24 Wellbeing
WHY DIGITAL BRIDGE? When I stepped into my first role leading technology in a school over a decade ago, one truth stood out clearly: there was a profound disconnect between what students were experiencing in digital classrooms and what parents understood about that experience. I saw the growing divide, not just in access, but in understanding. Many parents were unaware of the pedagogical reasons behind classroom technology, or how platforms were selected based on curriculum needs. Others didn’t know that tools like screen time limits, app filters, and parental controls even existed, or how to use them. Meanwhile, peer pressure, among children and parents, was escalating. “Everyone else is allowed to download that game” became the mantra. Parents who wanted to say no felt isolated. Others said yes, then regretted it. It wasn’t just about safety online. It was about trust, clarity, and confidence in the role of technology in a child’s learning and wellbeing. So this became a passion project of mine, supporting parents to see what I could. Help to bridge the digital divide. “What if we could create a safe space to talk about this honestly?” Since then, I’ve worked on a wide range of large-scale projects supporting both parents and EdTech companies, helping shape how we communicate these issues with families. Since EdRuption was formed in 2024, we have trialled countless formats, free workshops, parent handbooks, evening webinars, and repeatedly hit the same wall: lack of attendance, limited engagement, and, at times, no parents turning up at all. Even well- attended coffee mornings sometimes failed to spark the kind of behavioural change we hoped for. There was clearly a missing piece. RESEARCH AT THE HEART That reflection ultimately gave rise to the Digital Wellbeing Research Project, a six-week collaborative programme we developed through EdRuption and Digital Bridge. Because we believe that bringing the human element into everything we do is vital, but being research driven is the key to unlocking
the needs of the people we work with. To give them most relevant and active support possible. The aim was to go beyond awareness and into action. Could we support families in developing habits that stick? Could we help them see their own role, not just their child’s? Could we build a model of support that schools could adopt as part of their long-term digital strategies? The answer, we now know, is yes. Digital Bridge is built on the idea that digital transformation in schools cannot be successful without the support of families. At EdRuption, we work with schools to develop meaningful, sustainable digital strategies across governance, safeguarding, pedagogy, innovation and wellbeing. But over the years, we’ve seen again and again that if parents are not part of the journey, those strategies will not embed deeply or last long. HOW DID IT WORK? So we reimagined how to engage families. Not through one-off talks or technical lectures, but through shared experiences. We created workshops where parents could sit beside their children and build a digital pledge together. We facilitated conversations, not lectures. We normalised the struggles, recognised the emotional load, and reinforced the idea that small, collective changes could have a meaningful impact. Giving heartfelt examples of the real scenarios we ourselves have been through, and I will honestly say, sometimes even getting quite emotional ourselves, because being a parent is hard, but sharing that can help someone else get to where they need to be. Ultimately as parents we all want to do the best for our children. “We delivered activities that spoke to real-life struggles”
Participating schools included five diverse inter campuses in Dubai, representing over 8,000 stu more than 100 nationalities. The project engage students, and school leadership in a 21-day dig challenge.
Powered by FlippingBook