Social Media/ Technology
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Regarding technology and social media, I find myself conflicted because I see the benefit of both sides. However, as a parent, I know how using technology and exposure to youtube and social media can cause harmful development in young children. On the other hand, I have also seen how positive technological advances have aided teachers within the classroom. But when it comes down to which side I would go on, Social media use in general and the use of cell phones in schools, I would side with being against it.
Watching The Social Dilemma (Orlowski, 2020) provided further evidence of my worry about social media and the use of cell phones in today's society. Educators are responsible for giving students a safe and trustworthy environment. Unfortunately, students' technology platforms on their phones are not designed to protect them ethically from becoming addicted to their devices. The more they use sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and ticktock, the more they become dependent on their devices (Orlowiski, 2020).
While I do not entirely disagree with the ' Have a Plan, Not a Ban' approach to cell phones in schools (Klein, 2016), access to social media during class time can do more harm than good. Furthermore, tying into the purpose of social media and how companies monitor our usage to make predictions (Orlowiski,2020) provides additional worry as educators try to limit exposure for students during their time in the classroom. Additionally, by limiting social media usage during school hours, it could also be beneficial to teach students to use their social media accounts responsibly (Klein, 2016).
An additional support to limiting screen time during school hours is how it affects our youth's mental health (Kamenetz, 2019). For example, the availability of smartphones could help explain the rise in suicide rates among the youngest girls; social media promotes comparison and bases self-worth on likes leading to depression and a false sense of self (Kamenetz, 2019). In my opinion, limiting the time students are on their phones during school hours can hopefully allow for a healthy disconnect for a few hours to focus on their present-day students.
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I have had the privilege to work in a middle, high, and elementary school; I have seen how trends on ticTok, where students are encouraged to vandalize or disrupt school property, occur through various grade levels. In addition, using cell phones and social media during school can lead to worrisome behavior and concerns with social media's impact on youth mental health (Amin & Zimmer, 2023). As a result, many administrations plan to develop a public health approach to reduce exposure to harmful online content( Amin & Zimmer, 2023). Overall, students are coming to school to learn and grow as individuals; we provide them the tools they need through academics, and we should also provide all the information on how to be responsible with technology and use it safely.
References:
Amin, R.& Zimmer, A. ( 2023, March 2). Mental health safety net for youth: Adams outlines vision to catch kids in crisis.Chalkbeat New York.Link
Hello Ashley
ReplyDeleteI feel like you discussing how you yourself are a parent brings a very important aspect to the discussion when it comes to social media. Sure we are all around the age and live in a time where social media takes up a very large amount of time and energy in our lives, but to bring into account the lives of our future generations and children)for you your child right now) is extremely important. With that being said, I found your views and opinions on this subject to be very interesting and enlightening, especially in regards to your own thoughts on “Have a Plan, not a Ban”. How you mentioned that while you don't necessarily disagree with the notion, unnecessary access to social media in the classroom should, overall, be avoided. All and all, very well made blog and I hope you and your family have a good rest of the day after reading this comment!