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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Colleges are using social media sites

According to Schools.com colleges are reviewing the use of social media sites such as Facebook pages for students who submit applications to attend various colleges. An average of 80% of colleges may be using these sites to assist them in making their decisions. The site mentioned gives information on how potential students can use social media sites to influence the decisions made by colleges. Students can gain insight by liking their favorite college and following them on twitter. The use of a video along with an essay is suggested so that the college can get a better impression of who you are. A blog will be looked at as an attribute and will tell the college some more about your major interests.

Be cautious of the pictures posted on social media sites as they may be used to get an idea of who you are as an individual as well as what your other interests are. A great point listed on the site includes the use of privacy settings to block access to certain areas on site pages. Privacy settings can be used to block information your friends may have posted that you do not want colleges to see, as they may have portrayed you in an undesirable manner. These are some great tips for teenagers interested in colleges who want to improve their chances of acceptance into the college they want to attend.

http://www.schools.com/articles/facebook-college-admissions-tips.html

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Has Technology affected the writing skills of teens?

Technology is affecting the way teenagers are writing according to an article written by Pew research.org “writing technology and teens. Teenagers do not believe that using various forms of social media involves the use of writing. An average of 93% of teenagers say they write not for school activities but utilizing technology such as cellphones for text messaging and on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Teenagers do not think that technology has influenced their writing styles. However they have become so comfortable using text lingo that some find themselves using this type of writing in school related activities as well. The article also mentions the importance of writing skills for success in various activities they may need in the future. Most teenagers write to keep in contact with friends. They also believe that in class writing could be improved to assist them with better writing skills.



http://pewresearch.org/pubs/808/writing-technology-and-teens

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Social media keeps Teens informed.

Since teenagers are using social media sites so frequently and at such a young age they are more informed on various issues from news in different countries to the new apps for cell phones or innovative devices to hit the markets. My son can tell me what is new on the cell phone market and what is going to be introduced in the near future. My daughter on the other hand who is more involved in the graphics available on software programs can tell me what they can be used for.

With this in mind marketing firms can use this to their advantage. They know who their target markets are and where they can reach them. A great percentage of teens can be found on social media sites therefore advertising on these sites can reach most of them. With access to this information teenagers pass it along to not only friends but to their parents and other individuals who may be interested. Social media not only keeps teenagers informed on various topics of interest but also helps marketers to reach several audiences at once.

Achievements made by teenagers in developing new applications.

How is technology assisting teens in making remarkable achievements? An article posted on yahoo shows how technologically teenagers are able to create new ideas that can be used to benefit society. Teenagers are included in the second generation of Web innovators. The article also goes on to say that because programming software is not as expensive as it was before, this makes it easier for teenagers to develop their ideas in more detail.

The 13 year old in this article Cyrus Pishevar developed the new Facebook application mentioned. Children are now introduced to technology at an earlier age; therefore they have more experience and knowledge. With exposure at an early age they have unlimited potential. One teenager says that he was surrounded by computer technology at such an early age that working with technology was natural to him.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-12/palo-alto-13-year-old-joins-generation-of-zuckerberg-wannabes.html

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Parents Involvement in Social Networking

Should parents participate in social media usage with their teenagers? According to WebMD social networking may affect kids’ health. The article mentions issues such as lack of sleep, physical activity and stress. It encourages parents to communicate with their teenagers on the uses of social media and to bridge the gap by exploring various social media sites and learning how the sites are used by teens.

Teenagers are urged to communicate with their parents or teachers regarding their uses of social media sites. The article relays the message to parents that though teenagers are perhaps more knowledgeable on technical issues, they may still lack the social skills needed regarding certain situations. Teenagers are still developing and learning social skills therefore it is important for parents to communicate with them on their uses of social media sites. Mistakes made by teenagers on social media sites can have serious consequences. They need to beware and parents should be involved.

