by Aleicia Zhu and Angelica Dadda
On the National Day of Unplugging, users put down their cell phones for 24 hours. Inspired by Sabbath, the National Day of Unplugging was created by Reboot, a Jewish cultural organization. Still, Reboot encourages members of all faiths and beliefs to put a pause on device use.
But how difficult would this be in the long-term? In the modern world, cell phones and other devices are ubiquitous. Moreover, smartphone use is most often associated with teens. According to Pew Research’s “Teens, Social Media, and Technology 2018” survey, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone. Also, 45% of them are online ‘almost constantly’.
As expected, socializing is one of the main factors in device use. Another Pew Research study shows that 84% of teens use their cell phones to connect with other people. With the popularity of social media, several teens use technology to socialize. Without having to arrange times and shift schedules, teens can interact with their friends. In addition, it can offer teens a larger and more diverse pool of friends, be it from another country or a niche community.
However, online relationships have been denigrated as lower-quality than face-to-face relationships. In addition, it has also been accused of damaging face-to-face communication. For one, it can serve as a distraction. Secondly, it allows people to avoid in-person interaction. Moreover, social media has also been considered a source of danger to teens. Specifically, it creates a platform for predation or scamming. In particular, the victims are younger, less vigilant, therefore more vulnerable. In addition, social media has also been considered a source of mental health issues. For one, cyberbullying can become prolific because of anonymity and physical safety. Furthermore, social media is rarely reflective of reality. Unflattering photos or embarrassing failures are scarcely posted. Thus, it creates a platform biased to perfection. Additionally, tools like Photoshop can distort “perfect” even further, producing an unachievable standard.
Also, social media and gaming have been criticized for damaging productivity. However, technology is often used for homework, other assignments, and studying. Homework assignments are often found on electronic syllabi, and they can be posted on websites like Google Classroom. Also, major assignments can also be posted online, where they are often typed using Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Not only is typing faster, but mistakes are easily reversible and tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editors improve writing. Moreover, the internet is often used as a convenient research tool, where students no longer search through heavy tomes. In addition, the internet offers a plethora of study tools, ranging from cute study timers to Quizlet, a popular flashcard platform. Additionally, remote instruction is a viable option in emergencies. Besides school, teens can teach themselves using free learning resources like Khan Academy.
Though convenient, the internet is not entirely beneficial. For homework, easy access to the assignments can erode organization skills. Although this may not affect homework, organization is still vital to everyday life. Also, the internet research used in homework or major assignments can be inaccurate, as anyone can post information, whether it is reliable or not. In addition, technology is not always the best study tool. On the contrary, handwriting notes has been found to be more effective than typing them. According to the research article “The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking” by Pam A. Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, a study that conveyed this was conducted with university students. The students who handwrote notes performed better on conceptual questions than those who used a laptop. To explain, students who handwrite notes are more likely to process the information, because they must summarize. On the other hand, laptop users could type more quickly but would copy the lecture verbatim. As a result, both groups performed equally on memorization, but students who hand-wrote understood the concepts better. What’s more, the participants in the study did not have distractions; they were only allowed to take notes. In reality, students are inundated with distractions, like social media, text messages, games, and more. As many students know, academics are a central part of life, in which performance can determine mental health. As such, students need an equilibrium between the convenience of technology and its detriments.
Henceforth, technology can benefit teens, but it can also harm them. Therefore, it is clear that a balance needs to be maintained in order to benefit mental health. However, the Pew Research survey conveys that 45% of teens in 2018 spent most of their time online, with few breaks. So, whether it's on National Day of Unplugging or any other day of the year, teens need to take some time to themselves.
Discussion Prompts
How do you feel about your electronic use time?
What apps and platforms do you use? How would you describe their audience?
How does your device use differ from a student from your home high school? From another MCVSD school?
What is your parents’ device-use like?
If your parents monitor your device use, how do you feel about that?
How do adults and those older than you feel about technology? How do you feel about that?
Do you feel as if technology has a major impact on your health?
Do you feel as if BTHS encourages device use, whether directly or indirectly? How does this compare to your home high school?
If you couldn’t use your device for 24 hours, what would you do with your time?
How do you feel about technology use in teens? Is it an issue, personally?