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MR RICHARD BURKHILL BSc (Hons)

Director of Digital Learning, Whole School

Head of Computing, Prep

Apple Teacher

Google Educator Level 2

Beyond Screen Time

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1️⃣ EdTech Provision

2️⃣ Digital Wellbeing

3️⃣ Community

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✅ Beyond Screen Time

⏩ Term 2

⏩ Term 3

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Beyond Screen Time

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Average:

7 hours

9 hours

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4 minutes

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Average:

7 hours

9 hours

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Bots now exist that trawl through social media photographs, replace the subject’s body with a naked body and distribute this across paid platforms and the Dark Web
Chat is commonplace across messaging apps and online gaming where grooming can easily take place
Privacy is arguably not a privilege of a child until they reach 18 years old in the digital world. Devices should always be used in an open space and never behind closed bedroom doors. Microphone and camera privacy settings should be checked on devices to see what apps have access to these as they can be activated at anytime to watch / listen to the device’s surroundings without the user’s knowledge
This is the first generations to have unfiltered access to explicit material that would previously have to have been paid for / ordered
Age restrictions on most social media platforms are 13 years and over. Many of the games children are playing in Prep school 18+ years old such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto – the latter contains graphic scenes of sexual and violent natures
Too much consumption and not enough creation can lead to device addiction and depression

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🔞

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Dopamine

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Users

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1️⃣ EdTech Provision

2️⃣ Digital Wellbeing

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🧒

💬

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1️⃣

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2️⃣

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3️⃣

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🪝 Hooked Design Strategy

‘There are a handful of tech companies controlling billions of minds every day.’

“Behind the screen, there are 1,000 engineers that have worked on this thing to try to make it maximally addicting."

Knowing more about how the apps we and our children use keep us addicted, helps us pass on the awareness our children desperately need.

Apps are meticulously engineered to capture and maintain our attention for as long as possible. They employ various psychological tactics to create a habit-forming user experience. One such tactic is the concept of "variable rewards," where users never know when they'll receive gratification, making the app unpredictable and exciting. As a result, users constantly crave the next notification, like, or message, stimulating the brain's pleasure centers.

Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist, shed light on this manipulative design in his TED Talk, "How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every day." Harris explains, "Behind the screen, there are 1,000 engineers that have worked on this thing to try to make it maximally addicting."

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🎓 Education

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Awareness and Critical Thinking:

When teens understand that the apps they use are intentionally designed to be addictive, it sparks critical thinking. They begin to question their own impulses and the reasons behind their app usage. This awareness enables them to differentiate between genuine personal interest and the artificial pull created by app design.

Understanding Psychological Triggers:

Explaining the psychological triggers used by apps, such as notifications and likes, helps teens recognize how their emotions are being manipulated. This understanding fosters emotional intelligence and helps them develop resilience against emotional manipulation, both online and offline.

Time Management and Productivity:

Education about app design encourages teens to evaluate the time they spend on apps versus its impact on their productivity. They can learn to set goals and allocate time effectively for both their online and offline activities, ensuring a balanced life.

Digital Well-being:

Knowing how addictive apps work opens the conversation about digital well-being. Teens can reflect on how their online activities influence their mental and emotional state. They can then make informed decisions about their online interactions and know when to take a break to maintain their well-being.

Setting Boundaries:

With knowledge about app addiction, teens can establish boundaries for themselves. They can create tech-free zones during family meals, study hours, and before bedtime. This empowers them to regain control over their time and attention.

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Devices to aid our memories and safe music for driving

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🤳 Self Control & Agency

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Open and Honest Conversations:

Initiate open discussions about the addictive nature of apps. Share examples of how apps have affected your own life and let your teens share their experiences. This dialogue encourages a safe space for them to voice their concerns and ask questions.

Teach Digital Literacy:

Incorporate digital literacy into your conversations. Help teens understand the business model of free apps – they provide services in exchange for user attention, which generates ad revenue. This awareness reinforces the idea that their attention is valuable and should be managed wisely.

Practice Mindfulness:

Introduce mindfulness practices to your teens. Mindfulness helps them become more conscious of their thoughts and behaviors, allowing them to recognize when they're mindlessly scrolling through apps. This practice enables them to make deliberate choices about their tech usage.

Encourage Self-monitoring:

Recommend apps that track screen time and app usage. These tools provide insights into their digital habits, allowing teens to self-monitor and make adjustments as needed.

Be a Role Model:

Model healthy tech behavior yourself. Show your teens that you can disconnect from devices when needed. Demonstrate the importance of face-to-face interactions and engage in hobbies that don't involve screens.

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🤍 Heather Barnard

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Zooinverse

Be My Eyes

Elevate

iNaturalist

ShareTheMeal

Treeapp

Nemo Net

Headspace

Earth Hero

As stated previously, the focus is now on what we are doing with devices and in particular, that mindful aspect, not necessarily how long for. Some great use of time on devices are these apps:

- Website: Google Interland (g.co/Interland): Google Interland allows a child to play an online game that targets and teaches the four main areas of Internet safety

Zooinverse: get involved with some amazing real, scientific projects as citizen scientists –no qualifications needed!
Headspace: self-guided meditation and mindfulness exercises crucial for exercising those human only traits like empathy
Earth Hero: tips and projects you can do to contribute to helping slow climate change and help the environment
Nemo Net: Teach AI how to identify coral reef by 3D painting different types of reef different colours based on the guide you are provided
Be My Eyes: allows you to sign-up as either a hard-of-sight person or sighted volunteer. The app helps hard-of-sight people contact sighted people through a video call allowing for help to be administered to them.
Elevate: Brain training app packed with fun exercise to help improve coordination, problem solving, language and much more.
Ecosia: a free search engine that sends the revenue made from advertising to tree replanting and other conservation projects –4 searches = 1 tree!
iNaturalist: allows the user to become involved with the natural world by taking photos and sharing them with the app which is used by real scientists to gauge biodiversity around the planet.
ShareTheMeal: allows the user to donate as and when they choose to areas of the world in need of food. The difference here is it allows you to see the progress of such projects, so you know your money is being put to good use.
Treeapp: plant trees for free simply by viewing a sponsors advert for that day

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