Portable screens such as smart phones and tablets are a normal part of children’s everyday lives, yet excessive media use presents a multitude of health and developmental concerns. Specifically, the impact of portable screen time on children’s attention is unknown, and screen time could potentially result in negative outcomes including poor school readiness and social difficulties. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between portable screen time and kindergarteners’ attention (the first research question), and to investigate learning content as a potential moderator (the second research question). Data were collected using the Preschool and Kindergarten Behaviors Scale, 2nd Edition attention subscales and questionnaires on portable screen time and content, and analyzed via hierarchical multiple regression. Results included a significant relationship between screen time and attention, where, as screen time increased, attention decreased, and insignificant findings for a moderating relationship between screen time and content on attention. It was recommended that adults monitor children’s portable screen time to ensure attention is not compromised, and that screen time be utilized for educational purposes using quality programming. Recommendations for future research include studies which address portable screen time and learning content, structure/pacing, interactivity, and context of children’s screen time.

If the global pandemic has taught us one thing, it is that humans have an innate need for connection. Many people sought connections within work communities, neighborhood groups, faith-based groups, communities of like-minded educators, or communities of post-secondary students. Often, these communities took to the internet in order to remain connected, using digital resources and virtual platforms, including social media, that allowed for interpersonal communication and feelings of connectedness. Regardless of the type of community to which members of society strived to belong, or the methods chosen in an attempt to maintain connectedness, this need for connection was, and is, inherent to all of society. The purpose of this chapter is to present the notion of the connectedness cycle, clarify its subcomponents, and provide clear and specific examples and strategies as to how connection can create a paradigm shift in both the workplace and in education environments.

It is likely safe to assume that nearly all students are coming to, and engaging in, school settings with multiple stressors and personal challenges. Moreover, the global pandemic has likely exacerbated these mental health issues. As such, the general problem is that many students are not adequately prepared to handle stress and emotional challenges in conjunction with everyday life and in school. This has the potential to derail both their personal well-being and their academic success. Mindfulness is a viable resource in PK-12 school systems to guide the acquisition and development of emotion regulation. This chapter describes the conceptual underpinnings that make up mindfulness. More specifically, the purpose of this chapter is to delineate how mindfulness in PK-12 classrooms may be used to promote students' emotion regulation, and to provide clear and specific examples and strategies of mindfulness practices that facilitate the development of empathy and sound emotion regulation.