Technology and Socialization

The MacArthur Foundation paper and Will Richardson’s response to it focus on social networking and Internet usage of students. This use of technology, however, is happening outside the classroom. The MacArthur researchers contend (and Will Richardson agrees), that by not including these technologies in the classroom, we are impeding students’ learning and development of essential skills.

These articles elaborate on a number of positive aspects of technology use by teens. Below are some of the major points.

•              New technologies provide new social venues for teens.

•              Technology allows students to be in constant contact with peers.

•              Online social networks allow youth to connect with others based on interest.

•              Online chats can allow youth to discover and develop new interests.

•              The Internet provides opportunities for student driven learning.

•              Youth enjoy being online because their knowledge is valued.

While I do see many of these aspects as incentives to use technology, I do have some concerns. If children are socializing via the Internet, they are developing a new set of social skills. Is this set of skills being developed at the expense of face- to –face social skills? That is to say, because students are using technology, i.e. email, text messaging, facebook and the like, as opposed to speaking on the telephone and in person, are they less adept at reading social cues, body language and facial expressions? These skills are still integral to business, relationships, medicine and the humanities. (How comfortable would you be with a doctor who cannot explain your condition? Would you trust a banker who doesn’t look you in the eye?) I am sometimes lead to think that we need to teach our students and children these “old-fashioned” social skills because they are familiar with online social norms. Young people are comfortable with online social norms because they are participating in creating them. But I wonder whether they will have the opportunity to master in-person social skills. In addition are young people transferring what they learn online to face- to- face contact.