News & Views

Have you ever wondered how much of your life is spent online? You might be surprised by the numbers.

 ‘The combined time that the world spends using social media now adds up to more than 1 million years every day.’ 

• On average, a person spends 4 hours and 10 minutes on mobile devices daily (DataReportal, 2021) 
• 72% of teens check phone messages and notifications the moment they wake up (Pew Research Center) 
• The 18 to 29 age bracket has the largest share of smartphone owners at 96% (Pew Research Center) 
• 56% of teens feel lonely, anxious, or upset when they do not have their phones with them. (Pew Research Center)   

The digital realm has so intricately entwined with our daily lives, that it is often hard to discern the line between reality and the digital world. But as Albert Bandura’s research on triadic reciprocal determinism indicates, the environment influences how a person thinks and feels, which in turn influences their behaviour, which impacts the environment, and so on. With the digital world as our new environment, we need strategies to navigate and flourish within it. 

Enter CHIREC’s approach to Digital Wellness. We are not just talking about limiting screen time. Our goal is holistic – to equip our students, their families, and the school community to understand and navigate the digital world responsibly. 

 Our Family Digital Wellness Guides reinforce the importance of parents’ and caregivers’ support and the cultivation of positive relationships through adolescence. A look at some of the themes we explore are: 

• Understanding the persuasive design of technology. Children’s screentime is increasing and it is getting our parents and educators worried.  We reviewed our existing Digital Wellness programmes and found that we needed a dedicated programme to build awareness of the addictive design of technology and guide children appropriately. Every month, we share pocket-friendly e-newsletters with bite-sized science and research and relevant strategies to be practised at home. 
• Supporting each other in building positive habits and making responsible choices. School counsellors recognise the impact of uncontrolled digital habits on students’ behaviour, mental health, and self-esteem. Our team of behavioural counsellors help triangulate the conversations between schools, students, and families with frequent outreach programmes with parents. 

But our efforts do not stop there. We are transforming our school-wide practices:

• Prioritising student sleep and wellbeing. Routine observation of students’ sleep patterns indicates that many adolescents are sleep-deprived and struggle to stay focused in the classroom. We now include a lesson on the ‘science of sleep’ that demonstrates the impact of sleep deprivation on our memory, attention, and emotional regulation. At home, students are encouraged to monitor their sleep routines with the help of habit trackers to ensure consistency and fidelity to the practices. 
• Creating a culture that is inclusive, supportive, and proactive, ensuring our children have the skills to thrive in the digital age. We are working towards developing a common language that normalizes students’ experiences without generalisations. Colleagues model curiosity and authentic interest; asking instead of assuming and listening with empathy.  
• Encouraging open discussions about digital use, moving beyond mere warnings about online threats. We believe in viewing technology not as a villain but a tool. Our approach is to look for positive perceptions related to computer-mediated communication, understand its nuances and guide students towards leveraging its advantages. 
• Introducing tools like the Digital Flourishing Scale and integrating SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) skills seamlessly with our regular curriculum. The Digital Flourishing scale is positive and humane in its approach and drives conversations towards a more intentional use of technology, choices and consequences, and prosocial behaviors. 

Digital Agency – of the students, by the students, for the students:

• Our students are not passive recipients of knowledge; they are active participants in shaping their digital futures. Through youth advisory panel discussions, resources from the Center for Humane Technology, and promoting a deeper understanding of multitasking’s costs, we empower our students to reclaim their digital well-being. 

The Digital Wellness programme at CHIREC, grounded in research from developmental neuroscience and SEL practices, aims to foster critical skills such as self-awareness, critical inquiry, self-regulation, and impulse control. At CHIREC, we envision a digital-savvy student body equipped with tools to ensure their wellbeing and make ethical decisions. Our Digital Wellbeing Programme’s goal? Fostering agency, inviting proactive action, and facilitating behavioural change. 

How are you ensuring your digital wellbeing?  

Sumita Gowdety, Head of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) at CHIREC International School, India