Technology Addiction, It's Not Just For Kids

This post originally appeared on my Education Week Blog

We saw another round of alarming headlines last week decreeing the downfall of our current crop of teenagers due to their addiction to mobile technology. These headlines were prompted by a new report from Common Sense Media about technology addiction and teenagers.  The report,  Technology Addiction: Concern, Controversy and Finding Balance, was all over the news with countless headlines like Smartphone Addiction Rampant and Half of All Teenagers Are Addicted to Their Smartphones. While the headlines are accurate, they do not tell the entire story.

These negative headlines are great if they are click-bait intended to get adults reading beyond the bad news and raise awareness about how we can constructively deal with concerns about technology-use and teens. Unfortunately, the general theme coming from the media reports over the past few years has been to sound alarms and not to focus on a more modern perspective and all of the possibilities that go along with it. Thankfully, Common Sense Media provides a balanced approach to this conversation in the report.

However, schools also need to step forward and be part of the movement to let families know that all screen time is not created equal. As school leaders strive to add more instructional technology resources to their classrooms, they also must ensure that parents are kept in the loop about what their students are doing with digital devices to support their learning. We must be clear that our goal is to choose the best instructional resources that fit the needs of the learner at a given moment. Sometimes the right choice may be a digital resource and sometimes it will not. More importantly, we need to talk about when and why certain digital resources are appropriate. We also need to encourage adults to do the same thing regarding the choices they make surrounding the use of technology for their children and themselves.

Despite the fact that it did not make the headlines, a quick look below at some of the research from the Common Sense Media study shows that the problems surrounding the constructive use of technology are just as significant for parents as they are for students. Then again, these stories are being written by adults. I wonder if the headlines would be different if thet were written in a student publication...

The bottom line is the following statement from the report:

"Embracing a balanced approach to media and technology, and supporting adult role-modeling, is recommended to prevent problematic media use."

For school leaders, this starts with us. Let's foster open and honest conversations about the struggles everyone in our school community is having keeping technology in its proper place.  Let's share strategies that are working for families who are finding success staying connected to the world both digitally and in-person. It is clear that there is a role for us in this conversation if we are willing to take it.  So let's look at the conclusion of the report and commit to discussing the following two recommendations as a starting point:

• Talk About It -  Connect with your kids and support learning by talking about what they're seeing, reading, and playing. Encourage kids to question and consider media messages to better understand the role media plays in their own lives. 
• Walk the Walk -  Lead by example by putting your own devices away while driving, at mealtimes, and during family time. Parent role-modeling shows kids the behavior and values you want in your home. Kids will be more open and willing participants when the house rules apply to you, too.

A Rant On Reading Online vs. Reading Paper

ebook-vs-libros (Photo credit: melenita2012)

About a week back the Washington Post ran an article titled Serious reading takes a hit from online scanning and skimming, researchers say.  Immediately, I saw a number of tweets from people touting the article as a groundbreaking piece of research.  (I'll provide my own hyperbole alert since this is online and the research says readers may just skim over this).

Anyway, just a close reading of the title would have tipped folks off that this article was nothing significant.  The keywords of course being "researchers say" in the headline which is a far cry from "researchers prove."  As I scanned and skimmed the article numerous times other phrases popped out at me, phrases like the following:

"I worry.."

"comprehension seems better...with paper" 

"Researchers say that the differences between text and screen reading should be studied more thoroughly..."

Why is it that as we seek the best way to accomplish a task, we cling to the false belief that we are going to find one right answer? Personally, I love reading online and the fact that I can click on hyperlinks, bookmark key points/articles, and interact with others interested in the same topic/novel. Am I distracted or adding a level of interaction to this task that was not possible for previous generations of readers?  

Of course, the answer here is that sometimes I am distracted and less productive and other times I am able to utilize the online resources in a way that adds greater depth to my experience.  My main problem with the alarmists who would prefer that all students read paperbound texts is that they deny these students opportunities to experience the power of Interactive reading, as well as the chance to find their own individual sense of balance in this area.  We need to embrace the struggle that is part of this and have meaningful conversations to guide our own learning and the learning of our children.

Denying these opportunities benefits no one! 

Interesting Perspective - Blame Parents For Kids' Obsession With Texting And Social Media

Photo via Pamela Neder on Flickr

I've spent the last few week's reading Clive Thompson's book, Smarter Than You Think, which dispels many of the notions of those who feel that technology is doing irreparable harm to our children and our society. In fact, I wrote a short post with some initial impressions last Friday. Interestingly enough, I also came across an article by Thompson this week (h/t to Lyn Hilt) which gave an interesting perspective on the role society has played in creating the world in which our children are so easily drawn to their devices.

Thompson's article from Wired  cites the work of Danah Boyd, who has spent thousands of hours interviewing teens regarding their online habits, and has written a new book called It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens.  Thompson cites the following:

"...teenagers would love to socialize face-to-face with their friends. But adult society won’t let them. “Teens aren’t addicted to social media. They’re addicted to each other,” Boyd says. “They’re not allowed to hang out the way you and I did, so they’ve moved it online.”'

Thompson also cites research done by Pew which has found that students who text the the most are also those who socialize the most.

The bottom line here is that, we need to be careful of jumping to conclusions about the activities are kids are taking part in online and categorizing them too quickly as antisocial and/or useless.  I am reminded of another optimistic excerpt on the online behavior of our children from Clay Shirky's Cognitive Surplus:

"Although some of what kids are doing may look trivial and frivolous, what they are doing is building the capacity to connect, to communicate, and ultimately, to mobilize."

Related articles  

• A Great Conversation On The Technology Concerns Of Parents Regarding 1:1 (patrickmlarkin.com)

A Great Conversation On The Technology Concerns Of Parents Regarding 1:1

photo via Wesley Fryer on Flickr 

As I was playing catchup on my blog reading from the last couple of weeks, I came across a great post from Scott McLeod on the topic of parents choosing to opt out of their students having a device in a 1:1 setting.  The major questions that Scott asks here are certainly ones that have been wrestled with in every school that has implemented a 1:1 program:

"Should parents have the right to refuse or limit a 1:1 initiative – or other educational technology usage – for their children? If so, in practical terms how would that work (e.g., would schools be required to provide analog assignments and/or homework)? What do you think?"

When it comes to supporting parents here in Burlington, my typical response is "we own the device, but you own the child." We need to try to work with parents to help them ensure that they can find the balance of screen-time that they feel is warranted for their children. The problem here, however, is that this is far from a black and white issue due to the fact that most debates on this topic we tend to leave out the purpose of the time that students spend online. Personally, I think there is a difference between a couple of hours spent researching and creating a multi-media project as opposed to a couple of hours spent playing candy crush.

With this in mind, it is imperative that schools communicate with parents in regards to the expectations for device use at home. What tasks will students have to have access to their device to perform? Also, what tasks will students be able to complete with devices that are already at home (and which parents have a better grasp on monitoring)?  The comments on Scott''s post offer some wonderful insights into responding to these issues. One in particular comes from Sandy Kendell, an Educational Technology Specialist in Texas who provided the link to a great blog post Parent Concerns in a 1:1 Initiative. Kendell nails what is at the heart of the issue for parents:

"Keep in mind, the child being able to say, "I'm working on my homework" is somewhat of a game-changer when it comes to supporting and setting limits. How easily could you tell your child to just put the technology away when it could be impacting their grades?"

Sandy's post is one of the best I have read in regards to the conversations that need to take place in order to support the dramatic change that a 1:1 school can have for parents and students at home. Another must-read link in the comments is to Beth Holland's post The Balancing Act of Screentime. Beth really gets to the heart of the matter in regards to what we need to ask ourselves concerning device usage and our children by asking three simple questions:

Is it Appropriate? 

Is it Meaningful? 

Is it Empowering?

It is definitely worthwhile to read all of the 32 comments from Scott's post. There is so much more to talk about on this topic.  I particularly like the direction that Lyn Hilt takes the conversation in her comment about ensuring that work assigned as homework (whether on a device or not) is meaningful. However, I'll leave that for a discussion on another day.

Guest Post: Thoughts on Year One of 1:1 in Grade One

This was first posted on Ms. Farmer's Classroom Blog:

One of the lucky ones?
Through a grant announcement at the end of last year, I learned that I would be one of four first grade classrooms in our district to pilot a 1:1 initiative with iPads this year.    I was excited and VERY NERVOUS to embark on such an endeavor.

Why Me?
I wasn't chosen to pilot the iPads because of my extensive knowledge and experience of iPads.  I had very limited experience through the use of a some school-wide iPads made available a few times the previous year.  The classrooms chosen to pilot this initiative were ones which taught struggling readers specific skills through targeted instruction.  My job was to learn how to use these devices to enhance their learning.  But how?  I needed answers -- and quick!  So I attended many summer workshops in preparation prior to the beginning of this school year.  And I consulted with the technology gurus in my district (there are many in Burlington -- thanks to our incredible Tech team!).  I also immersed myself in reading about the first scientific study which was demonstrating the success of iPads in improving literacy in kindergartens in Auburn, ME.  (To read more about this incredible study, click here: ipad-improves-kindergartners-literacy-scores )

I had so many questions, but the more I looked for the answers, the more questions I had.  Little did I know that I was to learn the most from simple exploration ... and from the students themselves.

