UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION
Abstract
This article discusses the effects of social media on children's socialization, friendships, and peer interactions, highlighting the positives and negatives, including the risk of cyberbullying and social comparison. It also explores the impact of the digital divide on children's education and career prospects and recommends solutions to bridge the gap. Finally, the article examines the exciting potential of emerging technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and robotics on education while highlighting ethical and safety concerns.
Keywords: Social media, children, socialization, friendships, peer interactions, cyberbullying, social comparison, digital divide, education, emerging technologies, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, ethical concerns, safety concerns.
References
Pew Research Center. (2018). Teens, social media & technology 2018. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/
Christofides, E., Muise, A., & Desmarais, S. (2012). Risky disclosures on Facebook: The effect of having a bad day on privacy protection behaviors. Journal of Research in Personality, 46(3), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2012.01.003
Twenge, J. M. (2019). IGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy–and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood–and What That Means for the Rest of Us. Simon and Schuster.
Kowalski, R. M., Giumetti, G. W., Schroeder, A. N., & Lattanner, M. R. (2014). Bullying in the digital age: A critical review and meta-analysis of cyberbullying research among youth. Psychological Bulletin, 140(4), 1073-1137. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035618
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2018). Cyberbullying: A Review of the Literature. In Handbook of Bullying in Schools (pp. 249-262). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203838014-20
Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns and mood. Body Image, 13, 38-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.12.002
Warschauer, M. (2004). Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide. The MIT Press.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (2019). Parent Survey Reports on Computer Use and Internet Access. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_cfa_2019_chapter_2.pdf
