{"id":13452,"date":"2026-03-02T10:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T15:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/excellence\/?post_type=faculty-voices&p=13452"},"modified":"2026-04-15T11:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T15:54:13","slug":"finding-your-voice-in-a-digital-world","status":"publish","type":"faculty-voices","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/excellence\/faculty-voices\/finding-your-voice-in-a-digital-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Your Voice in a Digital World"},"content":{"rendered":"\t

\n\t\tI<\/span>\n\t\tn a world where students are more connected and more assisted by technology than ever before, many faculty are asking a deeper question: How do students learn to find their own voice\u2014to think, write, and speak with confidence\u2014when digital tools increasingly shape the process?\t<\/p>\n\t\n

In this edition of In Conversation With…<\/em>, Wendy Colby<\/strong>, Vice President and Associate Provost at the Institute sits down with AnneMarie McClain<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor of Media Science in BU\u2019s College of Communication and the founder of Be You Kids\u2019 Media Lab. They explore digital wellness as an intentional practice that allow voice, presence, and authentic learning to emerge.<\/p>\n\t

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About “In Conversation with…”<\/em><\/h4>\n

In conversation with the Institute for Excellence in Teaching and Learning \u2013 a series of thought-provoking exchanges designed to introduce new approaches to teaching that engage students and boost learning outcomes. The higher education landscape continues to evolve, and it becomes more important than ever to equip students with the real-world skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing professional landscape.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

What first drew you to this work\u2014thinking about media, digital wellness, and how young people develop voice and identity? And can you briefly share the mission of Be You Kids Media Lab and how it shapes your teaching and research?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

My roots are in K\u201312 education. I\u2019m a former elementary school teacher who taught kindergarten and first grade in Brooklyn, New York, and K\u20136 students in rural Costa Rica. I\u2019ve always been interested in helping young people thrive\u2014and to be fully themselves while doing it.<\/p>\n

On a more personal level, this work is deeply connected to my own lived experience. As a child, I knew what it felt like not to be fully seen, included, or believed in. That experience continues to shape who I am and what I do. I\u2019m also a kid at heart and have always loved children\u2019s media, so this path feels natural.<\/p>\n

That said, I didn\u2019t initially know this could be a career. When I left classroom teaching, I knew I needed deeper knowledge of child development and sensed I might contribute on a different kind of stage. I remember sitting in a master\u2019s course at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and realizing that decades of research showed media and technology could be intentionally designed to support children\u2019s well-being\u2014including youth from marginalized communities. That insight transformed my trajectory. I hadn\u2019t even known communication was a field I could enter; it has felt like home ever since.<\/p>\n

Today, my research and consulting focus on understanding what young people need from media and technology, particularly as it relates to identity. I work to amplify the voices of youth and families\u2014especially those historically underrepresented in research and design.<\/p>\n

The mission of Be You Kids Media Lab is simple: we find ways to use and design media to promote positive outcomes for youth and their families. The name is a play on \u201cBU,\u201d inspired by children in my life who thought it meant \u201cbe you\u201d\u2014which, in many ways, it does. My teaching, scholarship, and consulting all center on building a world where young people can thrive and be themselves.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

When we talk about \u201cdigital wellness\u201d in higher education, what do we really mean\u2014and how is that different from simply limiting screen time or banning devices? How does wellness connect to students\u2019 ability to think and express themselves authentically?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a big question, and the answer is often context-specific. From my perspective, digital wellness is a living, evolving state of navigating media and technology in intentional and informed ways\u2014ways that (a) foster holistic well-being, both individually and collectively, and (b) align with a community\u2019s needs and goals.<\/p>\n

Sometimes digital wellness may involve limiting or even banning devices. But that shouldn\u2019t necessarily be the default assumption. Research on self-determination and learning suggests that students need agency and buy-in for such decisions to be effective. Device policies should be part of a broader, holistic commitment to well-being\u2014one that considers cognitive, mental, physical, emotional, and social dimensions.<\/p>\n

When students feel balance and a sense of control in their lives, they can think more clearly and act more intentionally\u2014including in digital spaces. They\u2019re less likely to be overwhelmed by noise and more able to express themselves authentically.<\/p>\n

At the same time, young people are experiencing significant mental health challenges. Digital well-being must be part of that conversation. As we speak, there is a major active legal case in which plaintiffs argue that major social media platforms have intentionally designed features that promote compulsive use among young people. Whether in courtrooms, legislatures, or classrooms, these questions about design and responsibility are shaping the landscape students inhabit every day. Questions about how platforms are designed\u2014and how they shape attention and behavior\u2014are deeply relevant. For those of us who work with young people, these issues are not optional; they\u2019re central.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Many faculty describe a kind of \u201cshadow classroom,\u201d where students are physically present but also engaged elsewhere\u2014on phones, laptops, or in parallel digital conversations. How does that reality shape students\u2019 sense of presence, participation, and voice?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

