There is an invisible thread connecting schools to the digital world. In recent decades, the way children and adolescents live and build their identities has changed at a breakneck pace. Schools—which should be sacred spaces for community, memory, and human development—have gained a new and vibrant dimension: the digital environment.

For the leaders who run these institutions, the challenge is ever-present. After all, relationships and conflicts no longer wait for the bell to ring before they end; they continue to circulate through social media and messages, remaining a part of students’ daily lives even outside the school gates.

In this context, the question guiding school administration is a profound one: How can we balance technological innovation with mental health care?

A New Ecology of Attention

In this journey, the most noticeable change lies not only in the tools students use, but also in the reorganization of time that permeates all development and learning processes.

Taking a break from reading or letting a thought mature now has to compete for attention with a world of open windows and immediate rewards.

It is no coincidence that Brazil is already among the countries that make the most use of artificial intelligence in the world; studies show that nearly two-thirds of young Brazilians already turn to this technology to help with their studies or even to talk about their feelings.

As Joana London, LIV’s director of education, explains, this transition is not only technological but also structural:

“Schools have historically been structured to provide continuous, in-depth instruction. Digital platforms, on the other hand, operate with fragmented, rapid, and highly rewarding stimuli. This does not mean that students can no longer learn—it means that the cognitive environment in which they are growing up has changed profoundly.”

The challenge for schools, therefore, is not merely to “adapt” curricula to screens, but to understand that the future of education lies in dialogue between different forms of intelligence. Educating today means preserving what makes us human: listening, face-to-face dialogue, and collective creation—while continuing to responsibly integrate the tools that technology offers us.

When the echoes of the nets ring out in the courtyard

Students’ social lives today know no boundaries between the online and offline worlds. Situations that would once have been confined to physical spaces now gain instant public attention, challenging the traditional role of institutions as intermediaries. Joana London observes how this digital flow directly influences the dynamics of the following day:

“Today, connections, conflicts, and exclusions continue to play out on social media. A comment posted at night can make its way into the classroom the next morning.”

For school administrators, this requires striking a delicate balance between pedagogical responsibility, dialogue with families, and care for the emotional environment.

In this sense, discussing the use of mobile devices goes far beyond a disciplinary measure; it is a conscious choice about the kind of social interaction we wish to foster in our daily lives. On this point, Joana emphasizes:

“When a school discusses the use of cell phones, it isn’t just discussing technology. It’s discussing attention, social interaction, emotional well-being, and the quality of relationships within the school.”

Digital citizenship: the art of living in the present moment

Digital citizenship goes beyond knowing how to use tools; it is about learning to live ethically and think critically in a world deeply shaped by intelligent systems. Above all, this involves the ability to maintain one’s focus in an environment designed to compete for every second of our attention.

On social media, the desire to belong is measured by metrics that can be dangerous for those who are still building their self-esteem. Likes and comments become mirrors that amplify the desire for acceptance and the fear of exclusion. Regarding this vulnerability, Joana offers a crucial warning:

“Likes and comments are unreliable metrics for sustaining a teenager’s sense of identity.”

That is why social-emotional development is the essential foundation for our times. By strengthening self-awareness and emotional regulation, we help young people navigate the digital world with an internal compass, understanding that knowing when to disconnect is often a way to find themselves.

The Role of Management: Creating Safe Havens

It is understandable that school leaders feel that challenges arise faster than institutional responses can keep up. However, amid so many changes, schools remain a safe haven for holistic human development.

As Joana London states: “If there is one place where these issues can be addressed collectively, that place is still the school.”

The mission of education today is to help children and adolescents become deeply human in a digital world. To that end, the LIV presents an integrated ecosystem that combines social-emotional learning with digital literacy: LIV focuses on healthy relationships, Dia Lab fosters critical literacy in AI, and Meu Mundo encourages creativity and critical thinking.

The question that should guide our planning is not merely what technology can do for education, but: what kind of childhood and adolescence do we want to foster at this historic moment?

An Invitation to Dialogue at Bett Brasil 2026

We want to turn these insights into practical solutions for your school. That’s why we’re inviting you to the brand-new presentation “Between Likes and Laws: What School Leaders Need to Know About Technology, Adolescence, and Mental Health?”, which will take place on May 6 at 4:00 p.m. at the Bett Brasil School Leaders Forum.

At this event, Caio Lo Bianco (CEO of LIV) and Judge Vanessa Cavalieri will discuss pressing issues such as ethics in the online environment and the impact of screen time on the social and emotional development of younger generations.

We look forward to seeing you at our booth to discover where intelligence converges and how the integrated ecosystem of LIV, Dia Lab, and Meu Mundo helps technology go hand in hand with what is most human about us: our ability to imagine and create new paths.

*Content provided solely by the advertiser.
**This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bett Brasil.

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