In this podcast episode Michael Mercier, President of Screen Education, and Garrett Munro, Instructional Designer at Hiram College, discuss their collaborative research on digital detoxes, and their upcoming session at the Ohio Educational Technology Association conference. 

Michael Mercier, President of Screen Education, spoke today at the Ohio Camp Conference.  The Ohio Camp Conference is organized organized by the Ohio division of the American Camp Association.  Conference attendees include summer camp owners, directors, and staff who are members of the American Camp Association, and who live in and near Ohio.  The conference was held at the 4-H Center on the Campus of Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.

Mr. Mercier's was geared toward summer camps that have overnight programs, and that don't allow campers to bring smartphones and other electronic devices.  The talk addressed how overnight summer camps that don't permit phones can integrate into their existing camp culture principles of digital wellness that will enhance the benefits campers derive from getting a break from their smartphones while at camp.  The talk was based upon Screen Education's 7 research studies with campers who attended overnight camps that don't permit phones, as well as 2 studies Screen Education has conducted in partnership with Hiram College of college students experiencing a digital detox while camping. 

Michael Mercier, President of Screen Education, spoke to a group of administrators for the Northwestern School District in Kokomo, IN.  His talk focused on the rampant problem of tech addition among students, and how the district could create a digital wellness culture to mitigate this problem. 

The St. Louis Business Journal today published an Op-Ed by Michael Mercier, President of Screen Education, on Senator Josh Hawley's (R-MO) Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology Act (SMART Act).  

The purpose of the bill is to address the problem of tech addiction by holding accountable the companies that provide the addictive apps.  In the Op-Ed, titled "Why Sen. Hawley Must Toughen Up His Social Media Addiction Bill", Mr. Mercier makes suggestions for how Mr. Hawley can make the bill more impactful on the problem of tech addiction.

The Op-Ed can be read here.