This is and isn't about technology. Mostly isn't. But digital media allow for and expose a dangerous blend of two very different aspects of humanness, one destructive, the latter normative: social cruelty and teenage vulnerability (a lot of focus recently having been on the female variety). The cruelty, the extreme version called trolling – which feeds on outrage and weaponizes cultural … [Read more...] about Teens, social media & trolls: Toxic mix
child development
How to help fix a world problem 1 child at a time
This may seem a little off-topic, as it's not fundamentally about technology, but social media can be a tool in the healing process. Let me explain. More than 5 million US children (275 million worldwide) are dealing with domestic violence – what UNICEF calls "one of the most damaging unaddressed human rights violations in the world today" – and 40 million US adults were once children who lived … [Read more...] about How to help fix a world problem 1 child at a time
‘Am I pretty?’ videos by teens
There is no data cited, but the San Francisco Chronicle's Mommy Files blog reports that "a growing number of tweens and teens, mainly girls, are posting videos on YouTube asking commenters if they’re ugly." Writer Amy Graff says, "Type ‘Am I ugly?’ or ‘Am I pretty’ into the YouTube search box and dozens of videos pop up." Sexuality researcher, author and educator Kris Gowen pointed one such … [Read more...] about ‘Am I pretty?’ videos by teens
Social-emotional learning ups academic performance
Right from the proverbial horse's mouth, so hear this: that social and emotional learning (SEL) has brought academic gains "that equal the results of many programs focused exclusively on academics ... is one of the most important findings from a far-reaching review of social and emotional learning programs for which I was the principal investigator," writes author and retired psychology professor … [Read more...] about Social-emotional learning ups academic performance
The new media monsters we’ve created for our kids
In adjusting to a media environment very different from the mass-media one we grew up in, we adults have created some monsters. They're large, intimidating "creatures" that threaten the mutually respectful parent-child and educator-student communication that young people want and deserve in this highly participatory, sometimes overwhelming new media environment.One of the monsters is the "digital … [Read more...] about The new media monsters we’ve created for our kids