This post was contributed by Andrea Kopp, NCEA Educational Resource Manager.
Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski offered these words of wisdom during her Keynote Address at the STREAM 2.0 Symposium this Wednesday.
Technology can be a blessing and will always be changing. Sister Angela stressed the importance of avoiding being tethered to technology at the expense of recognizing our own human dignity as well as the dignity of others.
She discussed the ministry of accompaniment and the need to walk with our students toward digital discipleship. Inspired by the words of Pope Francis in Lumen Vitae, she discussed creating a culture of encounter and presence with our children and the need to create opportunities to listen deeply and create an authentic dialogue.
Young people are looking for something to hold on to. – Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski
While we continue to develop digital tools, it is important that they enhance humanity rather than substitute it. She shared how simple things, like a handwritten letter from a loved one, can have kinesthetic and emotional qualities that simply can’t be replaced. While technology is a gift, we should use it purposefully and with awareness of its transformative power in our lives.
Sr. Angela identified “7 habits to help navigate through the Cyber Sea”:
- Enhanced Meaning of Human Dignity
- A Sense of Transcendence
- Detaching through Digital Fasting
- Honoring Sabbath time for Contemplation
- Appreciating Beauty
- Quality Discernment
- Quality of Life Balance
Her keynote session was the perfect closing to the STREAM 2.0 Symposium as she masterfully articulated that the Catholic faith must be ever-present in the forefront of all that we do. She stressed that there is a need for us to unplug sometimes to be truly present to God and each other. Our attendees went forth inspired not only with new ideas for their classrooms, but with a renewed flame of evangelization as the heart of teaching and learning.