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20110328/social-networking-may-affect-kids-health

Technology and Music

The type of music available to teenagers is unlimited. Music is available on media sites, IPods, downloaded to phones and even on the Kindle. Almost all devices available have some form of music available to teenagers which they listen to on daily basis. In order for parents to limit the type of music teens listen to they would have to monitor using several different types of controls. ITunes is a good example they have parental controls located in the iTunes Preferences that parents can use to set content restrictions.

Social network radio allows teenagers to listen to various types of music as well as view the videos. The impact music has on teenagers is still an issue that is debated. Parents try to monitor the music teenagers listen to but with media sites such as You Tube this is becoming more difficult. Parents will need to take the time to use different parental controls available to monitor music available to teenagers.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Are Teenagers well prepared?

New programs and applications on the market are changing so quickly. However, teenagers are very much in tune with a lot of new applications and program mostly those associated with social media. They can manage these social media programs and find information at a moment’s notice. My teen daughter is very skilled in the PowerPoint program and can do a slide show for a presentation with no hesitation. After talking with her recently I found out that at her school they no longer offer several classes.

Without computer classes will our teenagers be prepared? Technology is used on a daily basis for everything from work activities to simple bank transactions. I think these and other basic computer classes need to be offered to students which gives them the opportunity to learn new applications that are changing so often. In order for our teenagers to be prepared they need access to classes in computer technology.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Facebook Depression ?

Check out this great MSN video: Teen Facebook Use Can Lead To Depression, Doctors Say

“Facebook depression” was reviewed on several channels linking depression in some teenagers to Facebook. According to a few articles it suggests that for teenagers who are already having issues with self-esteem, social media sites such as Facebook can make it more difficult for them to increase their self-esteem. Facebook in particular shows totals of friends, status to name a few of the indicators they can see online. With all this information presented to teens they can easily compare their status to that of their friends.

There are still some disagreements among researchers as to whether Facebook actually causes depression or if this just increases the depression that already exists in some teenagers. In my opinion Facebook cannot actually cause depression but its use can lead to lower self-esteem if the teenager already has issues they are dealing with. Parents need to talk with their teens especially if the notice changes in behavior after using various forms of social media not limited to but including Facebook.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Teenagers and Driving

It is important as adults that we make sure our teenagers are aware of the need to avoid cell phone use while driving. There have been numerous campaigns and pledges involving cellphone usage and driving, one well know pledge was done by Oprah. The use of cellphones while driving impairs the ability of drivers to concentrate on the road instead they are distracted by the ongoing conversation or texting. Teenagers do not understand the severity and consequences of cellphone use while driving.

According to several articles texting while driving can increase the likelihood by as much as 20 times leading to accidents happening. Teenagers are just one vulnerable group as it relates to this issue. According to a survey reported by the Los Angeles Times newspaper they stated in August 2010 that the highest proportion of distracted fatal accidents occurred in those under 20 years old. Parents need to stress the importance of these issues to their teenagers so that they avoid distractions while driving.

Video Sexting

In a previous blog post I discussed sexting and the repercussions that arise with teens using this in communication. On the ABC news this week there was a special called “Beyond Sexting”. This segment discusses the use of phones to not only send sexual text messages but videos are now being sent with sexually explicit content. Teens are not prepared for the consequences that may result from taking part in such an activity. Technology is now being used by teens to explore and exploit sexual activities.

The teen involved in this segment discussed the consequences of her actions and the long term effects that it was having on her social life. She recalls being betrayed by someone she trusted and tells other teens to beware as this could happen to them as well. This is something that this teen will have to live with for a long time to come but what was great about this is that she was willing to use herself as an example to convey a message to other teenagers hoping that this will help them make better choices and avoid doing what she had done.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/teens-sexting-level-explicit-videos/story?id=13191501&page=1

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Group Interactions

A teen have access to information at his/her fingertips but is this good thing for them? Gone are the days of going to the library requesting books and looking for the information needed. They can now type in what is essential for a project or assignment and there it is no need to look or read extra trying to find the information needed. In my opinion this has positive as well as negative aspects and we as parents need to consider both.