The shadow is real. At the same time, research on device use in classrooms shows mixed findings\u2014both harms and benefits\u2014depending on how and why devices are used. Students and faculty are acutely aware of device use, and their feelings about it can be complex.<\/p>\n

There are tremendous opportunities to leverage devices intentionally in ways that support learning and wellness. I don\u2019t see this as a black or white issue. What matters most is open dialogue. Faculty and students should talk together about how devices affect presence, participation, and voice. We need to bring this conversation into the light so it\u2019s no longer a \u201cshadow.\u201d That starts with naming concerns, possibilities, hopes, and goals\u2014and collaborating from there.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

What are the moments when technology clearly supports students\u2019 learning more deeply\u2014and when does it get in the way?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Technology can level the playing field in many ways. It provides access to tools, enhances engagement (especially in longer classes), enables quick formative assessment, and facilitates collaboration. Digital note-taking allows students to integrate screenshots and multimedia, and it can make organization easier. Used responsibly and ethically, AI tools can help students elevate ideas.<\/p>\n

The potential benefits are substantial.<\/p>\n

At the same time, technology use has the potential to undermine wellness sometimes. Scrolling mindlessly during class is unlikely to support learning. But stepping away briefly to respond to a family emergency might help a student self-regulate enough to re-engage. These are nuanced realities. Students are whole people with lives inside and outside the classroom, and our expectations should reflect that complexity.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

What does it mean for students to \u201cfind their voice\u201d in a digitally mediated learning environment, especially when tools increasingly shape structure, language, and argument? Why do struggle, uncertainty, and revision still matter?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Finding one\u2019s voice is a central task of young adulthood. Living in a digitally mediated world doesn\u2019t change that\u2014it simply adds dimensions.<\/p>\n

Finding one\u2019s voice is often not linear. It requires experimentation, vulnerability, and practice. But today\u2019s students are inundated with information\u2014news feeds, social media, popular culture\u2014that can shape and sometimes distort how they see themselves. That volume can feel overwhelming.<\/p>\n

One way to support students is to acknowledge these realities rather than ignore them. Young people are aware of both the risks and possibilities of digital life. We can center their perspectives and strengths. A core part of finding one\u2019s voice is learning to sift out the noise\u2014however each student defines it. We can teach critical media literacy, helping students analyze how digital tools, platforms, and even AI systems may reflect biases or assumptions that do\u2014or do not\u2014align with their own identities and communities.<\/p>\n

Struggle, uncertainty, and revision matter because they are part of how voice develops. Technology should support that process, not short-circuit it.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Some faculty are experimenting with intentional \u201cno-device\u201d moments in class. How can stepping away from screens open up creativity, conversation, and vulnerability?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

These approaches have the potential to be powerful\u2014especially when students opt in. Agency increases the likelihood of success and helps ensure that students who require devices for accessibility aren\u2019t marginalized.<\/p>\n

When thoughtfully structured, device-free moments can also foster deeper conversation, creativity, and connection. But context matters. There\u2019s no one-size-fits-all solution.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, what strategies best support students in developing a strong, confident voice alongside digital wellness? Are there emerging tools that can strengthen agency rather than diminish it?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

Students should be collaborators in this work. Creating space for them to experiment\u2014with both self-expression and digital habits\u2014is essential.<\/p>\n

Our students are already brilliant. Technology evolves rapidly, but I believe students can harness it as a force for good\u2014especially when we support them in prioritizing their well-being.<\/p>\n

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BU Institute<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

As technology continues to evolve, what guidance would you offer faculty and students seeking to cultivate authentic voice and presence?<\/p>\n

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AnneMarie McClain<\/h3>\n\t\t<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t make media and technology disappear from young people\u2019s lives\u2014even if some of us might wish we could. Instead, we need to ask: How do we prepare students for the world they\u2019re living in\u2014and the one still unfolding? How do we build on their strengths to help them move forward?<\/p>\n

That requires humility\u2014the willingness to learn, to be wrong, and to try new approaches. It also requires modeling digital wellness ourselves if we expect students to embrace it.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s worth remembering that people once feared television\u2019s effects on young audiences. Humans are remarkably adaptable, and young people especially so. We can meet this moment, but only if we are willing to do the work.<\/p>\n

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