Educational Tech Research

This week, I investigated various educational research reports from different sources, like Common Sense Media and Project Tomorrow's Speak Up. Both focus primarily on the impact of technology and provide much data on adults' and teens' feelings on technology and how it's used.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the wealth of information provided on these reports. There is much to study and review, especially for professionals affiliated with education as we can learn more about our students from these studies. One statistic that surprised me was on Common Sense Media. According to an infographic from September 10, 2018 entitled Social Media, Social Life: Teens Reveal Their Experiences, more teens said that social media made them feel positive feelings as opposed to negative. For instance, 25% of students said that social media made them feel less lonely whereas 3% said that it made them feel more lonely. This statistic surprised me because I worry that social media is making teens and young adults feel left out when they see their friends "checking in" or posting or sharing pictures from a party that they were not invited to. I had this thought without any concrete research to back myself up, but upon seeing this statistic, it has made me start to think of loneliness on social media differently. It seems as though teens are eager to be on social media to be a part of the group. This observation of course makes sense, but I still wonder if there are some underlying psychological effects that teens are not able to express about social media, but that are still affecting them.

Common Sense Media Infographic Link, September 10, 2018.

Image Source

Another statistic, from the same infographic on Common Sense Media, stated that Snapchat is the most popular social media site among teens as of September 2018. This social media site is significantly more popular for this group than Instagram and Facebook. This information did not surprise me since I hear many of my 6th-grade students talk about Snapchat. We have a pumpkin decorating contest at my school each October, and last year, my students decorated the pumpkin with the Snapchat symbol. It was a big Snapchat pumpkin! Facebook, while still pretty popular with current 30-year-olds who got into it when they started college, has lately become more popular among older generations who are trying to connect and stay in touch with others. I am still amazed that my 87-year-old great aunt is on Facebook everyday! She is sharing posts, pictures, and liking everything. Way to go, Aunt Mary!

Snapchat Pumpkin (Promoting Breast Cancer Awareness, too), Personal Photo

Other information on this infographic from Common Sense Media that stood out to me was that 57% of teens feel that social media distracts them from completing important tasks like their school work. This number is higher than what I would expect, but it makes me happy to see that at least many recognize that social media can be distracting. An article, also from Common Sense Media, called What Teens Really Think About Their Social Media Lives, provided useful tips for parents and adults to help teens curb their social media usage by establishing rules and limits.

Another interesting number from the infographic is that between 2012 to 2018, the importance of in-person communication among teens has decreased from 49% to 32%. I have a hunch that this number is going to continue to decrease in the future as newer generations are going to primarily communicate with others digitally and prefer to do that. I notice that with my students, especially with my current class, they prefer to listen to narrated presentations and reflect on them via a slideshow rather than have a live classroom discussion about a topic.

Image Source

By reviewing educational technology reports such as these, educators, social workers, and parents can learn more about the current generation of young children and teens and find ways to help them with their use of technology. While it is very important for newer generations to use technology tools to enhance their learning and organization, adults need to reflect if these young individuals are still learning essential skills necessary for life, especially social skills, etc. Adults need to monitor the technology children and teens are viewing and using in order ensure their well-being. At the same, knowing what apps and things interest students can help educators when designing lessons. Maybe something similar to Snapchat could be used in a lesson? Any ideas? More pumpkin decorating? 😃