New Course: 8 Mindshifts for Teaching Digital Well-being

SAME MINDSHIFTS. NEW QUESTIONS.
NOW WITH AI BUILT IN🤖.

Are you an educator who teaches digital well-being, digital citizenship, or media literacy? Then you’re in the right place! In just 12 hours, our self-paced professional development (PD) course will transform how you approach students and technology — so you can move from playing defense to leading with confidence.

Educators have told us:

They’re tired of constantly policing digital devices in the classroom.
They’re overwhelmed by the ever-changing frameworks, rules, and policies on digital literacy.
They’re struggling to keep pace with evolving technologies like AI and their students’ evolving needs.

That’s why we created From “Referee” to “Coach” — and Other Game-Changing Mindshifts for Teaching Digital Well-being, Digital Citizenship, & Media Literacy — a self-paced course designed for teachers, school counselors, and administrators. With eight enduring mindshifts, this course helps you move beyond tech panic and into empowering action.

And now, the course features expanded, integrated content on generative AI.

The core mindshifts remain the same. What’s new is how they’re extended and illuminated through AI, reflecting a simple reality: teaching digital well-being needs to now include AI.

Flowchart titled "Eight Mindshifts" with colorful circular steps and arrows connecting key concepts.

ENROLL NOW

enROll tODaY

Here’s a look at what you’ll gain from this course:

Hear research-backed insights from Dr. Carrie James, Dr. Emily Weinstein, Dr. Beck Tench, HGSE AI Fellow Dan Be Kim, and Researcher Eduardo Lara
Reflect on fresh perspectives and new mindsets to better connect with students on everything from social media to texting and, yes, AI
Engage in 12 hours of dynamic, self-paced, multimedia learning
Explore ready-to-use lessons and activities on digital well-being and media literacy co-developed with Common Sense Education
Dive into a new suite of free resources for exploring AI in the classroom with agency at the center
Earn a certificate of completion to submit for PD hours
Connect with a community of digital thriving advocates (like you!)

👉 Enroll now. GROUP DISCOUNTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT ENROLLMENT FOR GROUPS OF NINE OR MORE.

I found the Center for Digital Thriving and it felt like kismet. I’m entering my third year of teaching the course and have found this session invaluable in making sure I have the tools I need to meet my students where they are developmentally and practically.

COURSE PARTICIPANT

EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH THE 8 MINDSHIFTS COURSE

The content and its presentation in this course was insightful and meaningful. With a secondary-leaning focus, there was still enough that allows educators in a primary context to walk away with nuggets that transfer to a younger age group, their teachers, and their parents. Rooted in research centered around talking to tweens and teens. Highly recommend!

— DILLON ROBERTSON, COURSE PARTICIPANT

EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH THE 8 MINDSHIFTS COURSE

I truly appreciated the way the course materials and content were structured. The organization was clear and well thought out, which made it easier to follow and absorb the key ideas. The videos were particularly effective — direct, engaging, and concise — which made the learning experience both productive and enjoyable.

— GRAZIELLA MATARAZZO, COURSE PARTICIPANT

EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH THE 8 MINDSHIFTS COURSE

The content was STELLAR! I enjoyed the varied way the content was delivered—articles, YouTube videos, your own videos, podcasts, and text. The variation was great—but I also liked the predictability in the way the course was designed.

— COURSE PARTICIPANT

EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH THE 8 MINDSHIFTS COURSE

NeeD FINANCIaL ASSISTAnCE?

Thanks to generous new funding support, the Center for Digital Thriving will offer expanded, no-cost enrollment opportunities for our 8 Mindshifts for Teaching Digital Well-being course throughout the year.

Sign-up for our newsletter to be among the first to know when we’re accepting no-cost enrollment applications!

YOUR FiRST LOOK InSIDE ThE COURSe

Explore a sampling of our library of bite-sized videos from the course that span topics like the power of teen interviews, AI, and attention restoration. Watch more shorts from the course on YouTube.

Educator SpotlightS

THE POWER OF THE TEEN INTERVIEW
What’s it like to be a young person growing up with today’s apps and devices? Hear from HGSE graduate student, Brinleigh, as she shares how impactful interviewing a teen can be to learn more about their perspectives on digital life.

TECH HABITS: THE VALUE OF THE COACHING APPROACH
What would it feel like to shift from a referee to coach mindset in the classroom? Hear from HGSE graduate student, Kenny, as he shares how this simple mindset shift has helped him to build empathy for both his students and himself.

MAKING AI THINKING + Experiences VISIBLE

ALIGN ON THE LINE
Center for Digital Thriving’s Co-Founder, Senior Researcher and Designer, Beck Tench, joins AI Fellow Dan Be Kim to demonstrate the free Align on the Line classroom practice.

AI DESIGN TRICKS
CDT researchers Beck Tench and Dan Be Kim explore the subtle design tricks of AI chat tools.

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO “DRIVE” AI WELL?
AI Fellow Dan Be Kim applies a responsible driving metaphor to AI use in education.

FOCUSING ON ATTENTION

THE ATTENTION ECONOMY
Center for Digital Thriving’s Co-Founder, Senior Researcher and Designer, Beck Tench, shares the concepts of attention economy and persuasive design.

ATTENTION RESTORATION
CDT’S Beck Tench unpacks the art of restoring our attention.

LIFE ONLINE/OFFLINE

THE PULL OF THE SCREEN
Center for Digital Thriving’s Co-Founder, Carrie James, talks about teens’ own worries about the pull of the screen.

DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS
CDT’s Carrie James discusses teens’ keen awareness that social media posts can last forever and the forces that make it hard to control their digital footprints.