As someone with a focus on secondary education, teenagers and social media is an important aspect of how to use Web 2.0 for teaching and learning. So this week, I have decided to focus my blog on this topic. To begin, I am going to share some first hand observations.
This week I have observed my niece and her best friend while on a family vacation. They are both entering high school in the fall. (I recognize this is in no way a representative sample. However, it provides a good starting point.) Here are the highlights:
1. Connection to social media was almost constant, regardless of what was happening around (even while at Disney World or at the pool).
2. The main forum used was Snapchat, which I am excited to be learning more about this week.
3. Interactions were mostly personal in nature.
4. Purpose for connecting was either making new friends (summer love) or checking-in with good friends back home.
5. Sometimes both were connecting together on one device, but often each were on their own separate devices (sitting next to one another).
My next post will focus on an article I am currently reading from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is a clinical report titled, "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families".
In the meantime, what do you think about teenagers use of social media?
Take my twitter poll and/or comment below.
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