Appropriate, Engaging & Relevant: Helping student be less distracted when using technology

What struck me about reading Are Your Students Distracted by Screens? Here’s A Powerful Antidote (by Tom Daccord) was a feeling that we spend too much time blaming the internet and computers / devices for students not concentrating on their work. We've had this discussion before, but this short article brings it all together nicely, and the obvious is more obvious.

Essentially, our lessons should be appropriate, engaging, and relevant. They should be meaningful.

No doubt teachers can be frustrated with policing what students look at on their screens. The author is against blocking internet sites. I'm torn on this one, because I've experienced a school that blocks, and though students will find something to occupy their 'disengaged moments', fewer options may help. (I stress, may help) I'm against remotely monitoring screens. Daccord notes that some educators have cleverly suggested that pulling up games, apps, and social networking sites when bored is simply doodling of the 21st Century. This leads me to a belief I've had since I started teaching: students will find a way to deal with boredom. Some act out of line, some doodle or write poems, some pass notes, others skip classes, and some might sit and daydream. (I did all of the above)

A point the author makes is one I've made a million times: adults do it, too. How many of us have seen faculty (often ones who complain about student engagement) checking e-mail, prepping lessons, or on Facebook during faculty meetings? Perhaps some faulty meetings need to include more of an emphasis on teaching teachers to develop engaging lessons.

So what is a good lesson, Daccord asks us? One that is challenging and has high expectations. I'll add to this what I wrote above. Lessons also have to be appropriate, engaging, and relevant. Students have to be asked to solve problems, to troubleshoot, to create, reflect, and collaborate. (I could write many a verb here) Lessons (content?) must be as personal as possible. Moreover, which Daccord also notes, students should be told why they are studying or doing something. Doesn't it make sense to be able to explain why? I would think many students (and parents) want to how a teacher arrived at a grade, so it makes sense to me that we should be able to explain the purpose of lessons and assessments, and do it beyond 'it's mandated in the curriculum'.

So, as  a final comment, I'll give my view that we shouldn't be blaming technology. People will seek ways to handle boredom regardless of the level of technology available to their school, so we have to put purpose into what we're doing as educators.