Interactive Media

From smart phones to Facebook, a few articles and thoughts for your consideration on their wise and unwise use.

Digital Overload: Your Brain On Gadgets

NPR story, including references to several other sources, on how the brain functions well, and not so well, under various conditions.

Kids Who Use Facebook Do Worse in School

Time Magazine article on Facebook.

American Psychological Association article on Facebook

Facebook: Friend or foe?  Children and teens’ overuse of social media is linked to lower grades, poor health and symptoms of potential mental health problems, new research shows.

A rant/treatise on what a Facebook friend means

A mentor and motivational speaker writes about what a Facebook friend does, and doesn’t, mean.  Levels of connection.

6 degrees of separation now 4

The average distance between people (how many connections) is lowering.

Texting articles

CNN article on health correlations / Boston Globe on texting as the new doodling in class.

Deeper conversations

Reminders about the value of those in addition to Facebook-like updates.

Nonversations

Cute title, article by CNN.  Ends with advice on how not to have them with your children, and, in itself is an “embers” idea to bring up with your children.  Similar, another article entitled:  The Flight from Conversation (NYT)