If you’re the parent of a teenage child, you’ve probably spent a good portion of your time worrying about how often and how long they seem to be online. They always seem to be texting, IMing, playing on Facebook, Myspace, or some other social networking site you’ve never heard of and you wonder what they’re actually doing. According to a study by the MacArthur Foundation entitled “Living and Learning with New Media” and published Wednesday in the New York Times, they’re doing exactly what they say they’re doing and it’s not a bad thing.
“It may look as though kids are wasting a lot of time hanging out with new media, whether it’s on MySpace or sending instant messages,” said Mizuko Ito, lead researcher on the study.” “But their participation is giving them the technological skills and literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world. They’re learning how to get along with others, how to manage a public identity, how to create a home page.”
The study also found that: “New media allow for a degree of freedom and autonomy for youth that is less apparent in a classroom setting. Youth respect one another’s authority online, and they are often more motivated to learn from peers than from adults.”
So while it’s probably still advisable to know what your kids are up to, you don’t have to worry quite as much while they’re online. They’re learning new things, exchanging ideas, and engaging in a truly new social experience.
Read the full article here.
