Using SEL to combat digital stressors

Today’s 24/7 access to technology has brought many benefits, from online collaboration to improved parent-teacher communication. But that 24/7 environment has also brought increased stress to students’ lives as issues they encounter at school, especially on social media, follow them home. In the edWebinar “How Digital Stressors Impact Student Learning,” Jamie Nunez, Bay Area regional manager at Common Sense Media, explained what digital stressors are and how social-emotional learning (SEL) can be used to combat them.

Typically, technology doesn’t start out as a stressor. Instead, said Nunez, students approach most tech devices with curiosity, and even excitement. They become digital stressors, though, because of how students navigate the digital space.

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First, 24/7 presence means students never have a break, or they may feel anxiety when they’re not online. Moreover, most children often use technology late at night, which means they’re often handling whatever they find on their own.