{"id":19483,"date":"2022-03-11T12:48:30","date_gmt":"2022-03-11T17:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/?p=19483"},"modified":"2024-06-20T12:08:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T16:08:00","slug":"moving-beyond-tech-fatigue-in-the-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nearpod.com\/blog\/moving-beyond-tech-fatigue-in-the-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving Beyond Tech Fatigue in the Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Teachers and students are particularly at risk these days when it comes to overcoming fatigue, especially tech fatigue. <\/strong>Otherwise known as screen fatigue, digital fatigue, or technostress, tech fatigue can come about simply by trying to keep up with the ever-changing edtech world. And it\u2019s a real problem when it becomes an obstacle to meeting, nevermind embracing, short-term and long-term goals. 
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Several recent surveys have highlighted how teacher burnout and teacher attrition is at an all-time high. With the myriad of new challenges that teachers have faced during this pandemic, they are not only juggling daily instruction, but learning on their own time new methodology and new tools to reach kids wherever they may be, figuratively and literally. As leaders, administrators need to share best practices for recognizing and overcoming tech fatigue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protecting your investment from tech fatigue<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now couple that ever-changing tech landscape with the challenges that your school communities have shouldered over the past two years with shifting instructional models: from remote learning, to hybrid learning, to in-person learning\u2026 and back. As an administrator, you are probably the most aware of what a significant investment<\/a> in time, effort, and money has been made by school communities when it comes to edtech. Embracing technology<\/a> is no longer a nice-to-have but an essential ask for all stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2021, the United States spent $27.6 billion on edtech, and Global Industry Analysts predicts that the global spend will reach $207.3 billion by 2026<\/a>. Administrators need to lead the conversation around effective technology use. The bottom line shouldn\u2019t be the cost of the technology, but what is being achieved<\/em><\/strong> with such spending. And these conclusions can only come about through meaningful dialog between schools, amongst staff, and with students and their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


As with most things in life, there is a happy medium to technology use. And according to Richard Kurzweil\u2019s theory, The Law of Accelerated Returns<\/a>, technology will continue to yield exponential changes. There are so many new learning opportunities when it comes to thoughtful technology implementation, so we don\u2019t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater just because of tech fatigue. Schools need to consider the context of how technology factors into individuals\u2019 personal and professional lives — what is the appropriate amount of usage both inside and outside of the school day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time for a personal reflection on screen time!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Encourage your staff to take time to make some personal reflections about their own technology use. On average, American adults spend more time on screens than they do asleep. Results from multiple studies range from almost 8 hours per day<\/a> to more than 19 hours per day<\/a>; any way you slice it — that is a lot of time staring at a screen (or even screens<\/strong>)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Screen time can be a necessary evil whether for classroom prep or a much-needed release with binge watching. It all comes down to balance, which is easier said than done. And research also does point out that technology isn\u2019t always the villain — it can be other factors related to what we see or do with the technology. According to a 2019 study by Loughborough University in Britain<\/a>, smartphone abstinence for 24 hours had no effect on one\u2019s anxiety or mood, and similarly, Oxford University researchers found such social media abstinence for one day didn\u2019t improve one\u2019s well-being with regards to self-esteem or satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways that administrators can model ways to set and work towards goals around personal and professional technology use. Consider sharing these self-care strategies for achieving such balance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n