Technology Has Been a Blessing and a Curse

Technology has been a blessing and a curse. We cannot imagine life without it. It has enabled us to connect with our loved ones and friends, to travel the world from the comfort of our homes, to research, investigate and create, and to escape.

Technology’s limitless capabilities were even more overtly obvious during COVID lockdown. I couldn’t hop on a plane and fly to Brisbane to see my children and grandchildren, especially during the Christmas of 2020 when we were isolated on the Northern Beaches but I could Facetime them and still experience the joy of connecting and seeing their faces. The tyranny of distance and lockdown was eased by the click of a mouse.

For someone who enjoys learning, I relish in googling things that I do not know, diving deeper into research or surfing the internet to places I have yet to visit. When I am preparing lectures on HSC prescribed texts, I can quickly research the context of the author and read a plethora of critical essays or even listen to the author, such as TS Eliot or George Orwell read their own work on YouTube. The same is true for our students who can complement and deepen their learning.

Yet, there are times when even I bemoan technology, especially the endless emails that I am drawn to check morning, day, and night. I have to consciously not check my phone when I am with my family or when I am out to dinner with my husband.

Technology is like any other addiction – it only becomes a problem when we allow it to take control of our lives. Unfortunately, during lockdown periods, we all relied more on technology. Students were online for their learning and with social distancing and stay-at-home restrictions, young people were having more screen time than usual. Dr Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, found that young people’s screen time doubled, and many developed an addiction to technology. With the return to some sort of normality, for many children this has not dissipated. This is especially the case with social media as it allowed them to stay connected with friends.

Intervention and education are far more effective than prohibition. It starts at home. Sometimes adults are not the best role models when it comes to using technology. Parents and caregivers should develop in consultation with their children, a family technology plan that is applicable to all family members. The plan should include things such as: no mobile phones during mealtimes so that the family talks and connects; having age-appropriate boundaries on smartphone use; time-out from technology periods, such as on a weekend; and putting devices away each night at an agreed time so that children are not responding to texts in the early hours of the morning.

Schools can also help address the negative impacts of technology, such as:

• Being vigilant during class time and ensuring that students are on task.
• Using mobile phones as educational tools, such as recording notes, googling information, or responding to a class quiz.
• Providing seminars for parents, carers, and students on the negative aspects of technology, such as cyberbullying. eSafey has excellent resources for teachers and parents on this significant issue - https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people.
• Ensuring that the playground encourages play and enjoyment. We are in the process of beautifying the school playgrounds to encourage our junior and senior students to play and connect rather than playing games on a laptop or snapchatting on a phone.

There is a dark side to technology of which we all need to be aware – cyberbullying and the sharing of explicit images. Young people live in the now and do not stop to consider the consequences of a cruel comment on Snapchat, the tragic consequences of relentless cyber bullying or the dangerous consequences of sharing images. They need to be made aware of the longevity of their digital footprint that can return to haunt them years later when they apply for a job.

At Hills, we are harnessing the voices of our students to address the use of technology. Students from Years 5 to 12 were invited to apply to join a Student Wellbeing Team. The team’s first task will be to look at the School’s mobile phone policy. A small group has already surveyed all senior students and analysed the results. The team will have access to the latest research that presents both negative and positive views of mobile phones at school. If we do not enable our students to make an informed decision then taking an action, such as banning mobile phones, will not work.

Karen Yager | Principal