Natalie M.

Rudolph
Final Paper

July 20, 2015

Communication Technology

Blossoming Children in a Fast-Paced World: The Positive Effects of Social Media

Wow! I can see the Great Wall of China. This is the response of some children when
they use programs like Google Earth and Google Classroom. Social media has taken over the
classroom experience, children in New York can be transported to China. As an educator, it is
the primary concern of the teacher to help their students achieve greatness, social media has
made that possible. In America, an increasing number of students are using technology in the
classroom to enhance their learning experiences. According to David Nagel (2013), author of
Report: Students use Smartphones and Tablets for school, Want More, over fifty percent of
students have access to laptops, either in their homes or at school. Utilizing these devices,
makes it easier for students to connect with one another, conduct research and become computer
literate. Teachers are recognizing that students are in need of computer training, as a result, many
incorporate social media into their classrooms.
Google Classroom is a site that allows both student and teacher to engage in the online
learning process. The platform is very similar to Facebook, a medium that students are familiar
with. Through Google Classroom, students can post questions they have about assignments,
communicate about the topic of the day and turn in assignments, all at the click of a button. The
teacher can use this tool to monitor student usage, follow what students are working on and
reduce the use of paper through online assignment submissions. If one were to visit the Google
Classroom website, prospective users would see that it is easy to set up and works in

conjunction with all Google Apps ( Google, 2015). What else could one ask for? Sites like
Google Classroom have also bridged the educational gap that exists between social economic
demographics ( Ives, 2012, p.21). Because of the 1965 Educational Reform Act, students that
attend Title I schools (schools that are in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods), are more
apt to receive grants that gives the school more laptops, tablets, and e-readers. With a
combination of government aid and the abundance of social media, these students can reach
heights that were previously unavailable to them.
Facebook is a revolutionary tool that has brought school-age children together. Facebook
is now the new hang out for children, they can create profiles, request friends, like each
others posts, and express themselves all online. Teens like to hang out, they like to congregate.
iGen youth today congregate on social media sites for conversations, flirtations, immature
behavior and social exchanges (Ives, 2012, p.23). In todays world, it is common for parents to
be weary of the outside world, the news channels are littered with stories of children getting
abducted, raped and killed. It is easy to see why some parents may want to keep their child
indoors but, this does not stop the childs need to socialize. Children will communicate through
sites like Facebook because it is user friendly, popular and accessible. Social media sites like
Facebook also help children who are shy or socially awkward, it allows them to make friends at
their own pace and explore in a way that they feel comfortable. Sites like Facebook help
children stay connected while expanding their social horizons.

Many children are great creators, they build models, create scrapbooks, work with
robots, write eloquently, and are great with a camera. What better way to illustrate their talents
than online? Concepts like website building, coding, photo editing, and blogging are creative

ways that students can connect on the Internet. Children as young as five are learning to code
(building games and apps), with the help of their parents or teachers, these children are exploring
worlds that could potentially impact their future. While coding at school, students can collaborate
with other children, problem solve and gain new insights. According to a 2007 report from Pew
Internet and American Life Project, 64 percent of teenagers between the ages of 12 to 17 have
participated in one form of content creation activity online (Ives, 2012, p.26). More teachers are
adopting this creativity model, allowing students to hand in blogs instead of essays, photo
collages of a specific time period in history or creating a website that is all about math. With the
advent of social media, student potential is limitless, children are leading the way in this respect.
Children thrive on interaction with one another, various social media apps like Snapchat,
Yik Yak and Instagram help children to explore their social horizons. These apps offer ways for
children to create profiles which aid users in exposing details about themselves. Within their
profiles, users can indicate their likes, dislikes, display photos and make their opinions public.
This works very similar to face-to-face interaction, in traditional communication children would
introduce themselves, talk about their interests and share stories. Because of childrens limited
worldly knowledge, these interactions used to be limited to the schoolyard and neighborhood
but, since social media became popular, children can branch out further. These sites also allow
children and teens to reach out to others with whom they share common interests. This is
especially important when these connections have not been made at school (Gallo, 2013, p. 26).
If one were to check a childs friend list, they would no doubt find friends from different
schools, neighborhoods, states, and in some cases, different countries. The Internet is vast and
can connect children in many different ways, including specific interests.

Remember that kid in middle school who was considered nerdy or weird and played
with Magic the Gathering cards? Well, social media offers students with varied interests plenty
of ways to connect. In fact, there are many interface programs such as Clash of Clans, Call of
Duty, and Game of War, which encourages social interaction. The basis of these games are to
create, destroy and conquer, a concept which is best shared with team members. These team
mates can be from all over the world, while one is defending their fort in South Africa, the other
player in North America could be providing military support. Through these interactions,
children learn to problem solve, resolve conflict and meet new people. Social media
experimentation can lead to many victories; computer literacy, social awareness, increased selfesteem, and many more. As we progress through the 21st century, parents, students, and teachers
are joining together to create positive social media experiences that will benefit children for
years to come.