Working together on projects now can mean simply logging on and meeting online. Does this affect our teenagers’ ability to interact socially? How does it help them learn to work together, develop the skills needed to combine efforts and work as a team? Even as an adult taking classes online, meeting in groups online is completely different to actually going on a campus and interacting with classmates. I think as parents we need to encourage more face to face interactions between teenagers. When working on projects and assignments encourage more interactions to improve and increase input activities, as this will help to develop their team spirit.

Introducing Social Media

Social media can be difficult for some parents to accept and allow their children to be a part of, however there are ways to monitor and sites designed specifically for tweens and teens that can help them develop online etiquette and skills so that they will be able to manage sites better as they get older and are able to access and be a part of sites such as Facebook and other social media sites. Facebook was designed for ages 13 and up but it can be accessed by teens as well. It is a good idea before teens actually go on these social media sites that they visit other sites to get an idea of the online world and how it works.

Some sites recommended for tweens are Togetherville, Garden Party and Everloop these are sites that can be used to access educational activities, games, chat rooms and other entertainment. Everloop is a great site as parents can get alerts and monitor ongoing activities. This site also partners with iSafe. Togetherville is another great site but this one is linked to Facebook but the child as no access to this media site. If you would like to expose your child to some online media sites before jumping into a site such as Facebook these are some sites you can explore.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Teens and College

The internet is the ideal way to complete college applications online and as a useful resource for research on different colleges and majors. Finding sources for financial aid and scholarships available to teenagers the internet can be a useful tool. http://www.quintcareers.com/teen_college.html is a great website for the teenager seeking college information and resources. The website also offers a section for charting your ideal career path. It can also be used to learn about different career choices and the ideal majors to reach desired goals.

The website also offers several different options for financial aid resources. They provide links to FAFSA, scholarships and loans. A link to MeritMoney.com provides information to high school students with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Find tuition.com is another great link to find financial resources for school tuition. http://www.freschinfo.com is a free scholarship search with no registration required. Overall this site has several great links for the teenager interested in attending college and can help the parent seeking information as well.

Internet teen pornography

Teenagers are more exposed to adult content in music, videos and online activities than before. Most teens do not intentionally seek out porn they come across it while seeking out other information, it may be the result of a search but they need to leave the site or exit the internet as soon as possible if this occurs. They are not emotionally mature to handle a lot of the information that they are subjected to on a daily basis. Even for some adults the level of pornography that is available is so much that they can become addicted.

For teenagers who are still developing this could be difficult for them to understand. They may become addicted and not even realized the extent of the issues they are facing. There are support groups available for pornography addiction and parents need to be aware of the signs of addiction if they believe that their teen has an issue. Internet pornography can become a serious issue for teenagers as they may lose focus in school and shy away from friends upsetting their social life. It is important for parents to have parenting controls and filtering devices on that block access to dangerous websites to avoid some of these issues. www.protectkids.com is a good website with more information on this topic.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

New Gadgets

Technology can also be useful to teens in various ways. I have included several things that will be helpful to the teenager who wants to be connected. A portable hard drive would be ideal for the student who works from school and home to keep track of assignments. I think the kindle eBook reader is great especially for the teen who loves to read. EBooks are generally cheaper and many books are available for free. The digital voice recorder enables classes and lectures to be recorded so they can be heard later on and used as a studying tool.

Another gadget available is a chumby. This is an alarm clock that is connected via the Wi-Fi network. It gives news, weather and other alerts to keep your teen up to date on current events. The Live scribe Pulse smartpen records audio and allows you link it to what you write this is ideal for the student who cannot keep up with the speaker. The sharper image programmable message clock allows messages to float in mid air they go directly to the clock, connection to the internet is all you need to receive and display messages from anywhere in the world.

