internet.
A Healthier Digital World in the Future
It would be very difficult, as well as inappropriate to deprive this generation of students of their technology. Technology plays an important role both in the process of learning and in life in general. This does not mean that we should not use screens at all. It means that it is important to live in the world in which the right use of the technology of the screens is necessary.The existence of the technology itself is completely necessary for our students. However, at the same time, it is also completely necessary for our students to rest, to communicate with other people and with their families, to do physical exercises, to create something, to express themselves emotionally, and to relax.
Not only we as teachers are obliged to prepare our students for their successful passing of the examinations, but we as teachers are also obliged to prepare our students for the life they will lead in the future. It is great to live in the world of the technology if our students use it but do not become addicted to it.
This is due to the fact that in the coming times, the world will be ruled by the people who have the capability of using the technology and have the knowledge of the significance of building interpersonal relations through the use of technology with the people all over the world.
Author
Dr.Meenakshi Sharma
Assistant professor,Department of Education
Biyani Girls B.Ed. College,Jaipur
