English

The effects of technology on teenagers

In 2013, 71 percent of the U.S. population age 3 and over used the Internet (NCES). Technology has become a bigger effect especially in the U.S on how it has become more available. Meanwhile, in classes around the world technology is progressing making their way towards the classroom; providing students access to the internet. So teachers now have to practice how to intwine technology within their teaching. “This dissertation answered the inquiries of the author regarding the presence of best practices for the teachers inside the K-12 classroom environment and the effective ways to integrate technology into the methods of teaching to achieve valuable learning outcomes” (Demesa 1). Therefore, technology can be used in effective ways in education. More specifically social media can provide immediate question and answers from peers or even via email teachers. So when the student is working on a paper that is due tomorrow the student can ask a peer who is probably doing the same thing and get a more immediate answer than waiting until the next day. “However, given both the benefits of social media and the negative issues that have occurred, there is no assurance that this impact will be positive.” (Lenartz 4). While technology in education can have a positive impact, technology especially social media will become more of a detriment in education than a helpful tool. Through the use of social media over the years there has been cyber bullying, cyber stalking and body negativity. Technology and social media has a negative effect on teenagers.

Technology: The product of such application; technological knowledge or know-how; a technological process, method, or technique. Also: machinery, equipment, etc., developed from the practical application of scientific and technical knowledge. Social Media: websites and applications which enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. “ Not until the 1930's did G. Sarton succeed in establishing the history of sci as a recognized scholarly discipline, & the history of technology did not achieve academic recognition until the foundation of the Society for the History of Technology, & its quarterly journal, Technology and Culture (1960).”(Kranzberg 463-468). “The history of technology should be closely integrated to other branches of intellectual & social history” (Layton 31-41). However, technology and social media can have positive influences on teenagers on their day to day lives on how they interact with each other.

In today’s society, technology has been a distraction towards college students. Lenartz mentioned that social media gives negative impact on students and how it gives students low self-esteem.  “Media horror stories about cyberbullying, suicides, and professional misconduct related to social media have been receiving significant attention, becoming a focus of the conversation on the use of social media in higher education”. Many students have been focusing on technology and the media, making students putting less attention towards education. However, technology can be helpful in ways such as to help the students understand different ways to learn.  “ The effective delivery of knowledge through integration of technology into adolescent and adult classroom instruction has been found to have a significant contribution to learning, enhancing student learning outcomes, and facilitating the delivery of information in more meaningful ways” (Demesa 2). The use of technology is a way to make students more involved as technology has grown exponentially. Technology affects students in different ways, not everyone is the same. The more use of technology seems to cause more problems towards society such as bullying. As technology becomes more popular the higher expectation of using technology gets and  how addicted it can be.

Technology affects social interaction between others.“These include exposure to unrealistic body images; modelling; pressure to conform; gender-typed socialization; objectification of the body; internalization of appearance ideals; increased negative affect that results from viewing unrealistic images of the body; social comparisons... the adoption of appearance management behaviors and body change strategies to improve oneself; and compensatory motivations such as disordered eating as a way to validate one’s self-concepts.” ( Williams, Robert J., and Ricciardelli, Lina A., 390). The first quote explains how technology has a severe effect on teenagers and their self image, how they perceive relationships and their adaption to fit these norms. Especially in an educational setting, bullying via internet or in person can affect grades, social standing and personal views. Through these negative influences on their personal self image and how their body should look to conform to social views of women's bodies; which can lead teenagers to eat less or develop incorrect eating habits to fit a better social view. “Thus, we suggest that there is a direct, positive, association between self-concealment and communication technology addiction.” ( Magsamen-Conrad, Kate, Billotte-Verhoff, China and , Greene, Katheryn, 23). Magsamen-Conrad, Billotte-Verhoff and Greene state technology has a positive impact on body image and how teenagers portray their bodies. Technology teaches teenagers to be mindful of what they put on the internet and what they say along with choosing what to follow and listen to or ignore. In social media this can help teengagers ingnore personal views that may not fit their own, body stereotypes that are unachievable or harmful. The view that social media does not have an effect on teenagers personal views of themselves has been disproved many times. Technology has an effect on how teenagers see themselves and others, the way they communicate to each other and their everyday habits. Technology can even begin to affect the way adolescents minds develop.  

Technology affects the young minds of today. As technology progresses it becomes more available for people to use all the time. “ technology addiction is becoming an important issue. Especially with the development and ubiquity of mobile technologies, social media addiction is expanding” (Cetin). However, technology can provide some positive intellectual abilities to the young minds today. “We examine how technologies, particularly computer technologies that aid in cognitive processing, can support intellectual performance and enrich individuals’ minds. (Graviel Salomo; David N. Perkins; Tamar, Bloberson)”. “The use of computer tools to extend the reach of minds is briefly discussed within wider normative, theoretical, and practical contexts. (Graviel Salomo; David N. Perkins; Tamar, Bloberson)”. But, since the internet has been more available to young ones it has increased the lack of physical education or the amount of activity a teenagers do outdoors. “Research shows that children, preteens, and teenagers are using massive amounts of media and those with more screen time have been shown to have increased obesity, reduced physical activity, and decreased health” (L.D.RosenA.F.LimJ.FeltL.M.CarrierN.A.CheeverJ.M.Lara-RuizJ.S.MendozaJ.Rokkum). Overall the impact social media and technology have on kids negatively impacts them leading them down an unhealthy road. To convince the reader, technology is overused by teenagers today.

To conclude, technology is overused by teenagers withholding their strengths to achieve most goals for the future. Although technology does have the positive effects for teenagers many can only benefit for a certain amount of time. As you can see technology has its benefits but has more negative impacts than positive. So brace yourself and keep technology away from kids until necessary. The main points include distraction towards students, body negativity on social media giving teenagers self esteem issues, how technology impacts the brain and mental health.

Works Cited

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate, China Billotte-Verhoff, and Kathryn Greene. "Technology Addiction's Contribution to Mental Wellbeing: The Positive Effect of Online Social Capital." Computers in Human Behavior 40 (2014): 23-30. ProQuest. Web. 8 Nov. 2017.

Williams, Robert J., and Ricciardelli, Lina A. "Social Media and Body Image Concerns: Further Considerations and Broader Perspectives." Sex Roles 71.11-12 (2014): 389-92. ProQuest. Web. 23 Oct. 2017.

M. KRANZBERG, "THE NEWEST HISTORY: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,"  Science, vol. 136, (3515), pp. 463-468, 1962.

A. L. Demesa, "Technology Skills Sparks Success: A Study of Best Practices for Teachers and the Effective Integration of Technology in the K–12 Classroom Environment." Order No. 3372235, Capella University, Ann Arbor, 2009.

A. J. Lenartz, "All My Rowdy ‘friends’: The use of Social Media in Higher Education." Order No. 3509820, Northern Arizona University, Ann Arbor, 2012.

“The NCES Fast Facts Tool provides quick answers to many education questions (National Center for Education Statistics).” National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=46.