Reflective Blog Post #5  Educational Technology Research

Technology Addiction: Concern, Controversy, and Finding Balance

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/uploads/research/csm_2016_technology_addiction_research_brief_0.pdf

This research article discussed the issue of internet addiction. There is considerable controversy about defining internet addiction, since there are so many different activities that are social and interactive, and would not be considered pathological. The amount of time spent using the internet is not really a good measure of addiction, because the internet is used in so many ways. However, the American Psychiatric Association suggests that internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a condition that needs to be addressed and researched more before identifying it as a mental disorder. Studies show that brain scans of individuals meeting the criteria of IGD show similarities between individuals with substance abusers and pathological gamblers. Gray matter density is lower, and this area is associated with executive functioning and impulse control. What is not known is whether obsessive gaming causes a change in the brain or whether people with certain brain structures are more likely to be addictive gamers. There are also studies linking IGD to a possible genetic component. Clearly, internet addiction can be serious and should be studied more thoroughly in order to understand how it might impact a child's development, cognitively, socially and emotionally.

Besides looking at internet gaming disorder, the article discussed other dangers of excessive internet use, including exhaustion and loss of relationships. Other studies looked at technology use as a source of tension in families. One study found that 1/3 of the parents of 8-17 yr. olds struggled to limit media and tech use. Another study found that 54% of the children surveyed felt their parents were on their devices too often and 32% felt unimportant when their parents were using their phones. Still another study showed college students checked their phones for texts every hour or less (every 10 minutes). Still another study explored multitasking and it being a risk factor for mental health problems.

Not every study suggested negative outcomes due to excessive internet use. For teens, the internet offers new ways to engage with others and even maintain relationships with peers. Some studies suggested that posting on Facebook is related to narcissism and a decrease in empathy, while other studies showed a positive relation to perspective taking. Common Sense Media (2012) did a study and found that children between 13-17 years preferred face-to-face interactions with their peers and 52% felt social networking helped their relationships with friends.

The conclusion of this article, addressing the many studies involving technology addiction, suggested a balanced approach to using technology, with adults role modeling for children quality usage of media, as well as making sure time is also spent disconnecting and engaging with others off-line.

Having explored this article and others, I think looking at technology research can be valuable to educators, as it is good to be thoughtful about our use of technology with our students.