When incorporating technology into our lessons as teachers, it is important to remind ourselves of the intrusive and damaging effects of technology to personal lives, especially with young teens.
A digital world
We have reached a time in our society where almost everything is accessible online. We use online messaging resources such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Discord, etc., as our primary form of communication. We also use these platforms to find the latest news, to see what people are doing, and to make new connections. Although very useful, social media can become very damaging when we are exposed to unreliable sources and when our personal life becomes a little more public than we would like it to. This is where we start to consider whether social media is appropriate for young teens. Is it responsible for us, as adults, to allow them to be exposed to a potentially unhealthy technological platform? Unfortunately we don’t really have the choice.
As we have entered the digital world for quite some time now, prohibiting young teens from using social media would make them feel alienated from their friends, classmates, and all of society in general. Yes, it comes with the risk of cyberbullying, exposure to unrealistic standards, and unreliable sources, but if we teach students how to filter through social media in a way that would be least damaging to their mental health, social media can actually be an excellent space for sharing, creativity, community building, and making new connections.
What do I look like on the internet?
When I googled myself, I wasn’t expecting to find anything as I had already privatized my Instagram and Facebook accounts (which are the social media platforms I frequent the most). However, to my surprise, there were sources that popped up that I had completely forgot about. My Pinterest and VSCO, two apps that I rarely use anymore, were accessible for anyone to view. I was shocked that Google remembered more about me than myself. Now everything has been privatized or deleted, making myself a mystery to anyone who Googles me. I’m just glad I made the changes before starting my practicum!
A fun video to finish things off
This is a video I found on Pexels and edited using CapCut to make it slow motion and added an audio from Free Music Archive. I think watching people slow motion fall into the water is pretty funny, so I hope you do to!