Social Media Literacy is increasingly important, especially as younger and younger students are becoming avid users of electronic devices and social media platforms. Research on the impacts of school-age online social networking is growing, but much more work in this area is overdue, considering the pace of change that is occurring. Parents and educators can help students develop critical thinking skills in anaylsing and assessing social media outputs, broadening students' experience of different kinds of media forms and content, and developing students creative skills in using social media for expression, communication and public debate. Furthermore, it has been emphasized that we must help students gain legal, ethical, responsible, safe, and advantageous online community practices (Greehow & Robelia, 2009).
What is Social Capital in the Context of Youth Social Media Culture ?
Perhaps the central draw for youth in owning or having access to electronic devices is using social media to gain
'social capital'. This involves the social benefits that arise from understanding and being able to converse about various media as well as use it to communicate with friends. In even as young as primary grade children, current playground discussions now frequently include sharing aspects of social media activities including interactive online games or communication with friends through texting and social media sites. Social Media Culture is transforming the way in which students are able to participate socially, and express themselves to a wider audience. This can have both positive and negative implications depending on the users awareness and skill in this participatory culture.
Some background reading on…. Youth and Social Capital (a little studied area!)
How is Social Media Affecting Parents?
It is becoming increasingly obvious that parents are often just as much, or more tuned into the digital world of social networking. Basic texting, for example, has become a common way to communicate, share pictures, arrange activities and meetings, or even partake in secret arguments with one's spouse. This activity jeopardizes our ability to actively listen to our children, and especially to be fully present with them. This has profound implications for childrens' feelings of connection and the ability to feel emotionally settled. There may be a correlation between distracted parenting in our social media culture with distracted student behaviours in classrooms. As parents we model what is most important by our actions, and it is very challenging to remain aware of the impact that social media may be having on the quality of parenting. Children are now growing up in much more distracted, multi-tasking family environments. Some may be able to adapt better than others to these cultural changes. The need to make time for undistracted verbal communication with our children is growing, they know when we as parents are half present, and half "screen slave".
How Can We Support our Children in Using Social Media Safely and Thoughtfully?
There are many resources available for learning how to help children (and ourselves!) be more aware, and question the influences of social media on our thinking, and on our daily lives. For those students who are not receiving any media studies education in their classrooms it is particularly important for parents to actively involve themselves in dialogue about the different positives and negatives of social media use. Youth are enthusiastically and often impulsively engaging in communications with others (known and unknown). They are creating "identities" in various profiles, navigating all manner of video streaming, and engaging in multi-player communicative gaming. Monitoring this activity in a way that is supportive and does not imply judgement toward what they enjoy, is possible. It is essential to be involved in actively sharing and discussing social media activities so that children are supported in understanding, and openly questioning the influence of social media engagement.
Learn more about Social Media Literacy…... Think before you share Online Privacy and Publicity Social Media Cyberbullying
What is Social Capital in the Context of Youth Social Media Culture ?
Perhaps the central draw for youth in owning or having access to electronic devices is using social media to gain
'social capital'. This involves the social benefits that arise from understanding and being able to converse about various media as well as use it to communicate with friends. In even as young as primary grade children, current playground discussions now frequently include sharing aspects of social media activities including interactive online games or communication with friends through texting and social media sites. Social Media Culture is transforming the way in which students are able to participate socially, and express themselves to a wider audience. This can have both positive and negative implications depending on the users awareness and skill in this participatory culture.
Some background reading on…. Youth and Social Capital (a little studied area!)
How is Social Media Affecting Parents?
It is becoming increasingly obvious that parents are often just as much, or more tuned into the digital world of social networking. Basic texting, for example, has become a common way to communicate, share pictures, arrange activities and meetings, or even partake in secret arguments with one's spouse. This activity jeopardizes our ability to actively listen to our children, and especially to be fully present with them. This has profound implications for childrens' feelings of connection and the ability to feel emotionally settled. There may be a correlation between distracted parenting in our social media culture with distracted student behaviours in classrooms. As parents we model what is most important by our actions, and it is very challenging to remain aware of the impact that social media may be having on the quality of parenting. Children are now growing up in much more distracted, multi-tasking family environments. Some may be able to adapt better than others to these cultural changes. The need to make time for undistracted verbal communication with our children is growing, they know when we as parents are half present, and half "screen slave".
How Can We Support our Children in Using Social Media Safely and Thoughtfully?
There are many resources available for learning how to help children (and ourselves!) be more aware, and question the influences of social media on our thinking, and on our daily lives. For those students who are not receiving any media studies education in their classrooms it is particularly important for parents to actively involve themselves in dialogue about the different positives and negatives of social media use. Youth are enthusiastically and often impulsively engaging in communications with others (known and unknown). They are creating "identities" in various profiles, navigating all manner of video streaming, and engaging in multi-player communicative gaming. Monitoring this activity in a way that is supportive and does not imply judgement toward what they enjoy, is possible. It is essential to be involved in actively sharing and discussing social media activities so that children are supported in understanding, and openly questioning the influence of social media engagement.
Learn more about Social Media Literacy…... Think before you share Online Privacy and Publicity Social Media Cyberbullying
References:
Burnett , C. and Merchant, G. (2011). Is there a space for Critical Literacy in the Context of Social Media? English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 10(1), 41-57.
Greenhow, C., Robelia, B (2009). Informal Learning and identity formation in online social networks. Learning Media and Technology, 3(2), 119-140.
Schaefer-McDaniel, Nicole J. (2004). Conceptualizing Social Capital Among Youth People: Toward a New Theory. Children, Youth and Environments. Vol 14(1) 140-150.
http://mediasmarts.ca
Burnett , C. and Merchant, G. (2011). Is there a space for Critical Literacy in the Context of Social Media? English Teaching: Practice and Critique. 10(1), 41-57.
Greenhow, C., Robelia, B (2009). Informal Learning and identity formation in online social networks. Learning Media and Technology, 3(2), 119-140.
Schaefer-McDaniel, Nicole J. (2004). Conceptualizing Social Capital Among Youth People: Toward a New Theory. Children, Youth and Environments. Vol 14(1) 140-150.
http://mediasmarts.ca