Connected, Not Controlled: Information for Educators

Connect the Challenge to the curriculum in your classroom: 

For additional ideas to incorporate into the curriculum, please visit the Media Smarts webpage.  

Are you an Educator Looking to Promote the Challenge in Your Classroom?

The Connected, Not Controlled Challenge is a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video contest for students in grades 6 to 12 in Windsor-Essex County. This initiative encourages students to use their voices to raise awareness about the impacts of technology use on their health and daily lives.

Incorporating this challenge into your curriculum is an excellent way to engage students in meaningful discussions about technology's role and its effects on their well-being.

Checklist of Requirements

Ensure that student video submissions meet the following criteria:

• Title: Videos must have a unique title that is NOT “Connected, Not Controlled" or “PSA Video”
• Fact: Include at least one Connected, Not Controlled Fact
• Call to Action: Includes one Call to Action from the list provided.
• Length: The video should be 30 seconds or less.
• Copyright Material: Ensure that no copyrighted material is used in the video (music, pictures, video games, etc.).
• Group Size: Videos should feature 4 members or less and only show those members.
• Permission Forms: All members’ permission forms must be completed and submitted.
• Content Appropriateness: The video does not include anything inappropriate, disrespectful, dangerous, or illegal, such as drugs, bad language, or harmful items.
• Video Quality: Ensure the picture and audio are clear, voices can be heard over music, and viewers can read any text that appears in the video.
• Email Communication: Remind students to check the email they used when submitting their videos. We will contact students if edits are needed for their videos to qualify for the Challenge.

Additional Resources

For any questions or concerns: 

• Refer to the Connected, Not Controlled FAQs.
• Reach out to your school nurse
• Email  cnc@wechu.org
• Call the WECHU Comprehensive Health Promotion Helpline at 519-258-2146, ext. 1555.

Thank you for your support in guiding students to create impactful videos. We look forward to their video submissions!

Below, educators will find a collection of lessons and activities designed to help students understand the importance of balanced technology use and being a responsible digital citizen, including how to stay safe and kind online:

• Digital Literacy 101- [Media Smarts]
  Grades JK to 12
  The intent of these resources is to support teachers in implementing digital literacy into their teaching practice and to help them to develop digital literacy lessons and activities that suit their students' needs. This resource includes a classroom guide to digital literacy, videos about digital literacy, self-directed tutorials and presentations to better understand how to incorporate content into your lessons. Available in French.
• Finding Balance in Our Digital Lives [Media Smarts]
  Grades JK to 3
  In this lesson, students look at the different ways in to spend their free time and learn to find balance between activities. They begin by distinguishing between Active, Learning and Screen time, learning how activities can fall into more than one category; and reflect on their lives to see how well screen time is balanced by other types of activities. Finally, students consider how they might improve how their time is balanced. Available in French.
• Game Time [Media Smarts]
  Grade 4 to 6
  In this lesson, students consider the positive aspects of video games as well as the ways in which games may take time away from other activities they enjoy. Available in French.
• Internet Safety and Making Choices for Personal Health Lessons [Ophea]
  Grade 4 to 8
  Lessons and activities for students in grades 4 to 8 focusing on topics such as: the benefits and dangers of technology, how to be a good digital citizen, how to stay safe online. Be sure to login with a free account to access all lessons.
  • Internet Safety: Grade 4: Learn to stay safe when using technology and how to use it respectfully. Available in French.
  • Internet Safety: Grade 5: Learn how words and online actions impact others. Available in French.
  • Internet Safety: Grade 6: Learn how to how to be a good digital citizen, while staying respectful and safe online. Available in French.
  • Internet Safety: Grade 7: Learn about the benefits and dangers of technology and using coping strategies and self awareness skills to identify ways to protect our physical and mental health while using technology. Available in French.
  • Internet Safety: Grade 8: Learn about online violence and how to speak out against it. Available in French.
• Digital Media Experiences are Shaped by the Tools We Use: The Disconnection Challenge – [Media Smarts]
  Grade 7 to 12
  In this lesson, students consider the role of technology and media in their lives and then spend a week either tracking or limiting their media use. Afterwards, students share their experiences and discuss how the ways that digital media tools are made may cause us to use them differently (or simply more often). Finally, students draw on these insights to create a mindful media use plan. Available in French.