Critical thinking and media literacy: two characteristics deeply admired by great societies such as the Ancient Greeks, treasured by influential thinkers like Plato or Socrates. However, in the technological modern age, this is no longer the case. Life is fast-paced, restless and forever improving and innovating, especially in terms of technology. Students, one of the busiest demographics of people, are no exception to this; most of the day is consumed by activities, leaving little downtime.
Not only does the average teenager lack time to relish in deep, pensive thought; they simply don’t want to. Students are becoming increasingly busy — devoting time to studying, to sports, to volunteer hours and more — which researchers are starting to suggest may not be as beneficial as it seems.
A study published in the Economics of Education Review concludes that negative effects are “concentrated in high school, which is when enrichment activities become more oriented around homework and less oriented around social activities” due to “elevated academic pressure related to college admissions.” After a school day that is several hours long, followed by late-night practices or other extracurricular activities, it’s convenient to simply unwind by scrolling through social media, an action that requires minimal thinking.
Social media can be an addictive source for a quick dopamine boost, through instant gratification in the form of likes, shares and comments. Humans are social creatures, and the social aspect of apps like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok provide a strong incentive to commit time and attention to them. Content is short and sweet — Instagram reels are typically seven to 15 seconds long and TikTok videos are typically 15 to 30 seconds long — allowing for hundreds of videos to be scrolled through easily.
Enriching activities that benefit the brain, such as reading a book for leisure, have become a dying art — many teenagers only read a book if it’s assigned as material for a class. According to a survey performed by Common Sense Media, 18 percent or nearly one-fifth of teenagers “never read anything other than what is required for school or homework.” Literacy rates are suffering both outside and inside the classroom, with 60 percent of teenagers unable to read at grade level in the United States, according to The Book Truck, a teen literacy non-profit organization.
For younger pupils, reading is suffering on a similar level. “Students need to be able to read in order to be successful,” Tamara Bond, a primary teacher at Juanamaria Elementary School, urged. Literacy is a necessary component of every school subject — whether it’s a word problem in math, a social studies textbook or navigating life beyond the school gates. “Outside the classroom, students see how reading is an integral part of daily life such as reading directions, [a] menu, ingredients in food or a recipe,” Bond said.
Meanwhile, the total screen time for entertainment in children aged eight to 12 years old averaged at five hours and 33 minutes daily, as recorded by the previous Common Sense Media survey. “I have [an] increased number of children who enter second grade not being able to read,” Bond said, largely due to an increase in technology use for young children.
The method for teaching literacy for primary students has moved away from the English language as a whole, instead focusing on the science of reading and how young brains learn to read. Emphasis is placed on literary building blocks like phonics and phonological awareness. “I see more growth in the students’ reading by using these,” Bond claimed.
The ever-continuing replacement of activities that require literacy and critical thinking, such as reading books, with the convenience of technology and addicting social media continues to bring struggles to students in elementary, middle and high school levels. Although these options offer some quick dopamine, it’s imperative to consider the effects for young generations, and choose the book over the phone every once in a while.
