Entry 8: The Hidden Costs of Screen Time in the Digital Classroom

Date: June 4, 2025
Quotation: "Online learning has the potential to extend the school day in ways that blur boundaries between work and rest" (Wang, 2016, p. 382).
Reference:
Wang, Y. (2016). Big opportunities and big concerns of big data in education. TechTrends, 60(4), 381–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0072-1

Why I Included This:
This entry expands on the emotional dimension of digital learning raised in Entries 5 and 6. While I’ve explored how to build connection and track engagement online, this reading made me stop and reflect on the emotional toll of extended screen time. For both educators and learners, constant digital access can lead to burnout, disconnection, and fatigue.

In my LINC class, I began to notice this creeping exhaustion in myself and in students. Lessons that extended past 90 minutes seemed to lose their spark. Students would log off abruptly or participate less in group activities. Inspired by Wang (2016), I began restructuring our weekly schedule to include “camera-off” reflection time and short, interactive sessions that encourage movement or off-screen tasks.

This entry ties back to Entry 2 where I introduced the flipped classroom. I now see the flipped model not only as a way to promote student autonomy, but also as a tool for well-being. Letting learners engage with material asynchronously gives them control over their screen exposure.

This reflection shows a deeper awareness: tech-enhanced education must care for the whole person, not just the intellect. I’m learning that effective pedagogy includes sustainable pacing and emotional care, not just engagement metrics.