1st Week Blogpost: Smartphones, Social Media, and Literacy
I was so surprised that the Pew Research Center has so many topics related to education. Thank you for letting me know about such a great resource.
One eye-catching title was "Support Grows for School Cellphone Bans," and I started with this article because, personally, I support banning smartphones at school. Even for me, as an adult, a smartphone is the biggest temptation and distraction, not only from reading but also from work. I’m sure it’s really hard for young students because even adults have difficulty controlling their screen time. In addition, the article states that 6 out of 10 students have smartphones by the age of 16, but I think more than 6 out of 10 students have smartphones at an even earlier age. Even though some students don't have smartphones, they have access to digital devices like iPads or computers at a very early age. I strongly believe those digital devices have a huge impact on students' reading by reducing their opportunities and environment for reading.
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/22/teens-social-media-and-mental-health/
The second article I read was "Teens, Social Media and Mental Health." It was based on a survey and interviews with students and parents, and I found it very interesting. By gender, their experiences on social media were quite different. Girls were more negatively affected than boys, and parents were more concerned than students. The results also differed by race and ethnicity. Social media affects cyberbullying, peer pressure, grades, social interaction, and even sleep. In this respect, because of its negative impacts on students' lives, banning phones at school could be one solution to reduce their screen time.
I also found it interesting to read about why it is harder to be a teenager nowadays than it was 20 years ago. I think it is becoming harder and harder to be a young student and a young person in general. Young people need to compete with technology, and due to the widening wealth gap, people who have more resources are more likely to be successful not only academically but also economically. On social media, young people are highly likely to see wealthy, attractive, and competent people every day, which can make them feel a sense of relative deprivation while raising their expectations. Overall, these articles made me think more deeply about how technology is shaping students' literacy, learning, and well-being.
I really liked the first article you read and this different view on it. Usually, when we study the effects of cellphones, a lot of articles say the same thing; they are a distraction from learning. But there aren't really many targeted studies on a specific form of learning, if that makes sense. I have a younger sister, and she had access to phones and iPads much earlier than I did, and she told me that since high school, they never read anything anymore unless they are looking for sources. My mom is also an elementary school teacher, and she even claimed her students' scores are much lower in reading than she has ever seen before. I also thought your point about social media creating unrealistic expectations was really interesting. Seeing other people’s lives online can affect how students view themselves and what they think they should be achieving, even when what they see online isn’t realistic. People post what they want others to see. Also, along with competing with technology, I feel there is more competition among each other than there was 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI also struggle with temptations on being on my phone as I am in class. That is something I can completely get behind. One big worry on that is that we live in the United States, which has a higher chance of possible shootings. I believe if they ARE banned it should be more like a phone jail within each classroom instead of outright ban on the premises. Your other articles also tie really nicely to your point to help our younger community!
ReplyDeleteI think I resonated with the third link the most. I've often had conversations with my younger niece, shes in high school now, but also graduating. She said that so many people want to become nail techs, eyelash techs, go straight into any job that pays good , and even become influencers. With technology always on the rise I remember when the iPod first came out it was like a small little screen. I was about nine. To only imagine my niece growing up in a world where it seems so easy to just stream and post your life or go into something that so many other people want to do, it seems scary. I couldn't imagine the anxiety id have if I was still a teenager.
ReplyDeleteI really feel for contemporary teens and young adults. Having unregulated access to social media during really sensitive times of development is so, so dangerous for a variety of reasons -- the way it highjacks attentional capacities and addiction centers in the brain; fosters unhealthy levels of social and bodily comparison; and circulates untruths that can be harmful to the democratic process and public health, to name a few. Yesterday's 17+ billion dollar settlement by Meta is an acknowledgement of that.
ReplyDeleteTo Amy and to my fellow commenters:
ReplyDeleteThe advancement and evolution of technology is a scary one. Reading these types of articles and comments remind me of the doom and gloom side of tech. More isolation, more social anxiety, shorter attention spans, etc. To Sebastian's point, however, the existence of school shootings does give me pause in saying a total phone ban should be implemented.
