Those of you who attended the Meet the Teacher night some weeks ago will remember this topic, but today we brought it to life in class.

Mr Kirkwood came into 5R to prompt an exploration of the Digital Dilemmas website this afternoon. Reflecting on his experiences as a parent, an educator and a digital user he walked the class through a discussion on the topic of disconnecting. Drawing on resources from the site, particularly the amazing photography of Eric Pickersgill, we discussed the way being on our devices can often make us feel “alone, together”.

The following text is from Mr Kirkwood, explaining your “family homework”, and introducing the Digital Dilemmas project.

While the digital world is a wonderful source of information, navigating the social and emotional implications of this online world can be challenging. We believe the best way to address the questions and concerns we all have about the digital world is by working together.

So, we are launching a new initiative with our Grade 5 students and their families. This initiative will involve conversations about the digital world in classrooms, in the library, and most importantly, at home.

Here’s how it works:

• We’ve developed a website to guide these important conversations. This website is the hub of this initiative (click here to access) and presents a number of “Digital Dilemmas” which many of us have faced.
• Beginning next week, we are asking each family to “work through” at least three dilemmas found on the website.
• After each section you’ve explored, there are a few questions for you to answer.

Our goal is to open this discussion, generate ideas, and share strategies. Your input will enable us to do this. Please plan to complete the work before the October Break.

Together, as a community, we can find ways to successfully manage our online world.

Let us know if you have any questions