Answer: How did you modify your technology habits? What is the most proactive means of ensuring the most balanced blend of technology and well-being? What can students and teachers do to make sure they get the most from technology while simultaneously safeguarding good health?
Below you will find the Google Calendar that I created for improving my digital health. Starting on Monday September 4th, I implemented a few changes in my schedule, some of which were single instances and others have been recurring items.
Single Instances:
09/05 - Adjusted my monitor height and desk chair position.
09/06 - Scheduled a walk around campus on my planning period.
09/08 - Planned dinner with loved ones.
09/09 - Participated in a 5k.
Recurring Instances:
2:15 daily reminder - I get a calendar notification every day at the beginning of my planning period to remind me to sit up straight as I work.
5:00-6:00 daily unplug - At this time every day I try to put away my phone and spend time with my wife and two daughters. (see screenshot)
Technology Modifications:
I've spent the past week trying to adjust my posture. I deal with frequent tension headaches and neck strain, and I'm sure that much of that has been to my posture at my desk. Since I've elevated my monitor to be closer to eye level I've noticed somewhat of a decrease in my tension headaches. Also, since I've lowered my chair so that my legs and arms are at 90-degree angles to the desk, I have noticed less strain in my elbows.
Bad posture is a hard habit to break!
Balancing Technology & Well-Being:
The most effective way of balancing technology and physical/emotion/spiritual well-being is to intentionally plan for breaks; by breaks I mean both periods of inactivity as well as periods of physical activity. As a bivocational teacher and pastor, my schedule is full 7 days a week. It's easy to overload my schedule with demands from church and work, to the point that family and the things that truly matter take a backseat; this has happened more times than I care to admit.
But after intentionally planning time in the day to adjust or even completely unplug, I'm noticing a change in my overall attitude and mood. I'm pretty bad about quickly checking my phone, thinking the latest notification could be a text or email from someone at church or work. So the calendar notifications tend to get my attention, and at just the right time. Teaching 6 periods back to back before having a planning period really can leave you in a slump (figuratively and literally) by 7th period. The posture notifications have been helpful in addressing something I always have struggled with.
To make meaningful breaks and changes happen, you must plan for them!
Applications for Teachers/Students:
I believe the last section really addresses this section as well, but I'll say that I think that teachers and students should work together to establish a classroom schedule that works for the group as a whole. For example, for the first week of school I typically assign very little homework. After the first week, once schedules are adjusted and everyone has settled into a new routine, I have students reflect on their schedule as I show mine on the board. We decide (on a class by class basis) what days of the week are typically the busiest and which ones would be the best in terms of having time for homework and studying. Then we put it to a vote, and students select the one day a week that they will have official homework. All the other nights, no official homework is given. I have been doing this the past few years since we went on period schedule and students shifted from having 4 classes a day to having 7. I think it has been a great help to them to be able to plan around a consistent homework and testing schedule.
Students (and teachers!) need time that is blocked off for structured work, which often includes technology. But they/we also need that play time or down time where we can relax (or exercise) to promote good health. Keeping a central, consistent calendar (with notifications) is a good way to do that.
Below you will find the Google Calendar that I created for improving my digital health. Starting on Monday September 4th, I implemented a few changes in my schedule, some of which were single instances and others have been recurring items.
Single Instances:
09/05 - Adjusted my monitor height and desk chair position.
09/06 - Scheduled a walk around campus on my planning period.
09/08 - Planned dinner with loved ones.
09/09 - Participated in a 5k.
Recurring Instances:
2:15 daily reminder - I get a calendar notification every day at the beginning of my planning period to remind me to sit up straight as I work.
5:00-6:00 daily unplug - At this time every day I try to put away my phone and spend time with my wife and two daughters. (see screenshot)
Technology Modifications:
I've spent the past week trying to adjust my posture. I deal with frequent tension headaches and neck strain, and I'm sure that much of that has been to my posture at my desk. Since I've elevated my monitor to be closer to eye level I've noticed somewhat of a decrease in my tension headaches. Also, since I've lowered my chair so that my legs and arms are at 90-degree angles to the desk, I have noticed less strain in my elbows.
Bad posture is a hard habit to break!
Balancing Technology & Well-Being:
The most effective way of balancing technology and physical/emotion/spiritual well-being is to intentionally plan for breaks; by breaks I mean both periods of inactivity as well as periods of physical activity. As a bivocational teacher and pastor, my schedule is full 7 days a week. It's easy to overload my schedule with demands from church and work, to the point that family and the things that truly matter take a backseat; this has happened more times than I care to admit.
But after intentionally planning time in the day to adjust or even completely unplug, I'm noticing a change in my overall attitude and mood. I'm pretty bad about quickly checking my phone, thinking the latest notification could be a text or email from someone at church or work. So the calendar notifications tend to get my attention, and at just the right time. Teaching 6 periods back to back before having a planning period really can leave you in a slump (figuratively and literally) by 7th period. The posture notifications have been helpful in addressing something I always have struggled with.
To make meaningful breaks and changes happen, you must plan for them!
Applications for Teachers/Students:
I believe the last section really addresses this section as well, but I'll say that I think that teachers and students should work together to establish a classroom schedule that works for the group as a whole. For example, for the first week of school I typically assign very little homework. After the first week, once schedules are adjusted and everyone has settled into a new routine, I have students reflect on their schedule as I show mine on the board. We decide (on a class by class basis) what days of the week are typically the busiest and which ones would be the best in terms of having time for homework and studying. Then we put it to a vote, and students select the one day a week that they will have official homework. All the other nights, no official homework is given. I have been doing this the past few years since we went on period schedule and students shifted from having 4 classes a day to having 7. I think it has been a great help to them to be able to plan around a consistent homework and testing schedule.
Students (and teachers!) need time that is blocked off for structured work, which often includes technology. But they/we also need that play time or down time where we can relax (or exercise) to promote good health. Keeping a central, consistent calendar (with notifications) is a good way to do that.
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