Unproductive? Bad Habit? Dangerous, even? What are the researchers saying about teens spending time online just hanging out? Turns out that social networks like facebook, myspace, youtube, twitter and others promote interactions that are essential parts of becoming competent participants in the digital age. And it also turns out that Web surfing promotes learning in the forms of literacy, technical skills development & information aquisition. One important conclusion in a UCI blog article, states: “All that Internet time isn’t rotting their brains. Actually, it’s almost necessary, according to the study.”
The trickier question is: Are the adults who hang out at the Orange Juice wasting a lot of time or are they actually as “productive” as a typical teen? ♥♥♥♥
While reading the article, it got me to thinking about the importance of providing adequate time for teens to develop their skills online. Are there enough resources available in our communities? Is there enough importance placed on supporting online social activities? ♥♥♥♥
Kids denied access to new media, because their family can’t afford it or because their parents, school or library restrict their access or time on social networking sites, are likely to be short on skills that members of their generation are expected to possess, the researchers concluded.
“When kids lack access to the Internet at home, and public libraries and schools block sites that are central to their social communication, youth are doubly handicapped in their efforts to participate in common culture and sociability,” the study reads
But that’s not the impression most adults have of digital media, according to the MacArthur study. Adults largely underestimate the value of new technology and tend to view online activity as a risky or unproductive distraction.
The internet has been touted as the “Great equalizer” – the tool that will “Level the playing field”. This study suggests that the playing field between teens who have unhindered access to technology will have an advantage over those who are restricted from access.
Does that sit well in your particular community? ♥♥♥♥
$15,000 NCWIT Grant to Encourage Inclusion Through Creativity in IT Education for Latina Youth Pssst….Pass it on!
Red,
I am amazed at how many of my friends and business associates still don’t have a Facebook account!
I have Facebook, Linkedin, Plaxo and MySpace accounts. If you are not networking online today you are missing the boat!
Red.
When Americans for Prosperity bloggers met in Washington last fall we were encouraged to sign up for Twitter and similar social networking sites to broaden our blog followers. While I am now on Twitter I have not utilized it as of yet.
The bottom line was recently shared with us by Terry Horne, the new publisher of the OC Register. For those over age 45 we prefer the printed page for getting our daily dose of news. The X and Y generation prefer their iPods over the nine transistor or crystal set radios we grew up with. They are very comfortable using 21st Century hardware for doing research or simply gathering daily news.
Trivia. How many Juice readers have ever seen or know what a crystal set is?
Art and Larry,
I got a Blackberry Storm before the holidays. I still suck at text messaging, but I am getting better at it. The texting is pretty much limited to some tech fans/colleagues and teens/twenties folks. Older friends and relatives that I know don’t normally text. I don’t use the networking sites, because I spend too much time online as it is! I noticed that a lot of action was generated for the anti-8 protests by use of email blasts, twitter, facebook and myspace.
Here is a little 411 cost saver, fyi
I found a new 411 information service that is absolutely free compared to the $1.95 Verizon charges per call. The service is called Google 411 and can be accessed by dialing:
1-800-GOOG400 or 1-800-466-4411
The service asks for the name, city and state, returns the phone number(s) and address(es) and will connect to the number for free. It’s all automated and works very well.
Research has found that googling is good for the mind, but if my experience is any indicator the internet can be a black hole where time management is concerned.
As far teens being deprived of social networking skills, maybe, but technology moves so fast that what is relevant today is passe’ tomorrow. Hell, I never even learned to type and lived to tell the tale.
Larry, crystal sets? Really you are dating yourself.
anonster.
The Internet can become a double edged sword.
Rather than screaming out loud I can picture mom sending an email to her son or daughter who are on their own computers reminding them that their dinner is on the table and getting cold.
Some of us, at least this author, spend so much time on line with emails that we have cut back on direct personal contact as well as putting the US post office out of business. We send greeting cards on line rather than buying a card at the store, writing a note and putting a stamp on the envelope. My next door neighbor and I exchange jokes when we could meet in front of our homes.
Larry. Welcome to the 21st Century.
We also need to be on guard for abuse by employees who spend more time on line playing games or socializing when they should be working.
And yes, without revealing my age, I do remember crystal sets.
Anonster,
NYC public schools are proposing that all students and their parents be supplied with free emails. 800,000+ accounts would be needed. The service provider would be free to blast ads on the free service, and there is a promised function that allows the ads to be turned off, if that is the preference. Here are the comments of one parent: Marina Celander, 41, whose kids go to elementary school in Brooklyn, said she likes getting school e-mail.
“But unless the DOE provides a space for people to check their e-mails daily, I don’t know how it would help a certain population of parents,” she said.
http://www.worldandi.com/subscribers/headlines_detail.asp?num=12163
Larry,
Do you use skype? It is great for keeping personal with those that you deal with over the internet.
Red. While I am on Skype I only used it when we were out of the country last fall. Amazing how you can speak to friends thru your computer, and if both parties have the system, there is no cost involved. When we did connect with non members in the states the cost of the calls from Grand Cayman were pennies. Now that our grandaughter is in Italy we will start communicating with her via Skype to reduce costs.