With digital technology now embedded in everyday life, schools face the ongoing challenge of balancing its educational benefits with its potential distractions and risks. In this article, Chris Kennedy, Superintendent of the West Vancouver School District, presents Personal Digital Device Best Practice Guidelines to support K–12 classrooms, outlining key principles and approaches to guide purposeful technology use, support student well-being, and promote a positive, inclusive digital culture.

Technology is advancing rapidly. In just over 30 years, the world has witnessed the birth of the internet, the advent of social media, the proliferation of smartphones, the introduction of self-driving cars, and the mainstream adoption of generative artificial intelligence, often accompanied by bold promises of improving lives. In this article, Kathleen Lane, Executive Director of the EdCan Network, examines how emerging technologies affect educator well-being and professional efficacy.

A topic that has been at the forefront of education and public health discussions for several years is the measurable impact of smartphone use on the well-being of children and adolescents. Should smartphones be viewed as harmful devices to be avoided, or can they also offer meaningful benefits for youth well-being? In this article, Charles Bourgeois, Ph.D., Lecturer at Université de Sherbrooke and Vice-President of the Centre pour l’intelligence émotionnelle en ligne, examines the potential and limits of school-wide smartphone bans, highlighting research on mental health, attention, and equity, and considering inclusive, reflective approaches to fostering student well-being.