Balancing Resilience and Digital Distractions: Youth Staying Focused in the Digital Landscape

Introduction

The digital age has presented both advantages and issues in learning, communication, and overall well-being. Digital technology can provide entertainment, information, and connection but can also increase stress levels, confusion, and weaken resilience. While digital tools and spaces offer many benefits, such as increased access to information and opportunities for social connection, they can also be intrusive and negatively impact personal relationships. Additionally, the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide and the challenges faced by low-income students and those with special needs. It is important to examine how digital technologies are playing a role in our lives, particularly in the lives of children and adolescents, and to consider their impact on well-being and academic progress. How can youth build the skills needed to stay focused and avoid digital distractions? What support do educators and parents offer in this endeavor?

Over the last two decades, the Internet has wielded a profound and transformative influence on various facets of human existence, with perhaps no domain more profoundly affected than learning and social behaviors (Garcia et al., 2021; UNESCO, 2022). Research on the impact of Internet-enabled devices in schools remains ongoing (Arnott et al., 2018). However, various educational practices and approaches such as web-based inquiry, multimodal creation, and online communication of ideas have been shown to foster digital literacy (Spires et al., 2019. Over the past two decades, research has consistently highlighted the complexity of reading and writing in digital environments. However, discussions surrounding screen time often overlook the crucial aspects of cognitive and social development. Instead, many articles tend to emphasize concerns about potential harm to developing brains caused by screen usage. For example, in a Psychology Today article, Dunckley (2014) opens with the claim, “Addiction aside, a much broader concern that begs awareness is the risk that screen time is creating subtle damage even in children with ‘regular’ exposure, considering that the average child clocks in more than seven hours a day” (Rideout et al., 2010, para. 2). Although all the data she presents are from studies of youth who are Internet and video-game addicted, she encourages parents to “arm yourself with the truth about the potential damage screentime is capable of imparting—particularly in a young, still-developing brain” (para. 3).

While we acknowledge the medical relevance and validity of the available data, we do not perceive Internet addiction as an inevitable outcome. Furthermore, we believe that the current discourse surrounding this issue fails to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interactions between developing brains and digital devices. Some research suggests that “screentime” is problematic, perhaps even addicting, and arguments that children’s use of screens should be limited abound. (Street et al., 2021) There are legitimate concerns about children’s physical, intellectual, and emotional well-being; yet conversations about screentime focus predominantly on the time spent on devices, often overlooking fundamentally important questions about what youth are learning by using technology. We also believe that media mentorship plays a crucial role in empowering youth to be active, critical, and responsible participants in today's media-rich society (RobbGrieco & Hobbs, 2013). It can equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the media landscape effectively, make informed choices, and become creators of media rather than passive consumers (Passey et al., 2018; Cortesi et al., 2020).