While technology addicts teens to their devices, they are not helpless against the draw of it. Here are five ways educators can support their students’ digital well-being.

Explore design tricks companies use. The technology we use daily is designed to catch and hold our attention. Companies know what keeps our eyes on the screen. To help, teachers can unpack design tricks and explain how companies employ features like auto-play to get users to stay on their apps. 【小题1】

Talk about how technology can increase feelings of anxiety. The decline in youth mental health is linked to an increase in social media use. 【小题2】 We can help our students by allowing them to consider the benefits of technology and then to think about changing the habits that aren’t serving their well-being.

【小题3】 Social media can bring the feeling: “All my friends have better lives than me.” Plus, design features like “read receipts” can lead to teens knowing their messages have been seen and stressing about why friends haven’t yet replied. These are classic examples of thinking traps. Identifying them can help teens remove some negative thoughts.

Uncover the ways that AI can play a role in misinformation. AI is rapidly changing the world. Recommendation algorithms (算法), which determine what we do and do not see in our search results, can have very real results. 【小题4】 By understanding how these technologies work, students can start to enjoy more benefits of technology.

Encourage families to have meaningful conversations with their child. Take the time to share with families the topics and resources you’re teaching in class. 【小题5】 Knowing we’re all in the same boat is important.