There’s a popular Dave Matthews Band song called “Digging a Ditch” about tuning out technology for the time being.
Some students at Eastport-South Manor Central School District took the song lyrics “unplug the TV and turn off your phone” to heart, ditching their electronic devices in recognition of Unplugged Week.
Sponsored by the districtwide Mental Health Committee, the week included daily classroom activities that promoted student awareness of the appropriate use of digital technology and the importance of disconnecting during free time.
The week’s activities also encouraged personal connection over digital engagement.
Students can “have fun without devices and that, a lot of times, they are missing out on fun activities because of the constant use of devices,” said Jr.-Sr. High School Assistant Principal Kristyn Pellegrini.
The time spent turning off mobile devices, laptops, and tablets gave students the opportunity to conduct a deep dive on the exact amount of screen time they’re engaging in every week.
Most importantly, they studied the impact technology has on the brain. During social studies classes, students engaged in a lively discussion about the history of the telephone and the benefits of technology. In English classes, they studied the digital lives of teens and code-switching.
Without a doubt, the most challenging but thought provoking exercise was the “Away for the Day” challenge. This test of technological will saw whether or not students would completely turn off all mobile devices for the entire day, something everyone pretty much had to do before 1999.