Presented by Kristen Nan, 3rd-Grade Teacher, Hopewell Elementary School, PA, and Author of All In: Taking a Gamble in Education; and Brian Burkhard, Ph.D., Manager of Research, EVERFI

Sponsored by EVERFI

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By necessity, technology is being increasingly woven into the fabric of our learning environments, redefining what education will look like moving forward. Tech offers us such unique opportunities to engage with new ideas and create new communities. But it is not without its challenges, whether to mental health, social connection, or physical wellness.

We have the tools to address these issues, no matter how intractable they may seem. In fact, when its strengths are leveraged properly, technology can support positive youth development and facilitate social-emotional learning throughout a student’s K-12 experience, helping students to improve their lifelong physical and mental health, even promoting compassion and citizenship.

In this edWebinar, Brian Burkhard, lead researcher at EVERFI, explore the latest research related to mental health and technology to identify ways to promote positive development and reduce negative outcomes for youth living in an increasingly connected world. Educator and author Kristen Nan discuss ways to address digital wellness, mental health, and social-emotional learning with students, including free digital resources, extension activities, and lesson plans.

This recorded edWebinar will be of interest to teachers of grades K-12.

About the Presenters

An educator for the last 23 years, Kristen Nan’s passion for building relationships with her students, colleagues, and community continues to ignite change for the better! Kristen has served as an emotional support teacher, learning support teacher, and classroom teacher from Pittsburgh, PA. In addition to her current role as a 3rd-grade teacher, Kristen is an author, national speaker, and consultant. With keeping a future-ready mindset at the forefront for every child, she has been recognized as an award-winning educator for innovative practices. Kristen’s recent release, All In: Taking a Gamble in Education, is co-authored by Jacie Maslyk and focuses on the importance of risk taking, chances, and building relationships between teachers and administrators.

Brian Burkhard, Ph.D. is a youth development researcher who has partnered with K-12 schools, universities, nonprofits, and the military to study the ways that young people thrive. Having worked as a school therapist, college program coordinator, and nonprofit manager, Brian brings a practitioner’s viewpoint to his research, generating data insights at both the individual and institutional level. His research on positive youth development has been featured in publications such as The Journal of Positive Psychology and The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development, and he has presented his work at conferences hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and The Society for Research in Child Development. Brian holds a B.A. in psychology and classics, an M.S. in counseling and human relations from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in child study and human development from Tufts University.