The excellent lecture presented by Dr Alex Grech and Prof. Bryan Alexander on social media organised by the Office of the European Parliament and the Strickland Foundation proved to be another opportunity for educators to rethink the effects social media imparts on the daily lives of students.
The Sunday Times of Malta has repeatedly published articles by educators inspiring the use and applications of IT. As an educator myself, I have long been thinking about the mixed blessing and perils of technology, and how the internet, Facebook, online chatting and other gadgets have opened things up around the clock and entered our living rooms.
The modern pjazza (Friggieri, 2000), and the ongoing zekzik (Grech, 2015) are of huge concern. I was utterly dismayed and shocked when I came across the photos presented by Erick Pickersgill challenging the public to think on the impact social media has on youth as well as adults.
On his website, Pickersgill showed his concern on how addicted we have become to mobile phones and how one’s behaviour has changed because of their presence in our daily lives. He writes: “The joining of people to devices has been rapid and unalterable.”
I myself must admit I am fairly rooted in the conservative ways of the book, pencil and paper, so a little bit of bias could result; but what really frightens me is the daily diet of routine and opaque messages we get from social media with hidden messages entirely subsumed within the bigger picture. Who controls who... and in whose interest?
Without doubt, the multitude use and applications of IT are of tremendous value. Educational institutions and professionals alike are constantly urged to use them for communication, management and as a teaching resource. Being competent in IT and familiar with its wider applications is a must in today’s world, and educators are continuously urged to promote this vision. As educators within a paradigm of power shifts, we are challenged to learn, unlearn and relearn (Toffler 2014).
Education is currently undergoing a welter of policies, most of which are a direct consequence of the excessive pressure levelled by the demands of the modern economy. The use of IT features prominently in this, as if the faults and defects of the modern economy are due to the shortcomings of education rather than the economy itself.
Featuring prominently in these policies is the importance of using IT across board. The 2012 National Curriculum Framework justified this with the assumption that IT equals innovation equals creativity equals new knowledge equals good economy.
IT applications seem to be all we have to stimulate innovation, creativity and new knowledge apt for today’s exigencies. But is education the panacea of economic drives? Does education has to be at the mercy of economic demands?
Despite the obvious benefits advances in technology have contributed to education and society at large, the social and physical implications are slowly revealing themselves. Families are feeling it. Ask any parent
Despite the obvious benefits advances in technology have contributed to education and society at large, the social and physical implications are slowly revealing themselves. Families are feeling it. Ask any parent.
Many teens seem to have fallen into a tech trap. Constant texting and abuse of social media holds them back from attaining social and developmental milestones. Even Pope Francis has alluded to this and spoke about the need to remove IT gadgets at prime family time which could stymie better communication at home.
Likewise adolescent communication skills may have gone the same way. Dr Stephanie Newman, author of Mad Men on the Couch: Analysing the Minds of the Men and Women of the Hit TV Show, expressed concern about parents losing on communication with teens. The ubiquitous look of youth walking on their own with their headphones deeply plugged in their ears sending a message of unwillingness to communicate, is of concern.
This post-modern caveat must be tackled with urgency. Educators must prioritise a value-led education with a wide spectrum of balanced challenges to cater for different learning patterns, the acquisition of useful skills that produce growth mindset.
My point is clear. Yes to IT, but with caution and appropriate balance.
Allow me to mention a few experiences of other education professionals that could easily provide equivalent challenges when it comes to innovation, creativity and growth mindset, as much as, if more than IT.
To begin with, the immense value of drama. Drama is my first pick. I am not here referring to the ubiquitous, outdated and outstretched prize day performances held annually by most colleges to glorify the ‘academic elitist few’. That is despicable. I refer to drama for students; the drama that empowers; drama that gives the less advantaged the chance to aspire and inspire, and the rest the chance to get the best of themselves.
I would also like to mention the relevance of physical education and the value of organised sports activities. A recent research study highlighted childhood obesity and the low rate of physical exercise among Maltese children (Cefai, 2015).
The study revealed that Maltese children are quite dissatisfied with outdoor areas where they can have fun. This could be addressed by organised school outings filled with fun, engaging activities and proper mind growth challenges.
A recent interesting outdoor activity that I have come across is diving underwater as a Physics lesson. Students were first given a lesson about pressure, depth and density. They were then invited to think of the effects of diving and made aware of the precautions to be taken. A professional risk assessment was then carried out and explained to students.
(To be concluded)
Chris Schembri is an assistant head at San Andrea Senior School, L-Imselliet. Ideas mentioned in this article do not necessarily reflect the school’s policy.