Forget it ! How am I supposed to know everything ? If we don ’ t die of corona , we ’ ll die [ of ] distance learning .” 6 Her video is resonating with people around the world . It has been translated into more than twenty languages . 7
Despite many years of promises that online learning would enhance education as never before and growing concerns about spreading the COVID-19 virus , there is now a global push to get students back into the physical classroom as soon as possible .
I am not against online learning . In fact , I believe that Renewanation ’ s online Christian education platform , iLumenEd Academy , is a prophetic Godsend at this moment in time . What I am advocating is that we learn from and fix the issues discussed in this article . iLumenEd Academy has the potential to be an antidote to another crucial issue facing the church , which is the extremely dangerous curricula being pushed by far-left radical progressives . If there was ever a time to get kids out of the public education system , it is right now .
ADDICTION TO DIGITAL DRUGS Following is a list of the general symptoms of digital addiction . There are more , but in my experience , these are the most common :
• anger
• aggression
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• attention deficits
• emotional numbness
Frequently after giving a talk , a parent has come up to me and said something like , “ You just described my child to a tee .” I convey to my audiences that most of us experience at least some of these symptoms simply because of our daily stresses . What I ’ m talking about is an exacerbation of these symptoms brought on by addiction .
The link between excessive smartphone use and depression and suicide hasn ’ t gone unnoticed by people connected to the tech industry . You might remember when Apple investors urged the tech giant to curb smartphone addiction . 8 An Associated Press article explained why they were concerned : “ The investors ’ letter cited various studies on the negative effects of smartphones and social media on children ’ s mental and physical health . Examples include distractions by digital technologies in the classroom , a decreased ability of students to focus on educational tasks , and higher risks of suicide and depression .” 9
In a 2018 release of iOS 12 , Apple introduced new features to reduce interruptions and manage screen time . 10 Have these and other tracking apps worked ? Perhaps for a small minority , but I see no evidence of wide-scale change . And the primary reason they ’ re barely making a dent ? Implementing accountability apps before eliminating the addiction is like putting a Band-Aid ® on a broken leg .
Addiction carries with it a far more powerful force than what accountability apps have to offer . This stronghold must be broken with something more powerful than the addiction , and that is God ’ s power . “... the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing ” ( Isa . 10:27b KJV ).
STRATEGIES TO BALANCE OVER-DEPENDENCE OF TECHNOLOGY
If you or someone in your home is addicted to technology , a digital detox must come first . With this type of addiction , slowly weaning off of the digital drugs rarely works . In other words , the brain has to “ reset ” before you can have a measure of self-control over those online activities that can so easily cause us to lose track of time and digital sobriety .
With many people now working from home and students homeschooling , I strongly advise you to keep a regular schedule . Your body , mind , and emotions will thank you for sleeping and getting up at the same time , as well as maintaining consistent daily work , meal , and study hours .
Make sure all bedrooms are free of technology . Do you remember what it felt like the last time you slept for eight hours ? Your children need at least nine hours of sleep for proper brain health and cognition .
Be finished with all screen time three hours before bed . That blue screen you ’ re staring at will inhibit the sleep hormone , melatonin , from being fully released . A consistent lack of proper sleep will wreak havoc on the emotions .
Do not allow your children to look at any screens , including television , before school . This goes for adults before work as well . If you ignore this advice , your attention span will be short and divided , possibly for several hours from the time you stopped looking at the screen . Principals and teachers often tell me that students come to school either extremely hyper from screens or very sleepy due to being online very late at night .
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