Persuasive Design Lesson

11. Takes action to safeguard and promote her/his wellbeing and that of others

15. Recognises the potential uses of mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding in all areas of learning

16. Describes, illustrates, interprets, predicts and explains patterns and relationships

24. Uses technology and digital media tools to learn, communicate, work and think collaboratively and creatively in a responsible and ethical matter

Digital Media Literacy Short Course

Strand 1: My digital life

1.1 describe how they use digital technologies, communication tools and the internet in their lives

1.2 illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of using digital technologies, communication tools and the internet

Strand 2: Following my interests online

2.7 represent information about a topic that is relevant to their lives in graphic format

Staying well: 

Being responsible, safe and ethical in using digital technology

Managing myself: 

Making considered decisions

Setting and achieving personal goals

Using digital technology to manage and myself and my learning 

Communicating:

Using numbers 

Working with others:

Working with others through digital technology

Learning with others

Being Creative:

Implementing ideas and taking action

Stimulating creativity using digital technology

Being Numerate:

Expressing ideas mathematically

Estimating, predicting and calculating

Seeing patterns, trends and relationships

Gathering interpreting and representing data

Managing information and thinking:

Gathering, recording, organising and evaluating information and data

Schools with access to digital devices (e.g. tablets, laptops, phone) can capture students’ responses to using a variety of web-based tools, e.g. school’s learning platform, Mentimeter, Forms, etc.

Explain that this activity will look at how we spend our time on our digital devices and the reasons why many of us will feel that we may spend too much time on our smartphones and other devices. Explain that we will be examining our own behaviour, exploring our attitudes to digital wellbeing, and developing an understanding of how a technique called persuasive design entices us to use our devices more than may be necessary/to an extent that may be harmful to our wellbeing. 

Ask students to estimate how much time they spend on their devices each day and which apps/websites they spend the most time on. (record this information)

Ask students to review their screen time using the digital wellbeing/screen time tool on their device and record the following information (teachers could also take part in this process):

    – Screen time for today and the last 7 days

    – Unlock frequency

    – Top 5 most used apps (record this information on the “My digital Balance Check-in” activity sheet)

Use a student response system (i.e. Mentimeter, Forms, etc.) to gather the results and to discuss how students feel about their calculations.

Using the last 7 days’ data as an average, ask students to calculate how long they would spend on those apps for one month, six months and one year. 

Questions to consider are:

   – Were you surprised by the amount of screen time or unlock frequency?

   – Do you feel your time is well spent on your 5 most used apps?

   – Which apps/games make you feel good after you use them? Which apps/games make you feel bad after you use them?

Students can do a similar review of their gaming devices.

Show students the video explaining the concept of persuasive design at the following link:  https://vimeo.com/503021412 

While watching the video, ask students to consider what design features they recognise that  draw them to use their favourite apps.

Challenge: As a class or in smaller groups get the students to commit to a 1 week challenge. 

Depending on their device students can:

• Limit screen time
• Set up app usage limits 
• Schedule away time from device

Perhaps students could limit time spent on their “top 5 apps”.

Brainstorm ideas of how they could better spend the time that they have now freed up from reduced use of apps.

Once students have completed the 1 week challenge they can complete the 2nd “My Digital Balance” activity sheet for comparison.