Understanding the Implications of Technology

Today I would like to touch upon something that I have not have the chance to brush on yet. That is the long term effects of what is posted online. While this is not necessarily terrible, it can lead to a lot of trouble if the teenager in question is unaware of the consequences. As many know, it is important to be careful with what is being posted to social media outlets and blog websites.

Unfortunately for some teenagers, it does not cross their mind that posting pictures and videos of a wild and crazy weekend could come back to haunt them. If a potential employer or academic counselor was able to see what is being posted, teenagers could lose their job or their respectability. It is important to teach children between the ages of 13 to 18 years of age that what they post online is permanent and can not be deleted. Keeping their posts and blogs respectable looks good on the person in question, and it also gives respectability to the viewer of the page/blog. I just wanted to post my thoughts on the importance of teaching social media etiquette, and the importance of maintaining it. Until next time!

Potential for Social Media Addictions

Today I would like to briefly discuss the potential for teens (or anyone for that matter) to become addicted to social media. It is very common for people to check their Facebook or Twitter accounts from their phones or any other form of PDA device while either standing in line or just lounging about on the couch. This may seem harmless for many, but could ther be the potential for something more to occur. The video I have posted below goes into more detail regarding the potential for teens to become addicted to social media. Until next time!

Cell phones in the classroom

As technology evolves and becomes more a part of our lives, so do the challenges associated with it. One topic that I wanted to touch on briefly today is the use of cellphones in the classroom, whether or not they are allowed. When I was in high school, it was not accepted, and not many people did bring their phones to school, for fear of having said device taken away until the end of the school day. This is no longer the case however. Cellphones seem to be permanently part of teenagers hands, as they are never far from their side and it is common for a teen that has lost their phone to have a complete breakdown until it is found or replaced. According to churchleaders.com, about 75% of all teenagers have a cellphone. Of this percentage, 31% will send text messages during the course of a school day. While this may not seem like such a horrible problem, let's take this a step further. Text message jargon is usually not sent in proper English, and words are sometimes abbreviated or just taken out completely. Then there is the use of smiley faces and other emoticons. Texting is replacing face to face communication, where individuals are lacking good interpersonal skills for everyday life. Also as texting and instant messaging is their main form of communication, this jargon is beginning to make its way into their schoolwork. Here is an article for anyone who is interested to read. This goes into more detail regarding text messaging and how academics and social interaction is being compromised as a result. Have a safe and happy weekend! Until next time!

http://www.waterloo.k12.ia.us/schoolsites/thespectator/dependence-on-technology-increases-in-teens

More about Youth technology denpendence

http://westborough.patch.com/blog_posts/growing-youth-dependence-on-technology-plugged-in-culture-replacing-physical-culture

As the school year ends and kids are either getting out for the summer, or have already gotten out, one thing is certain. Most of their time is going to be spent indoors in front of gaming consoles or on computers. According to the link that I have listed above, the number of children who remain indoors has grown exponentially over the past few years. The article also goes into detail regarding a study done on 8 to 18 year old, which suggest that children in these age groups are spending more time "plugged in". The study also found that children within this age bracket spend more time using social media than going to school. Over 7.5 hours a day is devoted to media.

This brings about the question as to how this can be changed. There are not many children being enrolled in summer programs, wherein encouraging them not to spend all day staring bleary eyed at a computer screen. This is an on going problem that has truly been recognized for a few years now. I have the link above for anyone that would like to read more and leave their comments. Until next time!

More regarding the subject

This is a video about teens and technology addiction. I found this to be very interesting and decided to share this with everyone.

Until next Time everyone!

Introduction

As technology evolves, so does the problem regarding technology dependency. The purpose of this blog is to explore this phenomenon, as well as how best to deal with it. It has always been fascinating to watch how our world has grown more technological, however potentially hazardous issues are brought to light as this happens. More specifically, what impact does this have on our youth, and how (if possible) can we stop or delay this dependency?  I will go into more detail regarding this issue as time continues, so until time! Adios!