Tech Bytes: Evaluating your family's tech plan

By Kari Luecke, MS Educational Technologist

"So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact. And remember that life’s a great balancing act."
- Dr. Seuss

As the influx of our reliance on technology for work and school continues to embed itself in our social lifelines, revisiting our tech dependence and its tradeoffs can greatly impact the quality of our family lives.

Consider a weekly evaluation of your family’s technology plan. Perhaps you redefine digital workspaces one week, or sit down together to play an e-game (to gather the latest “intel”) as a family the next.

Take ownership of the technology happening under your roof. Let’s face it, we’ll never know it all, but our presence, interest in, and willingness to modify as often as necessary alludes a united front, which prioritizes family trust, overall health, and digital wellness.

When assessing your family tech or reaching for your device, consider:

• What’s the non-tech way of doing this? Think non-app — could I easily have this conversation in person?
• How does this app make me feel? Consider physical sensations like heart rate, breathing, sweaty palms, etc.
• How can I use what I’m consuming as an inspiration to create something of my own as opposed to endlessly scrolling for an occasional emotional award?
• Is my time management plan or strategy working for me and my family?
• How is this app or service trying to keep me as a user?

Check out other ways to take control from the Center for Humane Technology.

Mini Bytes:

• Why handwriting still matters and why it's important for learning
• A historical to-do list and list makers

Please visit our Middle School Technology Page for more technology topics as well as our newly referenced Remote Learning Resources page from the MS OIL. As always, feel free to reach out to MS Educational Technologist Kari Luecke with additional questions.