The iPads Arrive...
The iPads rolled into my classroom around the third week of school.  I was still in the midst of teaching classroom rules, routines and how to take care of classroom materials.  Perfect.   They had some apps already loaded onto them, but we weren't going to start there.  The students needed to know how to turn them off and on; how to carry them; where to use them; how to plug them into the charging cart (still a challenge), etc.

OK, first item to check off the list was "Routine".  This took a week.  One thing I am sure about is the nature of a first grader.  If you don't teach them proper care at the onset, you are teaching proper care for the entire year...and not much more.  It's very similar to teaching them to put the cap back on a glue stick to keep it from drying out.  The difference being that this "glue stick" was very expensive!

Now What?
It took the children nearly no time at all to learn how to use the iPad.  In the beginning of the year, they would have to use the apps in a small group with a teacher present to make sure they were using the app correctly and not just pushing random buttons (it happens).  As the year went on, the app could be introduced merely by displaying it on my Smartboard through the use of "Reflection" on my laptop.  We would play a few rounds of an app as a class and then I would set it out as a station.  My wonderful colleague and fellow iPad pilot, Erin Guanci, then created (and shared with me!) many iPads menus with apps from which the children could choose.  Here is a sample:

I also used the Voice memo on the iPad to have the children record themselves reading.  The  student and I would then listen to the recording.  I would pause the recording when the child made an error and then teach the child how to use their strategies to self-correct their miscue.  The Voice Memo app became both an invaluable teaching tool and an electronic library collection of books which the children had read throughout the year.  (Plus I could now share the child's reading with their parents via e-mail and at parent-teacher conferences).

In Math, as in reading, the iPads were also invaluable in reinforcing skills.  Time, money and fact skills need repeated practice.  A teacher cannot teach a week-long unit on money, for example, and have first graders magically remember what a coin looks like, its value and how to add them together.  The iPads were useful in helping the children practice these skills for 10 minutes or so every morning during "free time" after I taugt the unit.  They loved it and it helped to reinforce these skills.  I could not have done this without an iPad.  No amount of "drill and kill" worksheets could give students the immediate response they need.  And I am only one person, so I certainly could not get to every child in the class on an individual basis in a ten-minute time frame.  Invaluable.

How Else Were The Ipads Used?
For more detailed information on how the ipads were used and what apps were used, click here: one-to-one-elementary-classroom by andrew-marcinek

This article details how Erin Guanci and I make use of the iPads.  More to follow on this subject in a future blog.

Now For the Big Question:

There is no doubt in my mind that the iPads have been effective and have increased engagement in a number of ways.  I know for a fact that all children are engaged when I am teaching a lesson as a whole group if they have an iPad in front of them and are working on the same task.  I can quickly glance around and see who understands and who is struggling.  My feedback can then be effective and immediate.  They are not daydreaming, rolling on the carpet or fooling with their friends.  They have a device in their hands and are very engaged.  By using the iPads to record their reading, students are increasing their reading fluency and providing me with a useful teaching tool.  

However, something continues to come up in conversations in regard to iPads which troubles me personally.  

I hear and read how educators need to teach 21-Century Skills and I agree with that 100 per cent.  But I have also read and heard some discussions (in casual conversation) about how districts may consider using less construction paper, markers, glue, building blocks, etc. since we have iPads.  This goes against every fiber of my being!  I am totally on board when it comes to making technology accessible to every child at an early age so that they can not only learn how to use the devices and learn from them but so that they also may be able to make educated and responsible decisions in regard to technology in their future.  However, I do not agree with reducing the use of paper, pencils, crayons, markers, paint, construction paper, scissors, building blocks, etc.  

What I do support is providing every child with a rich array of experiences -- both technological and traditional.  In my view, balance is key.  Choice is important.

I have a simple observation to share.  Occasionally, when our school has indoor recess due to inclement weather, I invite the neighboring classroom of children who do not have iPads to come in and share iPads with my students.  In the beginning of the year, every child wanted to use the iPad and they had the opportunity to do so.  As the year progressed, however, and the novelty wore off, the childrn were given the choice of staying in my room to use the iPads or going into the neighboring classroom to draw, read books, play with blocks, paint, etc.  Can you guess what happened?

As the year progressed, the number of children using the traditional materials of paper, pencil, glue, paint and building blocks become equal to that of the number of children choosing to use the iPads.  I counted and it was equally split.  Choice had won.  This  has since happened on numerous occasions, so I'll consider it my "informal" research.

How can children choose or gravitate toward that which they love and are passionate about if they are not given the opportunity to explore all paths of learning?  Should you sacrifice some traditional opportunities in lieu of technology? Isn't it our job as educators to provide the landscape which allows choice and provides varied experiences?  Where are our future budding artists, builders and craftsman without tactile experience of paper, scissors, construction paper, paint, blocks, etc.? Also, what will lack of these hands-on experiences do to their cognitive and physical (fine motor) development?  What is wrong with providing it all?  It is possible.  I can attest to that.  As much as I am open to the idea of providing technological opportunities for our young children, I am closed to the idea of taking the other more traditional opportunities away.  I consider myself a very open-minded educator who embrace change.  Am I being too "old school?"  What are your thoughts on this?

More Thinking About Balance And When To Unplug

Having played a big part in the fact that there are over 1,000 students in Burlington walking around with web-enabled devices, I do spend a great deal of time thinking about how to continue the important conversation of maintaining balance with regards to the use these devices. I wrote a post on this a little while back in reference to my own device use, which I admit is sometimes imbalanced.

Adding to my anxiety on the topic is the fact that there are articles with misleading headlines like this one - Many Teens Tell Survey They Are Addicted To Social Media, Texting - which recently appeared in the Washington Post.  While the headline is a bit disconcerting, the content of the article makes it clear that this there is a lot more here that we need to discuss. Check out a few of the excerpts I think we need to focus more on and decide or yourself whether the negatives really outweighing the positive.

"Two-thirds of respondents said they text every day and half said they visit social networking sites daily. One-quarter of teens use at least two different types of social media a day."

"Three out of 10 teens said social networks made them feel more outgoing, compared to 5 percent who said they felt more introverted."

"Still, half of all respondents said real-life communication is the most fun and fruitful for their relationships. Only 4 percent prefer to talk on the phone."

As I see my own tweens spending more and more time using their devices to interact with their friends, I can't help but think of the quote below by Danah Boyd. Is it really the devices and the social media platforms that they are addicted to or is it the communication with their friends? 

Source: pinerly.com via Patrick on Pinterest

It brings me back to Clay Shirky's thoughts on this topic from his book Cognitive Surplus: Creativity And Generosity In A Connected Age.  I agree with Shirky on the following:

 "when we talk about the effects of the web or text messages, it's easy to make a milkshake mistake and focus on the tools themselves...But the use of of social technology is much less determined by the tool itself: when we use a network, the most important asset we get is access to one another." 

I think the thing that our children need help with is learning when disconnecting is necessary to refocus and refresh. In addition, we need to be sure that they are getting plenty of technology-free opportunities for the rich face-to-face interactions and experiences that are so beneficial. This point is clearly articulated in a recent post by John Spencer titled What We're Missing In Acceptable Use.


What we need to understand is that our children are connecting and collaborating in ways that we were never capable of.  Or as Shirky puts it:

"Although so much of what kids are doing online may look trivial and frivolous, what they are doing is building the capacity to connect, to communicate, and ultimately, to mobilize...The old idea that media is a domain relatively separate from the 'real world' no longer applies..."

The bottom line here is that we are never going to be in a comfortable spot with our children if we do not continue to have discussions on this topic. We need to encourage our children to use these  resources wisely and have balance, but we also have to understand that the way they communicate with one another not going to look like the same as how we communicated with our friends back in the day...and that's OK!

Thinking About Balance...Am I That Guy?

I had the opportunity to present at ISTE in San Diego last week with my good friend George Couros, an administrator in Canada who I have learned so much from over the past few years. As we developed our presentation for our session, George shared the video above with me from a recent Louis C.K. appearance on Conan. While I was laughing at the scenario Louis C.K. shared of individuals glued to the screens of their devices, I was also well aware that I can be one of these people sometimes who missed out on the real-time occurrence in an attempt to get a picture or send out a message.

With this in mind, I headed to the Portsmouth Air Show over the weekend and decided to leave my devices at home. I have fond memories of seeing the Navy's Blue Angels flying squad as a young boy with my dad. At first, I was thinking of bringing my iPad with me to get some clips of the Blue Angels on video. But as I thought back to the above clip, I realized that there are plenty of clips of the Blue Angels online that are much better than I could shoot and that I should just stand back and take the whole thing in with my own eyes. (Check out the great Blue Angels Promo video below)



When it was over, I was pleased with my decision, having seen a lot more with my eyes on on the sky and not focused on the device. Not to mention the fact that I probably would have dropped my device when one of the jets flew about 50 feet directly over my head and I caused me to block my ears to save my ear drums.  (See below)



Anyway, my main point in this post is that we need to continue to think about having a balanced approach to utilizing all of the great technology that is available to us. There are many times in our lives where the best choice for technology is to leave it out of the equation so that we can fully immerse ourselves in the moment. As always, I feel fortunate to work in a school district that allows students to utilize technological resources because I do not think we could have authentic discussions about balance if our first inclination was to deny access.  


So the next time you go to grab your phone, iPad, or camera, take a moment to think whether or not you will really miss something without it or whether you are missing the bigger picture with it...