Adolescent Attitudes Towards Social Media in the Classroom

Abstract

As a future educator, I am concerned with the growing influence of social media in the lives of adolescents. With technology constantly changing, educators must reevaluate their techniques in order to teach effectively. For example, teachers might consider the relationship between students’ attention spans and their social media use. Teachers might also consider the effects of the different styles of writing students read online. This project examines the correlation between high school students' writing habits and their social media usage. Data has been gathered from 19 high school juniors in an AP Language and Composition class. The methodology for this project uses grounded theory research and includes surveys and writing samples. Students completed a survey about their social media usage that asked what websites they use, how often they use these websites, and whether or not they try to use proper spelling and grammar when posting online. In addition to the survey, students also provided an "on demand" writing sample of approximately 180 words. In order to discern any correlation between social media usage and writing habits, data was coded to identify differences in sentence length, spelling/grammar issues, incorrect punctuation usage, usage of transitions, awkward phrasing, and usage of the first person. This study found that there was no correlation between students’ social media habits and their writing styles. However, the data revealed students’ attitudes towards using social media in the classroom, information that is essential for teachers to understand in order to utilize technology effectively.