Supporting Students’ Digital Well-Being in the Classroom
As digital tools continue to shape how students learn, supporting children’s digital well-being has become an essential part of modern education. The PERMA-Digital project aims to help teachers create learning environments where students feel emotionally supported, engaged, connected, and confident when using technology.
Digital well-being in schools is not just about managing screen time- it is about helping students understand how digital tools affect their emotions, focus, relationships, and learning. When teachers introduce small, intentional practices into everyday lessons, students begin to build healthier, more mindful habits that follow them beyond the classroom.
This autumn, we have been developing a set of age-appropriate classroom strategies based on the PERMA model- Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. These strategies are designed to be simple, flexible, and easy to integrate into any subject, so teachers can support digital well-being without needing new platforms or extensive training.
One example of a simple strategy is the “Emoji Check-In”, which helps students reflect on how digital tasks make them feel:
Emoji Check-In (1–2 minutes)
- Before and after a digital activity, students choose an emoji that reflects how they feel (😊 excited, 😐 neutral, 😣 frustrated).
- Younger students can point to a poster or use emoji cards; older students can select emojis in a digital form.
- Teachers briefly discuss what might help everyone feel more focused or calm during the next task.
This small routine encourages emotional awareness, normalises conversation about how digital tools affect us, and helps students practise self-regulation in a supportive environment. By incorporating simple practices like this, teachers can help students build the skills they need to navigate the digital world with confidence and balance. Over time, students learn that technology can support creativity, collaboration, and meaningful learning- when used intentionally.
The PERMA-Digital project will continue to develop resources and practical guides to help schools strengthen students’ digital well-being in everyday classroom life. We look forward to sharing more examples and tools in the coming months.
Learn more about our work at https://perma-digital.eu/resources/.