I discovered an article today in The New Yorker. A study was conducted on the effects of Facebook, finding that users often felt unhappy as a result of using this social media network. A study was conducted amongst eighty-two Ann Arbor university residents in USA, where text messages were sent to each participant 5 times a day. The University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross wanted to know how their subjects felt overall, how worried and lonely they were, how much they had used Facebook, and how often they had had direct interaction with others since the previous text message (cited in Konnikova, 2013). Basically at the end of the survey, it was found on the whole that Facebook was making respondents unhappy. However there are also studies out there that disprove this theory. A study conducted in 2009 by Sebastián Valenzuela and his colleagues found that using Facebook makes us happier (cited in Konnikova, 2013). This study also found that facebook and social media networks increases social trust and engagement—and even encourages political participation (cited in Konnikova, 2013). This raises the question over whether there was a difference in the way participants were using the social media websites? Are active participants in social media more likely to feel connected and be happy? And are passive participants in social media are more likely to fell disconnected and unhappy? If this is the case, how are youth interacting with social media?
I discovered this Ted Talk by Sherry Turkle. I highly recommend watching. "Sherry Turkle studies how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication -- and asks us to think deeply about the new kinds of connection we want to have." Whilst the talk is not entirely related to youth and popular culture, it does raise some extremely pertinent points about the use of technology and social media. This Ted Talk made me start thinking about how we as educators can facilitate meaningful interactions with technology and social media platforms in the classroom so we can enable our students to become active participants. Refer to Resource Page 2, where I explore the benefits of using blogs within the classroom.
I discovered this Ted Talk by Sherry Turkle. I highly recommend watching. "Sherry Turkle studies how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication -- and asks us to think deeply about the new kinds of connection we want to have." Whilst the talk is not entirely related to youth and popular culture, it does raise some extremely pertinent points about the use of technology and social media. This Ted Talk made me start thinking about how we as educators can facilitate meaningful interactions with technology and social media platforms in the classroom so we can enable our students to become active participants. Refer to Resource Page 2, where I explore the benefits of using blogs within the classroom.
References
Konnikova, M. (September 10, 2013). How Facebook makes us unhappy. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/09/the-real-reason-facebook-makes-us-unhappy.html?mobify=0
Konnikova, M. (September 10, 2013). How Facebook makes us unhappy. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/09/the-real-reason-facebook-makes-us-unhappy.html?mobify=0