By Be Responsible, Be Involved
EDI 17 Psychology and Development of Adolescent Students
College of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
March 17, 2010
“Growing Up Online” was an informative video that gave me a lot to consider. I believe that the Internet can open a world of possibilities for children, adolescents, and young adults. Technology has certainly had a major impact on the field of education, especially in the ways students research and gather information; whether it be for classroom activities, assignments, or projects, students today can utilize the ease and efficiency of the Internet to find just about anything they can possibly need. The Internet also allows young people to stay connected with friends and family on a constant (24/7) basis; even though students may leave school and go home at the end of the day, they can stay in complete contact with friends and peers via instant messaging, email, and social networking sites (such as Facebook).
However, our nation’s youth has developed an increasing dependency (to the point of obsession) on the computer and on the Internet; this dependency can cause a wide variety of negative, even harmful, consequences. I believe that young people today, especially teenagers, are losing touch with traditional interpersonal communication and interaction because of their reliance on the computer. Many adolescents and young adults use the computer as a fast and easy way to stay connected with their friends. Nevertheless, many adolescents and young adults hide behind the computer (with the thinking that they are removed from personal interaction) and participate in behaviors that would be more difficult to enact when around real people; the Internet increasingly serves as an outlet for rumors, gossip, name-calling, and conflict.
In addition, I think that many adolescents today are so free to share their entire lives on the computer; what they do not realize is the value of privacy. They need to understand the potential dangers that exist from exposing personal information on the Internet, and I think that parents need to take a more proactive role in monitoring what their children do (what websites they are visiting, who they are talking to, etc.) when they are on the computer. Watching the video led me to think about my own experiences with computers and the Internet. I think that the computer/Internet rules in my house would seem quite strict and unfair to many adolescents and young adults.
I have younger sisters who all love to spend time on the computer; they enjoy playing games, talking with friends, listening to music, and keeping up to date with their favorite TV shows and movies. My sisters and I are all very responsible when it comes to the using the computer; I believe that this results primarily from our innate maturity and responsibility, but I also think that the rules our parents have maintained with regard to computer usage have given us the structure to act responsibly and stay safe online. My mom has kept a list of our passwords, computer time is earned (through chores and positive achievement at school), and my parents will occasionally check-in when one of my younger sisters is online (what they are doing, who they are talking to, etc.).
My parents hate it when my sisters quickly minimize the screen when they walk near the computer; as a result, if one of my sisters does this, computer time is lost. Although these rules sometimes frustrated me growing up, I look back and realize that nothing bad ever happened online and that the open communication with my parents allowed us all to feel more connected. I recommend that parents today make sure that they actively monitor their children’s computer activities and communicate with their children to ensure safe computer practices.
EDI 17 Psychology and Development of Adolescent Students
College of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
March 17, 2010
“Growing Up Online” was an informative video that gave me a lot to consider. I believe that the Internet can open a world of possibilities for children, adolescents, and young adults. Technology has certainly had a major impact on the field of education, especially in the ways students research and gather information; whether it be for classroom activities, assignments, or projects, students today can utilize the ease and efficiency of the Internet to find just about anything they can possibly need. The Internet also allows young people to stay connected with friends and family on a constant (24/7) basis; even though students may leave school and go home at the end of the day, they can stay in complete contact with friends and peers via instant messaging, email, and social networking sites (such as Facebook).
However, our nation’s youth has developed an increasing dependency (to the point of obsession) on the computer and on the Internet; this dependency can cause a wide variety of negative, even harmful, consequences. I believe that young people today, especially teenagers, are losing touch with traditional interpersonal communication and interaction because of their reliance on the computer. Many adolescents and young adults use the computer as a fast and easy way to stay connected with their friends. Nevertheless, many adolescents and young adults hide behind the computer (with the thinking that they are removed from personal interaction) and participate in behaviors that would be more difficult to enact when around real people; the Internet increasingly serves as an outlet for rumors, gossip, name-calling, and conflict.
In addition, I think that many adolescents today are so free to share their entire lives on the computer; what they do not realize is the value of privacy. They need to understand the potential dangers that exist from exposing personal information on the Internet, and I think that parents need to take a more proactive role in monitoring what their children do (what websites they are visiting, who they are talking to, etc.) when they are on the computer. Watching the video led me to think about my own experiences with computers and the Internet. I think that the computer/Internet rules in my house would seem quite strict and unfair to many adolescents and young adults.
I have younger sisters who all love to spend time on the computer; they enjoy playing games, talking with friends, listening to music, and keeping up to date with their favorite TV shows and movies. My sisters and I are all very responsible when it comes to the using the computer; I believe that this results primarily from our innate maturity and responsibility, but I also think that the rules our parents have maintained with regard to computer usage have given us the structure to act responsibly and stay safe online. My mom has kept a list of our passwords, computer time is earned (through chores and positive achievement at school), and my parents will occasionally check-in when one of my younger sisters is online (what they are doing, who they are talking to, etc.).
My parents hate it when my sisters quickly minimize the screen when they walk near the computer; as a result, if one of my sisters does this, computer time is lost. Although these rules sometimes frustrated me growing up, I look back and realize that nothing bad ever happened online and that the open communication with my parents allowed us all to feel more connected. I recommend that parents today make sure that they actively monitor their children’s computer activities and communicate with their children to ensure safe computer practices.
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