I’ve talked for a long time about why screentime is a very simplistic and outdated way of considering the complexities associated with young (and no-so young) people’s screen based media use (SBMU) and its impacts on cognitions, social interactions and overall wellbeing.
The graphic below helps summarise some key concepts and questions to consider when evaluating these impacts beyond simply ‘time’ online.
Content from these slides have been coped below for reading on mobile devices.
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Beyond Screen time
What is a healthful Digital Diet?
Beyond Screen Time
Time online is just one (outdated, simplistic) way to consider the impacts of digital devices.
Here are some other ways to think about the issues relating to technology use/overuse.
+ CONTENT
What information is being consumed or activities engaged in?
Are they developmentally appropriate?
+ CONTEXT
What is the situation the tech use is occurring in?
Is it the classroom, bedroom, alone or with others?
+ COGNITIONS
What thoughts, motivations & intentions are present?
Are they adaptive, maladaptive, helpful or negative?
+ FUNCTION
What is the reason for the tech use?
Is it to avoid social interaction, to study etc?
What is a healthful Digital Diet?
I’ve been using the analogy With food to help unpack the Complexliles of screen time and technology use since 2015.
PLAN TO UNPLUG:
Build your routine around time off-line rather than framing everything around the online activities. Have you moved your body, and connected lRL?
PORTION CONTROL
Break up time spent online into short bursts, not epic marathons. Use the pomodoro technique to schedule sessions to avoid a binge mentality.
SLEEP TIGHT, RIGHT
Set a Digital Sunset to ensure that tech use doesn’t creep into your ZZZ
space. Sleep is essential tar Coding memories and storing learning.
GAME, SERIOUSLY
Serious games offer more pro-social, educational and peaceful alternatives to some of the hugely popular games on the market.
LOOK INSIDE:
Consider the ‘virtuaI vitamins‘ contained in your online activities, do they create empathy, encourage play and problem solving?
