Need To Knows

"Despite young adolescents’ growing cognitive skills, they are not immune to the distractions caused by the allure of socializing via their latest electronic device” (Brown & Knowles 50). The grey matter of adolescents’ prefrontal cortex is beginning to peak, meaning that this age group is still developing their executive functioning: decision making, planning, and behavior regulation. The limbic system is responsible for controlling our emotional and behavioral responses, and activates our sense of reward, or dopamine kick, after risky behaviors. This system is more sensitive during adolescence than it is in adulthood, making adolescents more prone to taking risks; the dopamine kick feels sweeter Steinberg sums this up nicely; “Our ultimate actions depend on two things: the strength of the emotion and our ability to manage it. This is why some temptations are easier to resist than others” (72). Brown & Knowles adds by writing, “It may be challenging for young adolescence to ignore these social opportunities, thereby preventing them from attending to both academic and personal responsibilities. Multitasking is common among adolescents". Fagell also finds that not only do social opportunities keep children on their phones, but so does attachment to other online interests such as gaming (9). To help address this issue, Brown & Knowles (2014) suggest:

Teachers and parents can and should explain the perils of multitasking to their adolescent charges. Demonstrating this in class with students would clarify the fallacy that multitasking is a productive manner to learn. We suggest explaining to parents and students that unless they are legitimately using the technology in their schoolwork, leaving the electronic devices in a remote location while completing assignments will lead to a much better understanding of new principles in that latest homework assignment, and ultimately more long-term meaningful learning (49).

Having a fully online way to interact with people 24/7 has changed the social dynamic of middle school. Kids feel more comfortable talking online and "...electronic interactions are more commonly used and preferred for most adolescents over face-to-face exchanges or phone calls" (Brown & Knowles 63), but their immaturity and impulsivity means that they could make mistakes that could follow them. Because online interactions lack a face-to-face connection, , "young adolescents develop a false sense of security and engage in more risk taking in the form of inappropriate comments, posted pictures, and responses to and from one another...that...may result in instant social miscues, from inappropriate words to the most embarrassing photos that often breach recently enacted laws to protect youth" (Brown & Knowles 65)

They also feel pressured to be on stage and maintain their image and persona in school all day and when they come home via social media. Not only are young adolescents aware of the online persona that they create for themselves, but they actively try to manage their content in order to gain approval, friendships, or popularity amongst peers. They start to pick up on ideals that their peers and popular culture dictates and begin to compare themselves to that. A study done by Wilksch et al. (2020) found "...that elevated appearance-focused activity on SM [social media] (e.g., commenting on photos, posting photos) was associated with higher levels of thin-ideal internalization, drive for thinness and weight dissatisfaction in high school females” (103). Interactions such as these make children feel that they do not fit in, and leaves them hyper-focused, anxious, or depressed about their own bodies and eating habits.

Kids are able to access mature and violent content at a much earlier age than they have compared to past generations (Wilksch et al. 104). "The internet... is exposing kids to darker and more mature information earlier, whether it’s pornography or graphic images of a school shooting” (Fagell 9). This type of content is not only often unwarranted, but when found, most students are incapable of processing maturely. Media and targeted advertisements include lots of messaging about gender and body expectations, which impacts the lens through which young adolescents see themselves. Fagell (2019) adds that "…today’s kids are constantly contending with unrealistic ideals, and that’s taking a toll on their body image...The study, which included an ethnically diverse focus group of 11- to 14-year-olds, also found that teens who reported posting more pictures on social media had a greater awareness of their appearance and a more negative perception of their body” (9). Media also "...provides instant access to personal, local, and international information: photos, videos, and messages that travel from person-to-person in seconds via social media” (Brown & Knowles 63). Despite having greater access to darker or more mature content, there is still a lack of education on media literacy for students to help them in finding safe and reliable sources.

More than that, they also lack spaces and adults with which they are comfortable to share what they see, hear, and do on social media, express their thoughts and feelings, and ask questions. Technology can be a powerful tool when taught and used as an effective means of information gathering and sharing. However, without a parent, guardian, or teacher to guide/monitor students’ technology usage, and engage in dialogue with them about what they see, students are at risk to be overwhelmed and misunderstand the information in their feeds, leading to increased risk of depressive, anxious, and eating/ body image concerns associated with media use.

Brown & Knowles (2014) define cyberbullying by writing, “With indirect bullying, there is no direct contact. It usually involves verbal or written comments about others, often circulated via the Internet or smart phones. Adolescents’ prolific use of electronic devices for socializing increases the likelihood that a majority of future bullying will be cyber/electronic – via emails and texting” (135). Wright (2018) agrees with this and adds that recent concerns with the growing prevalence of cyberbullying are justified, as victims of cyberbullying often experience "...depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts, poor academic performance, increased alcohol and drug use, and loneliness” (114). This is because rumors, insinuatory comments, and posts about others online can be untrue, hurtful, and damaging to reputations, therefore negatively impacting their behavior and attitudes. As cognitive and social skills are still being built in this stage of development, "sorting out social drama can consume large chunks of their time, and they tend to experience emotions in polarities” (Fagell 9). Across all sources, it is agreed upon that "...forms of parental involvement and support (e.g., supervision of Internet and social media use) may be needed to help adolescents who experience cyber victimization” (Wright 229).

Research has found that adult supervision and, more so, guidance of young adolescents’ social media usage can help to prevent harmful or unwarranted information. Wilksch et al. (2020) found that preadolescent boys and girls that have parental involvement or control over social media time and usage experience greater life satisfaction (104). Without an adult to turn to, students may turn further to social media for answers to their questions, or they may turn to a classmate that might not have the right answer, either. For example, Fagell (2019) shares, “When kids see some- thing they know is “off-limits,” they may be reluctant to ask adults to help them understand it, so many are getting their information (or misinformation) from fellow 8th graders” (10).

Concerns about how we allow our children to interact with media is not a new phenomena, though social media presents newer challenges. Brown & Knowles expand on this by writing, "Much like the age-old concerns about television and traditional media, social media and technology offer a steady diet of unhealthy role models for growing adolescents” (65). Similar to how parents in the past have decided how to rate and monitor TV shows and movies so that they are age-appropriate, social media requires similar supervisions and censors. Wright (2018) emphasizes that children with parental supervision over technology experience less cyberbullying and exposure to content such as pornography, and suggest strategies to help parents implement these practices. One potential strategies offered is coviewing, where a parent supervises while the child uses social media and they consume the media together, giving the young adolescent a trusted adult to monitor the content as well as engage in conversations about usage and content. Another strategy is using instructive mediation, where a parent may "...set rules regarding their children’s use of electronic technologies employ time limits on their children’s use and/or discuss appropriate use of such technologies" (Wright 115).

Finally, it is important to remember that teachers may also play a crucial role in media literacy and navigating online interactions and tools. At this age, many students are beginning to crave independence and a little distance from their parents and families as they try to decide and explore for themselves who they are. However, middle schoolers still require nurturing and loving relationships with adults, and teachers, coaches, and other staff can fill this role. As a teacher, finding ways to introduce productive technology use into instructional activities, can help provide students with a trusted adult and a space to direct their questions to.