Hello! Welcome to our discussion about digital life dilemmas. My name is Talia, and I’m from Common Sense Education. I’m here with my colleague, Sue, to explore this interesting topic.
Digital dilemmas are tricky situations that happen in our digital lives, like when we’re online or using technology. These situations often don’t have clear answers, which makes them important to talk about. By discussing them, we can learn to think critically and make better decisions.
Talking about digital dilemmas helps us understand the complex situations we might face online. In a classroom or group setting, we can work together to find thoughtful solutions. This process benefits from the guidance of teachers and the ideas of our classmates.
To help us tackle these dilemmas, we use thinking routines. These routines give us a step-by-step process to understand the problem and think about it from different angles. Let’s look at an example.
Imagine this scenario: Daryl recorded an embarrassing video of Jared and posted it online. Jared was upset and asked Daryl to remove it, but Daryl thought it was funny and didn’t take it down. By the next day, everyone at school had seen the video, and Jared felt too embarrassed to attend the basketball game.
This situation is common, and we can use the feelings and options routine to address it. Here’s how:
This routine can be used in different settings, like during advisory periods or morning reflections. It’s a great way to build relationships and learn social and emotional skills.
If you’re interested in exploring more digital dilemmas, visit commonsense.org/education. You’ll find a section dedicated to digital life dilemmas with information on thinking routines and how to use them.
There are dilemmas about civic issues too, like protests where people express hate. Students can think about whether it’s right to call out the protesters online and reflect on their own views.
Thank you for joining us today! What digital dilemma would you like to explore first? Check them out and start the conversation!
Imagine you’re Daryl or Jared from the story. Act out the scenario with a classmate and explore different ways the situation could be resolved. Discuss how each character feels and what actions they might take to solve the dilemma.
Split into two groups and debate the actions of Daryl and Jared. One group can argue why Daryl should take down the video, while the other can discuss why he might not want to. This will help you understand different perspectives and the importance of empathy.
Create a chart with columns for “Feelings” and “Options.” List how each person in the scenario might feel and brainstorm possible solutions. This visual aid will help you organize your thoughts and consider various outcomes.
Gather in a circle and discuss the digital dilemma presented. Share your thoughts on what you would do if you were in Jared’s or Daryl’s position. Listen to your classmates’ ideas and consider how different solutions might affect everyone involved.
Draw a comic strip that illustrates the digital dilemma and possible solutions. Use speech bubbles to show what the characters might say to each other. This creative activity will help you visualize the problem and think of ways to resolve it.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hello, thank you for joining us! My name is Talia, and I’m from Common Sense Education. I’m delighted to be joined by my colleague, Sue.
Hi, I’m Sue, and I’m here from Los Angeles, California, to talk about digital life dilemmas.
In the next 12 minutes, we will discuss what digital dilemmas are, how they foster critical thinking and student engagement, and how you can use them in your classroom. At the end, we’ll show you where to find all the resources on our site.
To start, what is a digital dilemma? These are tricky situations that arise in digital life, often without clear answers. They are important to discuss with students because they reflect the complex situations they face. In a classroom or small group setting, we can come up with thoughtful and realistic steps, benefiting from adult and peer mentorship.
If you’re like me, you might think that while dilemmas are great, they can be tricky to moderate. That’s where our thinking routines come in. These routines provide a structured process to help students build critical skills and habits of mind. Sue, can you walk us through some examples?
Sure! When faced with dilemmas in the classroom, we present a scenario and guide students through a step-by-step process to deconstruct the dilemma and examine it from different perspectives. For instance, as an adult, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks and notifications I receive. It might be time for a digital habits checkup. We also have a feelings and options routine that supports social and emotional skills, and a “take a stand” routine for moral dilemmas.
Let’s dive into one of the thinking routines. We’ll focus on the feelings and options routine, which is centered around social and emotional settings.
Here’s an example scenario: Daryl recorded an embarrassing video of Jared and posted it online. Jared was mortified and asked Daryl to take it down, but Daryl thought it was funny and ignored the request. By the next day, everyone at school had seen the video, and Jared, feeling embarrassed, went straight home instead of attending the basketball game.
This situation is something many educators and parents have witnessed. We can discuss the steps involved in addressing this scenario. Remember, you can always change the names and details to make it more relatable for your students.
The first part of the feelings and options routine is identifying the people involved and the challenges they face. In this case, we have Daryl and Jared. The goal is to invite students to slow down and reflect on what actually happened.
The second part involves taking other people’s perspectives. What is each person feeling? Why is the situation challenging for them? For example, Jared is embarrassed, but Daryl might feel guilty or conflicted about the positive reactions he received.
The third part is brainstorming different options. Here, we encourage students to come up with as many ideas as possible that lead to positive outcomes for everyone involved. This can be done in small groups or using virtual tools like Jamboard or Padlet.
Finally, once students decide on an option, we discuss how it will be communicated—whether in person, via text, or through the platform itself. Role-playing can also be an effective way to practice these scenarios.
When I facilitated this recently, the entire process took about 10 minutes, but it sparked many new questions and discussions. Students brought up various “what if” scenarios, which deepened the conversation.
This routine can be used in various classroom settings, including advisory periods or as a morning reflection. It’s a great way to build relationships and encourage social and emotional learning.
Now, let me show you where you can access all these resources. If you visit commonsense.org/education, you can find the digital life dilemmas section. There, you’ll find information about the thinking routines and how to use them.
For example, we have dilemmas that focus on civic issues, like a protest where individuals express hate for another group. Students are invited to consider whether they agree with calling out the protesters’ identities online and to reflect on their perspectives.
There are many ways to facilitate these discussions, whether in person or online. Use your creativity to find what works best for your students.
Thank you for joining us today! What dilemma do you want to start with? Go check them out!
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This version removes any informal language, filler words, and personal anecdotes while maintaining the core content and structure of the original transcript.
Digital – Related to technology and electronic devices that use computer systems – Many students use digital tools like tablets and computers for their social studies projects.
Dilemmas – Situations where a difficult choice has to be made between two or more options – The class faced dilemmas when deciding whether to support the new school policy or not.
Critical – Involving careful judgment or evaluation – Critical thinking helps us analyze historical events and understand their impact on society.
Thinking – The process of using one’s mind to consider or reason about something – Thinking about different cultures helps us appreciate the diversity in our world.
Decisions – Choices made after considering different options – The council made important decisions about how to improve the community park.
Perspectives – Different ways of viewing or understanding something – Learning about various perspectives on history helps us see the full picture.
Options – Different choices or alternatives available – When planning a field trip, the teacher presented several options for destinations.
Feelings – Emotions or reactions to situations – Discussing our feelings about historical events can help us connect with the past.
Solutions – Ways to solve problems or deal with difficult situations – The students brainstormed solutions to reduce waste in their school.
Resources – Materials or assets that can be used to achieve a goal – The library provides many resources for students to learn about different cultures.
