Global expert in digital well-being, Dr Anastasia Dedyukhina, reflects on the use and impact technology has on students. At the IB Virtual Conference, Anastasia will share her insights on how we can improve student’s lives by reducing the time spent in front of their screens.
Tell us about Consciously Digital and how you are reimagining what our relationships with digital technology look like.
I founded Consciously Digital in 2015, which from a first-person shop has become a network of around 70 coaches who work with people and organizations on their digital habits. Essentially, we delve into the interaction humans have with technology and the impact that occurs from this interaction.
We have all noticed that after long periods of time in front of a screen, we start to feel tired. Our aim is to reduce tiredness and stress caused by the overuse of technology through our four-pillar methodology: Time, space, relationship and self-management.
Overuse of technology can have a grave impact on our mental and physical health. At Consciously Digital, we teach the skills individuals need to look after themselves to maximize the positive impacts of technology and minimize the negative impacts.
How has the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic affected well-being, and what strategies can educators use to keep learning going during this unprecedented time?
One of the most important impacts the pandemic has had on humanity is that it redefined the way we work, live and learn.
Digital distractions have always been an issue, but now they’re more apparent than ever, due to spending more time in front of the screens than before and doing most of the things digitally.
People are struggling to set and recreate the boundaries they once had. It is critical, independent of your occupation—whether you’re a teacher, a student or an employee—to set them up to avoid digital burnout Knowing when and how to use technology can have a positive impact on our mental health and well-being and at the same time, it can facilitate teaching and learning.
Why are you excited to present at the IB Virtual Conference?
I look forward to meeting all of you at the IB Virtual Conference and reimagine the future together. I am thrilled to present my work and ideas regarding the place and time for technology in the educational process and digital age. My focus will be on how we can teach students to view and use technology with a more humanistic approach to leverage the power of technology for our benefit.
Nowadays, technology has become an integral part of students’ lives. Students spend a significant amount of time in front of their screens, but are they really learning or just getting distracted?
One of the key points I will be discussing during the IB Virtual Conference is how we can tackle this issue. Certainly, technology is a useful and powerful tool, humanity has at its disposal, but it cannot replace human interaction. Hence, we should start asking the right questions and start discussions around the terms of usage and determine the necessary digital skills we want to teach our students. Not only will this allow students to succeed but it will also allow them to face the challenges of the 21stcentury. Skills such as resilience or critical thinking are crucial for students to thrive in the modern world. Therefore, this discussion is crucial, and we should have it now in order to shape a better future for the next generation through education.
Dr Anastasia Dedyukhina is a TEDx speaker, author of best-selling book Homo Distractus and global expert in digital well-being. She is a founder of the London-based tech-life balance consultancy ‘Consciously Digital’ and director of the first International Coach Federation (ICF)-certified digital well-being coach training programme. Anastasia is a frequent speaker at global conferences, such as Mobile World Congress.
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