Carl Hooker
Digital Wellness TalksA variety of talks geared towards a variety of audiences
With so much technology and screens entering our lives and schools, it’s important to reflect and analyze how and why we use technology. Carl’s Digital Wellness talks take a “Yes, and” approach when it comes to balancing our digitally lives.
My background in digital wellness:
Part of my district leadership role included regular talks with the community and with students around the issues that come with technology. Social media, gaming, screen-time, sexting, and cyberbullying are just a few of the issues that parents in the 21st century have to deal with. As a parent of three daughters being raised in the digital age, we try to model best practices (even if we don’t always succeed). It’s through failures that we learn and teach our own kids so they won’t make the same mistakes of others as the internet never forgets. Now more than ever, we need to learn and teach self-care for our digital lives as well as how to treat others online.
My Beliefs Around Digital Wellness:
There's not an "either/or" solution
Some groups advocate for a “technology abstinence” type of intervention when it comes to digital wellness. While we do need to learn when to unplug, having no technology means our kids never learn how to do that.
Modeling in key
As parents and teachers, we need to model good online behavior and show our kids and students when to unplug. Part of that means we too have to learn how to do that appropriately.
Parenting is still parenting
Just like you wouldn’t let your child eat a dozen cupcakes, you shouldn’t let them have 5-hour binge sessions on YouTube. Teaching balance and setting limits can be hard, but so is parenting.
My Approach
Presenting ideas on parenting, digital wellness, social media, and screen-time can be touchy subjects that are usually coupled with frustration. Parents and teachers know that technology will be a part of the future for their kids, but we are all learning these new tools together.
When presenting around digital wellness, I spend equal amounts of time listening as speaking. I also believe in the age-old saying that “it takes a village to raise a child.” It’s for those reasons that I include various activities that encourage interaction between audience members.
It’s through those crucial conversations and shared strategies that we can truly teach our kids (and each other) how to be digitally well.
Featured Publications On Digital Wellness
Articles
- It’s Time to Make Learning Fun Again…Even for Adults Edutopia
- 10 Demands for Summer Professional Learning Tech & Learning
- iPadpalooza Highlight Video – YouTube
- ISTE Ed Tech Poetry Slam Video – YouTube
Mobile Learning Mindset Book Series
- For Parents – A wide variety of scenarios and strategies for parents raising kids in the digital age.
- For Teachers – Tools for teachers to thoughtfully use technology in the classroom
- For District Leaders – Strategies for including community in the learning around technology and digital wellness.