Here’s how SEL helps with 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.

Related content: 5 ways to help students manage stress and anxiety

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.

Related Content:

eSchool News Curriculum, SEL & Instructional Tools Guide

The eSchool News Curriculum, SEL & Instructional Tools Guide is here! It features strategies to help K-12 educators use innovative and engaging digital instructional tools in the classroom, and it also highlights how real teachers and school leaders are incorporating SEL in their schools. A new eSchool News Guide will launch each month–don’t miss a single one!