How to Introduce your Class to Digital Sobriety?

Article

With digital tools becoming more common in the classroom as well as everywhere else, it is crucial to consider the inherent environmental effects of this technological shift. Due to manufacturing processes and our ever-growing use of digital devices, which requires energy-intensive data centres, the digital sector recently overtook aviation in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions (Agence Science-Presse, 2022). The good news is, there are ways we can reduce the environmental impact of our digital consumption. Digital sobriety (link in French) is an approach that involves limiting superfluous use of technology and simplifying digital services. Besides benefitting the planet, it also has positive effects on the mental and physical health of those who practise it! Here are three suggestions to help you incorporate digital sobriety into your teaching.

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Learning and Evaluation Situations (French Only)
Self-Learning
Best Practices Posters (French Only)

Learning and Evaluation Situations (French Only)

Guide pédagogique pour éduquer à la sobriété numérique
Cycles 1 and 2: Science and Technology, Quebec Citizenship and Culture (EducoNetImpact)
« Données »-moi de l’oxygène
Cycle 2: Science and Technology, Quebec Citizenship and Culture (Martin Ouellet and Julie April)
L’envers de mon cellulaire
Cycle 2, Secondary V: Physical Education, French, Contemporary World (PISTES)

Self-Learning

Want to learn more about digital issues? These self-guided courses are a great place to start:

Environmental Impacts of Digital Technologies (France Université Numérique)
This MOOC is designed to raise questions about the environmental impact of digital technology and to explore how we can measure, decipher, act, and find our place as citizens in a digital world.
Se former sur le numérique durable (Agence de la transition écologique) (French only)
Discover six self-guided training modules on digital sustainability for teachers and educators.

Best Practices Posters (French Only)

To help instill the principles of digital literacy in your students, consider adding these posters to your classroom. They will provide a daily reminder of digital sobriety best practices:

10 gestes de sobriété numérique pour tous (Agence de la transition écologique)
En route pour une sobriété numérique responsable! (Fédération des Ogec)

By highlighting the impact of digital consumption on the environment, raising awareness of digital sobriety in schools is a valuable opportunity to promote the values of environmental responsibility and therefore the adoption of greener, more sustainable practices. This resonates with the principles of environmental education, which will be discussed in greater detail in our upcoming February blog post.

Author

Marie-Ève Lachance-Foisy - Since April 2022, Marie-Ève has been actively involved in Lab22’s core mission of promoting environmental responsibility and citizenship in Quebec high schools as an ecological transition advisor. Her career path, which began with completing a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, has opened her eyes to how deeply environmental and social issues are interconnected and the importance of our responsibility to take action. As an advisor to members of the educational community, Marie-Ève is able to combine her two main interests, nature and human relationships. She is passionate about helping people discover the profoundly rewarding experience of uniting behind a common cause.

Learning and Evaluation Situations (French Only)

Self-Learning

Best Practices Posters (French Only)

Author

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