Online Suicide Pacts

Teenagers are in the developing stages of their lives emotionally and physically. They are using diverse forms of technology on a daily basis to communicate and express themselves in numerous ways. It is more difficult to be a teenager today than it was several decades ago, there seems to be a lack of social communication skills as teens become more involved in interactions using technology rather than face to face activities. They are unable to build meaningful friendships and lasting relationships that can help them develop emotionally.

With no in-depth relationships they are unable to communicate and reach out for help when needed. Some may turn to other methods to make a statement or to prove a point such is the situation with those who make suicide pacts online and post the actual event. According to the center for disease control suicide is the third leading cause of death in those ages 15-24. The rate of teens committing suicide is increasing and becoming more real for many parents. While doing research for this topic I came across a website www.teenlineonline.org it was shocking for me to read the despair and depression felt by teens today. As parents we need to be aware of sites available online that relate to suicide pacts and the warning signs.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Cellphones appropriate age?

children with cellphones
I think that having a cell phone, website account or any other type of account depends on the maturity of the child or when the teenager goes to high school. Having said that I think that there is no specific age for a teenager to have phone.  The Pew Research Center study shows that 58% of twelve year olds already have a phone. That same study also showed that kids between the ages of 12-17 have a cell phone. In the UK teenagers get there first phone at eight years old, which seems young to me but again it depends on the parent. In 1999 everyone got there first phone at 20 years old.

Times have changed and technology has also but I think parents still need to give children the time to develop social skills and relations with each other face to face before cellphones and other social media accounts become involved such as Facebook and twitter.  Eight year olds in elementary schools now have cellphones and the age seems to be decreasing. With this growing number of children with cellphones schools have realized new rules to deal with cellphones on school properties.




Teens and Cellphones

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Why are teens Sexting and what is it?


Fall 2009- Sexting from Wicked Truth on Vimeo.

Sexting is sending sexually explicit or photographs messages between cell phones or any other communication device.  A great deal of teens are involved in this activity and maybe pressured into this by their peers or to impress someone who they think they are interested in. Teens need to be aware that even though they are not having sex that sexting is dangerous. After viewing the video you maybe surprised at the casual way teens talk about the topic of sexting.

I don’t think teens fully understand the legal consequences of their actions. If they are found guilty and are involved in these activities they can be charged with producing, possessing, and/or distributing child pornography. There are also other consequences for these actions such as rumors, harassment, social and psychological factors that can affect those involved. Parents also need to educate their children on sexting. I have included several tips from NetSmartz workshop on sexting.

THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES
NEVER TAKE IMAGES
You wouldn’t want everyone to see
BEFORE HITTING SEND
Remember that you can’t control where this image may travel
IF YOU FORWARD
A sexual picture of someone underage, you are as responsible for
this image as the original sender.

Teens and Sexting

Sunday, February 20, 2011

How much Texting is Too Much?

Most of the time when you see a teenager, they are either on the phone or if not, you bet they are texting! Two-thirds of teenagers say that they will text their friends then actually call them over the phone. Four out of five teens say that they sleep with their phones next to their beds. The majority of all adults send about 10 text messages per day; an average teenager sends and receives about 3,339 per month.

Texting is the main form of communication for most teenagers. Almost every teenager I know has a phone or access to a phone.  What is considered the right age for a cellphone? And at what age are our children given their own cellphones? In the long run some experts suggest that this may affect the way they are able to communicate verbally. In my opinion as long as there is a balance between texting and talking there should be no issues, however as parents we do need to monitor how much time is spent texting versus other forms of communication

Digital Abuse

Besides all the other issues teens are dealing with on a daily basis, they also have to include yet another which may cause issues within their relationships digital abuse. Teens are in constant contact with each other using various methods. They need to be aware of peer pressure even using these forms of communication. Relationships are not limited to when teens see each other and talk over the phone anymore; they can send messages pictures and even video calls using programs such as Skype and Ovoo.

