Digital devices like search engines and Edtech tools have been crucial for educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, making their lives more effective. Without these inventions, there would have been challenges and job insecurity. Both parents and children sought alternative education methods, leading to the widespread adoption and promotion of online learning and technologybased education. However, this shift also revealed significant mental and physical health issues among children.

As an educator, I encounter questions every day like ‘Are online classes needed? Does it help? How do I help my child from getting addicted to the digital device?’ and give some thoughts to validate it as well. Yet these are valid issues which are faced not only at home but also at school! The social skills of many kids are lost and they struggle to connect in the real world due to excessive use of technology. So let’s talk about the pros and cons of digital devices and how we handle the cons most effectively.

After the pandemic, there was a struggle to strike a balance between online and offline modes of learning, with a transition towards a hybrid format. The challenge lay in retaining parental support for this mode of learning, as many parents expressed dissatisfaction with the online mode while the institution was advocating for a hybrid approach. The other reason behind it was the growing addiction to the internet among school students and it was visible to them. I believe, a rigorous reaction of parents of simply snatching devices away rather than monitoring the hours and content watched must be encouraged; since parental involvement and guidance are positively needed by the child. There had to be a proper weaning of the child at home and schools as well. Additionally, parents should receive guidance on helping their children avoid technology addiction while maintaining a healthy balance between the virtual and real worlds. Post-COVID, there has been a concerning trend of individuals becoming overly immersed in the virtual realm, inadvertently surrendering control to it without awareness of the necessary skills for balance and self-control.

This is the battle that we think we should fight and not give up between the virtual world and us as a system, with the parents and kids being on our side. We saw the mental healthrelated issues in children, making us appoint more counsellors and train the existing ones. We also got all our teachers trained to connect even better with the children than giving them so much space to get heard in the school, in the real world that the child felt less the temptation to go for any solace or listening partners in the virtual world.

It is believed that urging children to stay away from online-related ealth issues may only pique their curiosity and drive them to explore further. Instead, the emphasis should be on teaching children how to effectively manage and coexist with these digital aspects, ensuring they do not succumb to exhaustion or detachment from the real world, thereby avoiding the potential risks associated with excessive virtual engagement.

We have a syllabus called Chetna, which includes discussing and giving tips on digital de-addiction, talking to the children about mindfulness, doing meditation sessions and teaching children to concentrate. We also have peer educators who connect with students because there is a lingo and issues of the children that only children understand. So these trained peer educators help the children who need assistance. There are rules set for teachers as well i.e. how much of a synchronous task must be given and we give guidelines to parents as to the amount that the child must spend time on a device and that too only watching content that pushes children to research and think on their own.

Views expressed by: Amrita Burman, Deputy Director, Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions