We have all seen the headlines: Younger generations are facing record-high rates of anxiety, depression and loneliness. 

And unsurprisingly, research pins much of the blame on teen screen time. Despite owning pocket-sized devices connecting us to anyone around the world 24/7, people have never felt lonelier. 

As parents and educators, this is troubling. God designed us to know others and to be known. 

Since 2014, we have offered a classical Christian education online—on purpose. We clearly believe the internet can be a positive tool that allows families to make the best educational choice for their children. We have even argued that leveraging technology and embracing innovation (within reason) has always played a role in classical Christian education.

But how do we reconcile the data that says screens negatively impact our children with the positive stories of students thriving in our community?

The Real World vs. the Virtual World

In Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation, he posits there are two worlds: the real one and the virtual one. Children are under-protected in the virtual world, he contends, and overprotected in the real one. 

Of course, what happens in the virtual world has very real implications in the “real” one. To define and thus differentiate the two, he offers four descriptors. The real world, which has existed for millennia, is embodied, synchronous, one-to-one and has a high barrier to entry, meaning it requires social investment. The virtual world, in contrast, has only existed for a couple of decades. It is disembodied, asynchronous, one-to-many and includes a low barrier to entry and exit.

Thinking about screen time through this lens helps us distinguish between beneficial and harmful ways to engage online. If the traits of the real world can be extended to the virtual one, then we can create a positive online community for students with the same benefits of the “real world.” 

At Wilson Hill, we see technology as a valuable tool to build a positive, productive learning environment that nurtures real relationships. How do we accomplish this? Using the language of Haidt’s framework, we create an environment that is embodied, synchronous, one-to-one and requires an investment from participants. 

A successful online education is embodied.

Haidt writes that, in the real world, relationships and social interactions are “embodied, meaning that we use our bodies to communicate, we are conscious of the bodies of others, and we respond to the bodies of others both consciously and unconsciously.” 

Texting or trading messages on Instagram misses the richness of human expression and tone. When we sit with our family around the dinner table, we look at each other’s faces and body language, acutely aware of a tense furrow, an impatient sigh or the lighthearted tone accompanying a joke. 

Wilson Hill classrooms not only allow but encourage this type of interaction. Cameras are always on, and students actively engage with each other and their teacher.

A successful online education is synchronous. 

An embodied environment is also synchronous, where people respond in real-time to each other, recognizing subtle cues and taking turns speaking. Synchronous communication forces us to engage with the person we’re talking to. So much online communication is the opposite: It allows you to center yourself in the conversation, respond at your own convenience or ignore some messages altogether. 

That’s why our courses are synchronous. Students might be joining in different time zones, but they are in class together—live. They can perceive the human nuances that are missed in a video recording and enjoy community in real-time.   

A successful online education is one-to-one. 

God designed us to be in relationship with each other, but how meaningfully can we engage with dozens of people asynchronously at the same time? One virtue of in-person education is the capped ratio of interaction. Our classes are designed with a set class size to encourage engagement between peers and with the instructor in real time. 

New families at Wilson Hill often comment on how lively our classes are. Online learning does not have to mean a group of students silently taking notes while a teacher lectures on a screen. Our students ask questions, debate, collaborate in small groups, conduct lab experiments,  deliver live presentations and more. 

A successful online education is high-entry. 

This last characteristic is key to building an authentic virtual community. Haidt writes that the real world takes place “within communities that have a high bar for entry and exit, so people are strongly motivated to invest in relationships and repair rifts when they happen.” 

At Wilson Hill, we are invested in a common goal, and we share a common value of community. Our students know and are known by their classmates and teachers. If a student is not in class, their absence is felt because their presence contributes to the entire group. 

Many of our families regularly travel to see each other in person and maintain regular contact outside of school. Every year, we gather at LINK for our in-person celebration and greet each other as if we have always enjoyed in-person community. 

We don’t have to sacrifice the rich benefits of a classical Christian education to learn online.

It’s not an accident that these rhythms formed. We intentionally designed Wilson Hill to meet the needs of families looking for a virtual option and to foster a vibrant community. 

As parents, we want our children to enjoy the beauty and goodness of healthy friendships with their peers. We want their minds to feast on literature and wrestle with new ideas. As an online school, we believe technology is not an obstacle in this pursuit but a helpful tool that makes this possible. 

Fortunately, we don’t have to choose between screens and a classical Christian education; we can engage both well with wisdom and discernment.  

Are you interested in learning more about what a Wilson Hill education could offer your family? Download your free guide to Wilson Hill to discover the lifelong benefits of being part of a like-minded community that supports your family values and prepares your child for the future.