4.+Social+and+Emotional+Health+Factors

Manuel Castells, a distinguished analyst of the Information Age, travels around the world and has a tremendous understanding of the effects of developments of technology (Rantanen, 2005, p. 135). Castells believes technology is initiating changes in social structures around the world. He feels poverty has been both restructured and intensified by the rise of the global network society (Calabrese, 1999, p. 172), which may have as much to do with predetermined values as with access to technology. Castells stresses the importance of cultural identities in the reorganization of social and political forces, and goes into great detail about these identities and their effect in society. One of the most significant points Castells makes is the cause and effect relationship of the development of easy and widespread communication and mass media to give grassroots efforts the power to make an impact in the world (Calabrese, 1999, p. 174). Castells explains that the “public sphere” allows space for ideas to be shared and brought to the attention of those who are influential in society (2008). Now that communication networks have expanded to global proportions, the public sphere has become a global public sphere, and issues of the world or even the issues of one person can be uploaded to the world. Castells gives the example of the situation in Myanmar in October 2007 (2008, p. 86). When the global community saw YouTube videos of the violence taking place, the people spoke up in outrage, bringing global attention to the situation. Social well-being, especially for those who are oppressed or neglected, can be stabilized through the global debate forum provided by technology. It is important to keep in mind Castells’s observation that networks connect what is considered to be valuable, but also can disregard that which is not (2008, p. 81). It would be interesting to see further studies in this area to find out what creates value in today’s society. Overall, the larger picture of technology development seems to be moving in a positive direction for global social development. For today's school aged children, what are the benefits and dangers of living in the digital age?
 * Social ** ** and Em **** o **** tional Health **** Factors in Relation to Technology **

One of the most concerning negative consequence of technology for children is cyber-bullying. Bullying has been a problem as long as there have been kids, and it is defined as unwanted, deliberate, persistent, and relentless (Shariff & Johnny, 2007, p. 3). Handling the threat of cyber-bullying requires a new type of social coping skills. One study showed that the number of teens who used the internet to make negative comments about others increased from 14% to 28% between 2000 and 2005 (Miller et al., 2009, p. 30). Various studies report percentages of teens who report being the victim of harassment through technology, but the data has the potential to be flawed because many students do not report incidents of cyber bullying (Miller et al., 2009, p. 30).

There are so many ways today for kids to express themselves. The tools of MySpace, Facebook, cell phones, text messages, photo sharing, videos, websites, and Xanga can be used for positive sharing as well as for harassment. In many cases, those who use these networks have the benefit of anonymity. This environment exists almost completely in absence of rules and out of the bounds of traditional adult supervision. Communication can be replicated quickly, sometimes causing terrible and irreversible consequences. Research on bullying in any form has shown that 30% of teens tend to support the abuser rather than the victim, and the percentage tends to increase as a situation escalates (Shariff & Johnny, 2007, p. 6). This tendency coupled with the speed and breadth of wireless communication can cause extreme distress in a small period of time.

Cases of cyber-bullying and harassment are widespread. A Canadian high school student recorded himself play acting in a Star Wars costume and received so much ridicule that he had to drop out of school. He sued the boys who stole the video and posted it on the web. They settled out of court (Shariff & Johnny, 2007, p. 3). Many other cases have come to court, some even involved computers owned by the school. Unfortunately, other cases are more tragic, such as the case of Megan Meier, who was harassed and embarrassed through MySpace and committed suicide (Miller et al., p. 29). Recent attention to this issue has raised awareness of these real-life dangers students of today encounter. Schools, parents and communities are gradually developing better ways to help children with these dangers. Laws and policies must catch up with new ways kids use technology and must balance freedom of expression with an individual’s rights.

Many parents are just as concerned about how vulnerable children are to predators who lurk in virtual spaces. A 2004 study found 76% of the victims of predators were between the ages of 13 and 15, and 75% were female (Miller et al., p. 29). Although teaching children to be wary of strangers has always been necessary, the identification of predators is more difficult when they have no face or voice. Tech-savvy people use cell phones, photo sharing, and even GPS tracking in cell phones to pursue victims (Miller et al., 2009, p. 30). This is a danger that cannot be ignored; it must be addressed by parents, communities, and educators.

There are also unprecedented benefits to the use of technology for students. Studies show that active use of technology can increase student engagement and on-task behaviors, especially for students with ADHD or emotional difficulties (Morgan, 2010, p. 150.) The social networking systems such as Facebook, Second Life, and MySpace also have shown many opportunities for students to grow in social skills, allowing students to practice social skills to be used in the real world. However, instruction should take place in schools and families before students are expected to be able to use these skills. Morgan recommends skill instruction to deal with these networks, including teaching the art of conversation, learning how to express feelings, practice in handling negative comments, resisting persuasion, and making appropriate decisions (2010, p. 154). Training in these areas can help students develop competence in social situations, and should be taught in real-world situations through activities such as group discussion, role-playing, games, and situational experiences (Morgan, 2010, p. 148).