Technology is constantly advancing pushing forward a new era in our society, but is it beneficial when used in learning. Does technology impair our social emotional development?
So, what is social emotional learning? Social emotional learning as defined by castle “is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.(—)” The start of research in social emotional learning started with james comer and his pilot program the james comer development program. He inferred that the experiences a child has at home and school affects a child psychological development. But it wasn’t until 1994 when the organization called CASEL popped up and created guidelines for promoting social and emotional learning TRANSITION. In the book it discussed how there is little difference between the emotional responses of both genders. But in areas such as verbal description of emotion, facial expression, and brain physiology potential differences occurred.
Technology comes in many different formes and has endless uses. And currently there is a big push for more technology to be used in the classroom. Technological resources that I have used include the internet, smart boards, laptops, wifi, and the list goes on. But should
more be added. Technology has been a distraction of many in the past. For example, I used to spend my english class watching vines on youtube. Not to mention how distracting it is when you are trying to socialize. I have a friend who is constantly on her phone. So when you are spending time with her you might as well be at home scrolling through facebook. But technology can also be used positively. To help aid conversations or add to a point. But key in instrumental technology is moderation.
There is a lot of debate regarding the effects of technology in social emotional learning or (SEL). Over all technology is a positive in SEL. Technology is enriching and when used correctly can be used to help an individual reach their goals. Technology is actually the new frontier for tracking social emotional learning. Such as smart watches and phones that can pick up on psychological indicators like stress. A study showed that kids who were exposed to SEL were more likely to succeed and live happier later in life. But is SEL something to be worried about as we grow older? The answer is yes. Some parts of our brain may not be fully developed until we are 35. Most signs of the brain declining are not evident until around 50 but can appear as early as 30. But don’t let that get you down. I find the biggest struggle of the upcoming generations is social activity, and technology isn’t a positive factor of promoting that either. Social media is a distraction in our normal interactions. It is now becoming more socially acceptable to be on our phones when with our peer groups. For example, i have spent time with a friend where all we have done is been on
our phones. I have found that technology has negatively affected our relationship. Because, facial expressions and eye contact is essential to understanding connotation and also figuring out what the other person is feeling. Another reason why face to face interaction is so important is because that is how infants begin to learn emotions and language.
Many are worried about the effects of technology on their children. And if technology is weighing down the development of social activity. The bonus of social networking online is that it gives you a sense of acceptance without having to deal with the stress of a face to face interaction. Such things to be stressed about include body language and tone of voice. But limiting social interaction can lead to speech impediments that must be addressed or may become permanent. Cultural influences also play a huge factor in social emotional learning. Such influences include how we communicate, religious beliefs, traditions, music, art, and even the community. They shape our social activities and change the ways we react to certain situations.