With access to these and other forms of communication teens need to know that this could lead to other issues such as unnecessary messages that may threatening to them. There are also times when pictures are sent and requested by peers, girlfriends or boyfriends that show nudity and violent activities. In 2009 Verizon was involved in a campaign to make teenagers more aware of the use of these practices which were not safe and could lead to serious issues if continued. Teens need to be aware of the responsibility that comes along with the use of technology.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Cyber Bullying

Technology has positive characteristics and some negative ones as well; it all depends on your perspective as a parent, adult or even teenager. Cyber bullying or any type of bullying is very serious matter and it has been addressed as such. I will define the meaning of cyber bullying, it is the use of modern communication technologies to embarrass, humiliate, threaten, or intimidate an individual in an attempt to gain power and control over someone else. Some incidents have occurred involving the use of cyber bulling that has led to some seriously dangerous outcomes for those involved.
Almost thirty percent of students in grades six through ten are involved with cyber bullying or some other form of bullying. Everyday 160,000 students do not attend school as they fear being bullied. Bullying is a serious crime and should be addressed as such. Cyber bullying can lead to suicide, teenagers attempting to hurt themselves physically and it can also lead to very low self-esteem if continued undetected. There are several websites that focus on this issue; I have included links and one specifically that addresses cyber bullying laws.  

Text Messaging

Text messaging seems to be affecting the social growth of our youth.  They are so engaged in communicating with those who are not involved in the activity taking place at that particular moment that they are unable to focus on the event that they are supposed to be involved in. The event actually taking place becomes less important especially in family events involving activities to foster social growth and enhance family togetherness. I think that text message has affected the social development of teenagers; so much of their communication is done through text messaging or even on the computer that some are unable to function effectively in real life situations.
In my opinion church is the perfect example of where teenagers’ use of text messaging should be restricted as this activity is meant to foster the spiritual growth and social awareness of the teenager. At my church for instance they have included an announcement advising them to take phones off so that they are not distracted. Nevertheless, some are still texting during services, this is not only disrespectful to the person speaking but also distracting for those who may want to concentrate on the activity taking place. Teenagers need to be educated and made more aware of their use of text messaging regarding the appropriate time and place for this to be done.  

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Technology Addiction?

Questions are being raised regarding technology addition in teenagers. In a world where everyone has a cell phone, laptop or some device to talk or listen to music on, can it really be considered an addiction? Looking around it seems as though teenagers always have some gadget to occupy themselves at any given time. Doing one task at a time is unusual, most teenagers may be observed listening to music and completing assignments all at once. Multitasking seems to be the norm.

Is this going to have long term effects on the teens of tomorrow? Will there social skills be affected? Some reports “claim” that there is a correlation between the time spent on the internet, drug use, sexual activities and drinking. If this is true remains to be seen.  In my opinion, as with everything else teens need to be monitored while using the internet, cellphones and attention should also be given to the type of games that being played by our teens.  Over exposure to sex and violence could have repercussions in the future.

Lack of Teen Activity

Recently, a lot of focus is placed on the increasing obesity in both young children and teenagers.  According to redorbit.com experts suggest that there is a link between technology, caffeine and increasing obesity. Teens are staying up later at night which means they are not getting the rest they need. The average person needs at least eight hours of sleep to function efficiently. With this in mind, one may wonder “How are teens functioning with limited rest?”  Poor eating habits, along with lack of sleep results in weight gain which is an issue for teens.

With so many new games and online activities capturing the attention of teenagers, it is difficult to persuade them to engage in outdoor sports and activities. More energy and focus seem to be placed on the latest PlayStation 3, Wii, and the Nintendo DSI games. Unfortunately, statistics have shown teenagers spend limited time outside entertaining and participating in outdoor activities. Constant gaming and online activities has increased the amount of time spent indoors. Unfortunately, lack of exercise has attributed to the growing number of overweight teenagers.

