Youth on Social Media

Building on the previous Youth Rendering that talked about Adolescent and Cell phone use, this rendering examines social media use among Adolescents. As previously discussed, a large majority of adolescents today have access to a smartphone, a device that can be a distraction or a useful tool in the classroom. However, it is important to note that because of the capabilities of a smart phone and the ever growing presence of the internet in the world today, adolescents will have access to social media programs such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. In fact, a study done in 2015 finds that an average teenager spends about 27 hours online a week, and one and a half hours on social media on one day (McGillivray). Like cell phones, social media does have its pros and cons, even in educational purposes. The most obvious con would be it provides another distraction for students in the classroom, where students become disengaged from learning if they are on their phones and consuming social media, which in the long run can negatively affect the grades of the student. Furthermore, social media use can help lead to risk taking behaviour, since it gives the adolescent access to the internet and social media of other people, including those that give off negative influences and encourage risk taking such as smoking, drinking, etc. However, the same study notes that social media can also be used positively in classrooms, not only to help students study and prepare for tests, through engaging games and challenges, but also can help create a digital classroom, where the teacher can share material online for students to use (McGillivray),  with a good example of this being the York University Moodle. At the end of the day, it would come down to the educator to determine the policies of social media, and in my opinion, just like how cell phones can be put to good use in engaging the learners, so can social media, especially if it helps the adolescent discover positive influences that help minimize risks and broaden their perspectives on inclusivity, being caring and respectful of others.

Works Cited List

McGillivray, Nick. “What Are the Effects of Social Media on Youth?” TurboFuture, TurboFuture, 12 Oct. 2015, turbofuture.com/internet/effects-of-social-media-on-our-youth.