Casual Use of Social Media Improves Productivity

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Permalink Reply by Kiwi Commons on April 7, 2009 at 10:13am

Wow. Great idea. I'm quite curious myself. It may not be the same case because kids have less self-discipline and their attention spans may be shorter. Also, there's arguably more social activity going on among teens and sometimes they may not see the direct incentive for school, which makes it easier for them to divert their attention for longer periods of time. On the other hand, with adults, if they don't get their work done, that's their income, reputation, and living at stake, so self-control isn't so much an issue.

Did you hear about the DOPA act that forbids social network sites in schools and libraries as an internet safety precaution?

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie Clarkson on April 14, 2009 at 3:00am

My....lord. No, I had missed DOPA completely...I was living in Canada at the time (I'm a citizen of Canada and a permanent resident of the United States, and I tend to get an urge to go live in the other one every so often). What an utterly inane thing...I mean, *Moodle* would be banned under that. The sponsor of the bill is quoted on Wikipedia as saying, '(the) world moves and changes at a dizzying pace," and as far as I can tell from the arguments in favour, his main argument seems to have been, 'so I want to stop it.'

I am participating in Focus: Cross Generational Voices on Digital Media and Society for the next 3 weeks. There is a comment in the 'teachers lounge' that notes 'Most teachers and parents aren't talking about the issues. It's rare to have adults that are tuned into how their teens' lives are changing and engaging in a way that isn't based on fear or reactivity.'

In a lot of ways, I think that pinpoints things, and indeed, is why I'm studying what I am (we've finally decided that my Individually Designed Bachelor's will be called 'Technology and New Media in Education' - I'm kicking things off with a class on Digital Storytelling this summer). Education needs more people like myself (a lifelong early adopter; I had my first computer in 1981, when I was 11), and the people on this board to take some of the reactive fear out of the coming changes.

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Permalink Reply by Kiwi Commons on April 27, 2009 at 12:35pm

I absolutely agree with you Stephanie. Many parents seem to be approaching the subject of Internet Safety from a fear mongering approach, discounting a lot of its uses and writing things off like social network sites as an unnecessary evil. I don't think that this rejection of the Internet is effective at all in addressing Internet safety because like it or not, technology isn't going anywhere and it's an everyday utility in kids' lives that they need in order to keep up with our information society.

Your digital storytelling sounds interesting. What does that involve?

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Permalink Reply by Enrique Guevarra on April 15, 2009 at 11:04pm

Hi !

Since I get myself connected with web , I normally integrate browsing net sites with working . I found this undertaking so relaxing especially when am occupied with much work in the office. For that reason, I tend to agree with the article implying that employees who are immersed in internet during working hours are more productive provided it has not consumed the total working hours.

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Permalink Reply by Kiwi Commons on April 27, 2009 at 12:36pm

Agreed. It's a necessary mind refresher.

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