Below is the link for redorbit .com

Friday, January 28, 2011

Internet Safety

Since technology is everywhere, parents are finding that they need to update their own skills in order to monitor what children are doing in the social networking world.  Parents have joined sites such as Facebook to monitor their children. On these sites teens may reveal information and act differently than they would in a different environment. They need to be aware of the risks associated with disclosing personal information on these sites as there are predators who seek out teens specifically. A good example is seen on the program “To catch a predator” where men lure teens as young as twelve and thirteen.

It is important for parents to learn how to navigate the internet and teach their children online safety. There are also simple ways parents can monitor online use, put passwords on computers, block searches that include key words that may be inappropriate using special filtering software. Computers should also be kept in a family area and the child should not be encouraged to use the computer in areas such as the bedroom or an area where they cannot be easily monitored. Teens should also be taught how to protect themselves by restricting access to their page, place settings on private and avoiding the use of private chat rooms. I have included a few websites with additional information on safety tips for parents and children.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Teen Tech: High School

Children are learning how to operate computers and access programs at a younger age. Now all schools have computers in their classrooms, and have incorporated modern technology like smart boards in addition to desktops and laptops. Educators are now urged to add technology based lessons to the curriculum using them to assist in learning. Giant Campus of Washington is an online school in Washington State offering courses for grades 6-12.  The program is free and gives students the opportunity to work from home or school. For parents who prefer to home school their children it is an ideal program. With access to online programs students can get a high school diploma and choose from digital arts, engineering, business and technology courses.  

After reviewing the online curriculum it seemed like a great idea for my daughter who is interested in digital arts but not so excited to go to high school. This led me to another website called Teen homeschool hang, this site offers homework assistance, health, fitness and even Christianity and religion. Students can also meet other homeschoolers in their local areas. Under creativity and entertainment homeschoolers have Open Mic for poems, arts and songs. The Library offers reviews for books, movies and music.  I am learning so much from doing this blog. I hope that this has provided some information for you as it has for me.


Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Teen Technology Mystery: Introduction

Teen Technology Mystery: Introduction:"As new technological devices are created, and the internet becomes the primary source of research, teenagers are continually being bombarded..."

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Technology Usage

Teenagers are using technology to stay in contact with friends by utilizing social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and My space. With Skype teenagers can actually see their friends while talking to them. They are able to access educational programs, complete assignments and even review their grades. The current rating shows Facebook as the number one social network used by teenagers, and YouTube is the most popular internet website. NASI (National Association of Independent Schools) says that 60 to 70% of 7th graders have a Facebook account.
As mentioned prior even in a school setting technology is used as teachers utilize the internet and various other online programs to assist students in learning. Companies such as McGraw Hill have almost 95 % of textbooks also available as e-books.  My concern is whether this takes away from developing the one on one interaction not only between students but the teacher - student relationship as well.





http://www.cyberbullying.us/research.php

Introduction

As new technological devices are created, and the internet becomes the primary source of research, teenagers are continually being bombarded by new gadgets constantly. More companies are developing devices that have practically helped diminish teenage interpersonal skills.
My blog will focus on technology and the specific effects on teenagers, parenting, and marketing. According to United States Department of Labor; the statistics show computer systems design, and other related services as expected major sources for employment opportunities in the future. The example below shows the internet growth rate, and how it continues to increase. The graph also reveals the increase in internet usage worldwide.
As technological devices and social networks are upgraded teenage behaviors are affected at home and in school. At home, technology makes it more difficult to monitor what teenagers are doing on their cell phone, internet sites, games, and television. With access to numerous cable channels, parents are forced to limit or block certain networks in order to monitor their children viewing capabilities. Meanwhile, companies are still targeting teenagers to increase their sales and gain higher ratings by using popular music and young stars in their ad campaigns.                                                                                                                 http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm