Girls + Social Media: A Student Action Research Initiative
In briefAI summary — tap to read
Eric Walters and his students Meline and Lily presented research on how social media impacts girls' self-esteem, mental health, and relationships, offering action strategies for girls, parents, guardians, and educators to foster healthier digital habits.
Key takeaways
- Social media use significantly affects girls' mental health and self-esteem in today's digital age.
- Teens are often more addicted to connecting with each other than to social media itself.
- The research initiative provides actionable strategies for multiple stakeholders to help girls navigate social media more confidently and resiliently.
- Understanding the impact of social media on girls requires examining both the psychological effects and the social dynamics at play.
About Eric Walters and studentsEric Walters is a teacher who conducted this student action research initiative alongside his students Meline and Lily on social media's effects on girls.
AI-generated from the meeting recording — AI can make mistakes, so check the recording for anything important.
MEETING FOR THE WEEK OF July 15, 2024
This Meeting at a Glance:
Program: Girls + Social Media: A Student Action Research Initiative
Speaker: Eric Walters and students
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Program: Girls + Social Media: A Student Action Research Initiative
Speaker: Eric Walters and students
We bring you a new program every week on innovation, entrepreneurship, and education and how they contribute to service to others.
The Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley seeks to explore perspectives on service from across the world. The views of the speakers in our programs are their own and, unless stated otherwise, are not necessarily reflective of the views of our eClub or Rotary International.
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This is our second of three weeks featuring young people engaged in important work - in this case, questions about teens and social media.
Researcher Danah Boyd once wrote, "Most teens aren't addicted to social media; they're addicted to each other." Join us for an engaging workshop showcasing the results of a student-designed action research project, completed in partnership with ICGS, that explores the impact of social media use on girls' self-esteem, mental health, and relationships. Participants will hear from the student researchers and will review the research methodology, and, most importantly, actionable strategies for girls, parents, guardians, and educators. Discover how we can foster healthier social media habits and empower girls to navigate the digital landscape confidently and resiliently.
Eric Walters is the Director of STEM Education at Marymount School of New York, where he teaches Physics, Atmospheric Science, and several technology electives. He also serves as the faculty moderator for the Tech + Social Media Team, which coordinates the STEMxYouth Summit as well as the 2024 Girls + Social Media Survey. As an Apple Distinguished Educator and a Google Certified Educator, he believes that transformative teaching and learning occurs when students (and teachers) construct their own knowledge, collaborate with peers, and represent that knowledge and understanding in ways that are meaningful to the learner, all while receiving authentic, relevant, robust, and holistic feedback.
Members and guests, please welcome students, Madeline and Lilly, along with their teacher, Eric Walters!
To read the report, go to:
https://bit.ly/2024GSMReport
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