I wonder if there could be a campaign/push to parents to get their kids simple flip/brick phones. No internet, no real entertainment-- just a form of communication. I think that could be a great way to maintain connection with the outside world while limiting the potential distraction. The rule could then be your phone has to go into one of those phone socks if it's anything other than a brick LOL
There are so many positives to our inter-connected world, but here it's pretty easy to see only the downsides.
I always struggle with the temptation of my phone especially when I'm doing my homework or even when I'm out somewhere and what ever I'm engaging in starts to get even remotely dull. Its hard to resist and its no surprise as to how phones have such a negative affect on students and young people as they have had negative affects on everyone in society. Although they obviously have their upsides as well, as we wouldn't use them otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point that smartphones and other digital devices can have a strong impact on students’ reading habits and attention. I also think it is interesting that even adults often struggle to control screen time, so it makes sense that younger students may have an even harder time. At the same time, I do not think technology is always negative because phones, tablets, and computers can also give students access to useful learning resources. The challenge is finding a balance. Schools may need clear rules about when phones should be put away while still teaching students how to use technology responsibly for learning.
ReplyDeleteLooking back at the number of teens with their screen time issues, I feel grateful as a teacher to be teaching in a suburban area in Indonesia, where students are not allowed to use smartphones for daily use. When I needed my students to have access to smartphones (simply because our tech facilities were not sufficient for each class), I had to work harder to get the principal/vice principal's permission, and keep all the phones safe under my supervision, so that some students could bring their smartphones into my classroom for learning purposes. I personally understand that the topic of teens and smartphones is a very challenging one to talk about, but what I have done so far when asking my students (mostly group leaders) to bring their smartphones to my class is not only as a medium for our learning, but also to show them some apps - and alternative ways- to use their smartphones for learning purposes. These are simply because I want my students to see another positive side of technology rather than flooding their screen time with entertainment. And yeah, living the teen life nowadays is way harder than it was in my era.
ReplyDeleteHi Jihyang,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on how smartphones, as well as other electronic devices on how it can harm students' habits, such as lowering their attention span. As much as I myself enjoy being on my phone, I try my best to make it a habit to not look at it during classes as I do not want to be distracted in any way. I want my full attention on my professor or classmates and I also think it is the right and mature thing to do. The only time I think is acceptable to bring out and use smartphones would be when the professor allows it and to use it for resources such as news outlets, some social medias, etc... I think the main point is being able to find that balance in between when it is and isn't ok to use smartphones, and how to use it appropriately.
You raise a really good point! If it’s tough for us as adults to put our phones down, it’s so much harder for teenagers in a classroom. Banning phones at school definitely gives students a needed mental break. At the same time, I wonder how we can help them navigate life outside the classroom, too. Like you mentioned, social media constantly pushes idealized lives that make young people feel inadequate. So having screen-free school time with honest conversations about media literacy could be the best path forward.
ReplyDeleteI agree with every point raised. I believe that cellphones/other forms of technology in the classroom hinder with the students' ability to concentrate on their work. Constant usage of social media can be very damaging to developing minds as they are constantly consuming content that makes them feel (no matter how much they say otherwise) that their life is insufficient and that they need to "be better". I think this also especially effects women, as the article you read mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI agree that a smartphone is a huge distraction and temptation for me a 20 yr old, I cant imagine how hard it is for highschoolers to navigate through life with this technology at their fingertips. For me personally I started noticing a difference in my attention span after using social media and scrolling through short videos that don't always have a reason or purpose. I've seen the negative impact it has on my ability to focus in class and work on assignments, social media can be so harmful to younger kids whose minds are developing. The time which they are learning and getting educated their minds are already preoccupied. I have worked with highschoolers and I've seen students struggle to stay on topic and focus. I think social media should not be accessible to younger age groups.
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