These days, nothing is more challenging than complete and uninterrupted focus. Even just five minutes of meditation gets the best of us when you have a to-do list the length of your arm, conversations that need replying to, and emails to check. Our society is drunk on information and content, and it can often feel close to impossible to disconnect.

Boredom – it's a growing problem that's competing with the college curriculum, and one that has given way to a breed of new technologies and educational engagement strategies that claim to evade the classroom of its presence. But a debate has emerged around whether technology is distracting students, is the college undergraduate curriculum too overwhelming given our modern advancements, or is student boredom a symptom of a larger issue facing higher education?

In the modern classroom, keeping students engaged comes with new challenges that past eras of teaching did not have to face. More specifically, digital distractions — incoming texts, alluring social media, and irrelevant web-browsing — are pulling attention away at a rate unparalleled by passing notes, whispering to your neighour, or simple daydreaming.

The Obama Foundation recently announced that digital citizenship is one of its top initiatives for education. But what does it mean and how can teachers teach students to be good digital citizens?

Technology in education is a hotly debated issue, with experts, parents, teachers, and students weighing in every day. But less frequently discussed is how technology’s design can impact students and influence their behavior.

Today's fast-paced innovation is putting pressure on the human brain in more ways now than in all of human history. Our attention spans are shortening, mankind's propensity to multi-task is at an all-time high, and technology designers know exactly how to keep us in an endless loop that's made focusing more difficult than ever.

A recent addiction study found that an “uncontrollable need” to use smartphones is on the rise among young people. Out of 3000 adults surveyed, one fifth of those aged 18–29 showed signs of “moderate to severe problematic use” of their devices, compared with only 2.2 percent of those over the age of 30.

Technology is changing the world of education, but could it be doing a better job? Pamela Pavliscak,  a sought-after expert and advisor on emotion and technology, shares her thoughts on our relationship with technology, where technology needs to be to enhance education, and how we can use technology more positively.

Students might be considered digital natives, but that doesn't mean they will immediately understand or know how to use a new app, software, or other technology that you're introducing to your class. There will always be a learning curve for students who are trying something new and unfamiliar. So first, ask yourself these questions: What's the purpose of introducing or using this technology? Is there an incentive that needs to be clearly defined? What are my expectations around the use of this technology? >>> Check out our free Syllabus Template <<<