The Alberta Teachers’ Association

The Disconnect Challenge is a two-week activity in which Alberta students will assess how technology affects their sense of connection with themselves and others.

Disconnect Challenge raises awareness of technology usage

How does your media use affect your real-life connections?

That’s the question more than 10,000 people across Alberta will be pondering later in February as they take part in the Disconnect Challenge.

A partnership between the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the eQuality Project, which is hosted by the University of Ottawa, the Disconnect Challenge is a public art project that is geared towards teachers and students, but open to anybody in Alberta.

“We’ve had tremendous uptake,” said Philip McRae, associate co-ordinator of research for the ATA, noting three entire school districts and nine schools are included in the 10,000-plus estimated total participants.

Vanessa Amyotte, who will be leading her Grade 10 religion class through the challenge, is a high school teacher at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic High in Spruce Grove. She was inspired to join after spending some time thinking about her own use of technology and checking out the app tracker on her iPhone.

Last semester, she worked through an activity with her religion class that had students looking at how much time they’re spending on devices, and whether this time matches what they value in their lives.

“It was a conversation they were excited to have,” she said. “They started to talk about how they’re Snapchatting with people they don’t even know.”

The challenge, which begins on Feb. 20, takes place over two weeks. During the first week, participants will document their media usage without judgment. In the second week, they limit their use — no screens unless they’re checking in with a parent or guardian or doing homework, and no music with headphones.

Although McRae says that the Disconnect Challenge itself isn’t part of a study,  18 self-selected participants will be part of a formal research study conducted by the University of Ottawa.

“I wanted to find a way to take the work we’re doing around technology and health and learning, and try to manifest some action,” he said.

After bringing the topic to last semester’s class, Amyotte is optimistic about the challenge.

“I think it will get them to think about it a little more seriously,” she said. “I think it’s a conversation we should be having in general as a society.” ❚

More information on the Disconnect Challenge is available at https://disconnectchallenge.ca/. Participants can sign up online and download a lesson plan.