Facebook has become one of the best ways for people to keep in contact with each other today. I can talk to people I met and developed friendships with that live in Mongolia. Not only is it free but it is one of the best ways to stay involved in their lives. Facebook really can be a huge help to us today. But like other types of media, when it is misused it can lead to problems inside the family system.
While this may of been more of a humorous way to look at parents on Facebook, there have been several stories where children have died and Facebook has been involved in the death. Let me be clear, I am NOT blaming Facebook for these deaths, merely pointing out that misusing it can lead to serious issues in both individuals and families. Here are two examples:
Facebook and Academic Performance
Malynda Bjerregaard performed a study in 2010 to determine if Facebook had any negative effects on academic performance. While her study focused on college students, this information is applicable to younger students as well.
After having 130 students take a survey and analyzing the data, she developed three different criteria to show how spending different amounts of time on Facebook affects academic performance. The three criteria are outlined as follows and results can be seen in the chart below.
Criteria # 1
Students in this area were divided into two groups. Facebook (FB) users and Non FB users. Those who didn't use Facebook had an average GPA of 3.49 while those who did use Facebook had an average GPA of 3.27. This is not a huge difference and does not correlate to any negative effect on academic performance.
Criteria # 2
Students were divided into two groups for this criteria. Those who were classified as Non FB users spent on average 15 minutes per day or about one hour per week on Facebook or did not have a Facebook account. Those who were classified as FB users spent on more than one hour per day on Facebook. Non FB users had an average GPA of 3.56 while those that that were FB users had an average GPA of 3.36. One can start to see the correlation of time spent on Facebook and GPA.
Criteria # 3
Students were divided into two groups for this criteria. Those who were classified as Non FB users spent less than 1.75 hours on Facebook per week or did not have an account. Those who were classified as FB users spent on more than two hour per day on Facebook. Non FB users had an average GPA of 3.77 (A-) while those that that were FB users had an average GPA of 3.30 (B-). According to this criteria, students who spent more than two hours a day on Facebook suffered academically.
SO WHAT CAN I DO AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
National and State Government Level
South Korea has a very large problem with Technology being misused. In schools across Korea, students are taught to use technology appropriately even in the second grade. In the documentary Digital Nation, reporters showed 2nd graders singing songs about using technology in appropriate ways. There are signs around schools that help students see why it is important to not get consumed in technology. Similar programs could be adopted in the United States either through the National or State government levels. If we teach our children while they are young we can prevent so many problems.
Individual and Family Level
As with texting, take the time to set up rules and limits with your children and yourself. There are several different computer programs that can keep track of time spent on different websites or programs. Using programs like this, parents can monitor what children are spending their time on. Parents can also try to be part of the child's experience on Facebook. Request to be their friend on Facebook and then see what they are doing to make sure they are not spending too much time on Facebook or participating in inappropriate conversations.
PARENTS NEGLECTING CHILDREN WHILE ON FACEBOOK
While many think that Facebook is a problem among youth today (which will be addressed below), they are not the only ones who have "Facebook Addiction" as some may call it. Parents and adults struggle with using Facebook in moderation. Here is a video that illustrates how children can often be neglected because of Facebook. While this may of been more of a humorous way to look at parents on Facebook, there have been several stories where children have died and Facebook has been involved in the death. Let me be clear, I am NOT blaming Facebook for these deaths, merely pointing out that misusing it can lead to serious issues in both individuals and families. Here are two examples:
- In October 2010, CBS reported that a mother in Florida had shook her baby to death after the baby interrupted the mother's game of Farmville on Facebook crying. After shaking the baby for a time, the mother tried to calm down by smoking and then went back and shook the baby more.
- Watch this video for a shocking story of a baby drowning while the mother was on Facebook.
CHILDREN ON FACEBOOK
Facebook and Academic Performance
Malynda Bjerregaard performed a study in 2010 to determine if Facebook had any negative effects on academic performance. While her study focused on college students, this information is applicable to younger students as well.
After having 130 students take a survey and analyzing the data, she developed three different criteria to show how spending different amounts of time on Facebook affects academic performance. The three criteria are outlined as follows and results can be seen in the chart below.
Criteria # 1
Students in this area were divided into two groups. Facebook (FB) users and Non FB users. Those who didn't use Facebook had an average GPA of 3.49 while those who did use Facebook had an average GPA of 3.27. This is not a huge difference and does not correlate to any negative effect on academic performance.
Criteria # 2
Students were divided into two groups for this criteria. Those who were classified as Non FB users spent on average 15 minutes per day or about one hour per week on Facebook or did not have a Facebook account. Those who were classified as FB users spent on more than one hour per day on Facebook. Non FB users had an average GPA of 3.56 while those that that were FB users had an average GPA of 3.36. One can start to see the correlation of time spent on Facebook and GPA.
Criteria # 3
Students were divided into two groups for this criteria. Those who were classified as Non FB users spent less than 1.75 hours on Facebook per week or did not have an account. Those who were classified as FB users spent on more than two hour per day on Facebook. Non FB users had an average GPA of 3.77 (A-) while those that that were FB users had an average GPA of 3.30 (B-). According to this criteria, students who spent more than two hours a day on Facebook suffered academically.
SO WHAT CAN I DO AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?
National and State Government Level
South Korea has a very large problem with Technology being misused. In schools across Korea, students are taught to use technology appropriately even in the second grade. In the documentary Digital Nation, reporters showed 2nd graders singing songs about using technology in appropriate ways. There are signs around schools that help students see why it is important to not get consumed in technology. Similar programs could be adopted in the United States either through the National or State government levels. If we teach our children while they are young we can prevent so many problems.
Individual and Family Level
As with texting, take the time to set up rules and limits with your children and yourself. There are several different computer programs that can keep track of time spent on different websites or programs. Using programs like this, parents can monitor what children are spending their time on. Parents can also try to be part of the child's experience on Facebook. Request to be their friend on Facebook and then see what they are doing to make sure they are not spending too much time on Facebook or participating in inappropriate conversations.
No comments:
Post a Comment