Digital literacy and the "Middle Way". (Teaching Mindfully).

While contemporary teachers are expected to encourage students to learn how to use the internet, email, and streaming discussions (electronic bulletin boards), these forms of communication can also erode mutual respect between students and teachers. Instant communication by email and relatively anonymous communication in class chat rooms or streaming discussions may tempt students to express hostilities toward their teachers that are seldom articulated in person. As a teacher, it can be difficult not to react with resentment toward the student when such a missive is received.

The "Middle Way" taught by Buddha may be helpful as we consider how to use electronic communications in our courses and student relationships. According to Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai's 1995 edition of The Teaching of Buddha, Buddha's Middle Way avoided the extremes of asceticism and indulgence: Three ways of practice lead to the Noble Eightfold Path, which entails four viewpoints to consider, four procedures to follow, five faculties to use, and the perfection of six practices. "The four right procedures are: First, to prevent any evil from starting; second, to remove any evil as soon as it starts; third, to induce the doing of good deeds; and fourth, to encourage the growth and continuance of good deeds that have already started."

While we can establish ground rules for electronic communication, as we do for classroom and written communication, we cannot prevent students from posting inflammatory messages on a bulletin board or sending us nasty email. However, we can try to implement the other three procedures. Shakyamuni Buddha once taught his disciples to endure others' provocations peacefully when they asked to leave an inhospitable town and avoid others like it. "There will be no end in that way. We had better remain here and bear the abuse patiently until it ceases.... There are profit and loss, slander and honor, praise and abuse, suffering and pleasure in this world; the Enlightened One is not controlled by these external things; they will cease as quickly as they come." By refusing to respond in anger or with sarcasm, we can deflate some of the power of hostile electronic communication. As Buddha also taught, "Resentment should not be cherished for long.... Resentment can not be satisfied by resentment; it can only be removed by forgetting it."

By listening to students' concerns and dealing with those concerns fairly in spite of the manner in which they are communicated, we may hope to demonstrate better behavior, a different way of relating. "Hatreds never cease by hatreds in this world. By love alone they cease. This is an ancient Law." Finally, we can encourage growth by admitting our own mistakes in the student relationship, even when they may be relatively small in comparison to the rancor or behavior of the student. As a teacher, I should be the more mature one in the relationship, held to a higher standard. Buddha ...