How do our youth flourish in a media-focused world?
“Over the course of the week, students learned to examine the role of technology in their lives and became digital innovators...It was exciting to hear their ideas and see how they would develop prototypes for more positive and authentic connections on social media.” -Dr. Charmaraman,
The Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab summer workshop began out of a shared passion by Dr. Linda Charmaraman and Danya Bond, who wished to better understand the evolving relationship between social media and its youngest and most underrepresented users.
With the generous support of a $2,000 grant from the IAM Strong Foundation, the team was able to launch the lab's early workshop development to research how digital media shapes youth identity, wellbeing, and social connection.
Hence why the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab at the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) and the Wellesley College Computer Science Department host a free virtual workshop for middle school girls on designing healthier social media experiences. The five-day program allows students to co-design an app to promote positive social media use and feature Wellesley College students and expert speakers in the STEM field.
“It is so important for adolescents to understand the design and creation process of the apps they use. This knowledge can give them insight into what enabled unhealthy social media usage habits and empower them to find better solutions,” -Dr. Delcourt,