Dretzin, Rachel, pro. Growing Up On Line, A PBS Frontline Special. January 22, 2008.
Review
The PBS film Growing Up On Line is a documentary considering teenage computer skills and social networking on line and authority figures. Teenage computer skills are generally quite superior to their parents and teachers. On line social networking is a “virtual society” in which teenagers spend a significant amount of time.
Lives On Line. The “virtual society” is portrayed as often unruly and dangerous. It is hidden from parental oversight. Initiation into this hidden world begins with young children playing innocent on line games and becoming “friends” of fantasy characters. By the time teenagers are in high school, internet interaction is the “currency” of their relationships.
Classrooms. Computers and internet applications in the classroom bring an enormous amount of information into teaching, but are also critical in capturing student attention. Teachers claim that to teach effectively they must be more of an entertainer than they feel they should. Student thought streams are fragmented as they struggle to focus on classroom concepts. There are viable concerns that assignments are completed at all by students, that shortcuts and plagiarism are widely employed.
Self Expression. The internet provides an unchecked outlet for self expression and experimental behaviors. Teenagers readily expose parts of their lives heretofore considered private. Interpersonal conflicts may be “hashed out” on line as opposed to face to face. So intense may on line relationships be that one girl claimed she felt “erased from the world” when her parents demanded that she delete a provocative picture file of herself and the associated individual contacts.
Child Predator Fear and Cyber Bullying. The dangers of on line child predators were discussed. Some methods were presented to help manage this threat: locate the home computer in an open place and not in children’s bedrooms, apply site screening software, and ask teenagers about their sites. There was discussion that teenagers may be willing participants in risky behaviors as well as victims. Bullying on line has the potential to be more intense than interpersonal bullying. It invades teenagers’ homes, their “safe havens.” Inflammatory words maybe viewed over and over. The outcomes may be devastating.
Up Dates. The documentary closes with selected updates of its teenagers and families. Teenage choices of schooling and degree of anticipated “virtual society” participation were presented. The strained relationship of one child and his mother was highlighted. No one looked very happy.
Reactions
Film Criticism. To me, the essence of the film is a conversation about teenagers, teenagers in emotional turmoil seeking peers and others for acceptance and nonjudgmental guidance at the exclusion of their parents. The internet and internet skills are the platform to present the producer’s perspectives. Teenagers are portrayed in a sense as superior to and more powerful (in regard to their internet skills) than their parents. Little personal or social accountability is underscored.
Parents are portrayed as overbearing, controlling, and clueless as to how to make a significant positive impact upon their children’s personal and social lives. Children and parents are depicted as living in parallel life patterns. Religious values and morals are excluded from this documentary. Unconditional love, trust, acceptance, and honesty are the basics of good actual relationships; these elements were not address except by their absence.
Review
The PBS film Growing Up On Line is a documentary considering teenage computer skills and social networking on line and authority figures. Teenage computer skills are generally quite superior to their parents and teachers. On line social networking is a “virtual society” in which teenagers spend a significant amount of time.
Lives On Line. The “virtual society” is portrayed as often unruly and dangerous. It is hidden from parental oversight. Initiation into this hidden world begins with young children playing innocent on line games and becoming “friends” of fantasy characters. By the time teenagers are in high school, internet interaction is the “currency” of their relationships.
Classrooms. Computers and internet applications in the classroom bring an enormous amount of information into teaching, but are also critical in capturing student attention. Teachers claim that to teach effectively they must be more of an entertainer than they feel they should. Student thought streams are fragmented as they struggle to focus on classroom concepts. There are viable concerns that assignments are completed at all by students, that shortcuts and plagiarism are widely employed.
Self Expression. The internet provides an unchecked outlet for self expression and experimental behaviors. Teenagers readily expose parts of their lives heretofore considered private. Interpersonal conflicts may be “hashed out” on line as opposed to face to face. So intense may on line relationships be that one girl claimed she felt “erased from the world” when her parents demanded that she delete a provocative picture file of herself and the associated individual contacts.
Child Predator Fear and Cyber Bullying. The dangers of on line child predators were discussed. Some methods were presented to help manage this threat: locate the home computer in an open place and not in children’s bedrooms, apply site screening software, and ask teenagers about their sites. There was discussion that teenagers may be willing participants in risky behaviors as well as victims. Bullying on line has the potential to be more intense than interpersonal bullying. It invades teenagers’ homes, their “safe havens.” Inflammatory words maybe viewed over and over. The outcomes may be devastating.
Up Dates. The documentary closes with selected updates of its teenagers and families. Teenage choices of schooling and degree of anticipated “virtual society” participation were presented. The strained relationship of one child and his mother was highlighted. No one looked very happy.
Reactions
Film Criticism. To me, the essence of the film is a conversation about teenagers, teenagers in emotional turmoil seeking peers and others for acceptance and nonjudgmental guidance at the exclusion of their parents. The internet and internet skills are the platform to present the producer’s perspectives. Teenagers are portrayed in a sense as superior to and more powerful (in regard to their internet skills) than their parents. Little personal or social accountability is underscored.
Parents are portrayed as overbearing, controlling, and clueless as to how to make a significant positive impact upon their children’s personal and social lives. Children and parents are depicted as living in parallel life patterns. Religious values and morals are excluded from this documentary. Unconditional love, trust, acceptance, and honesty are the basics of good actual relationships; these elements were not address except by their absence.
Some Thoughts. Immature, narcissistic behaviors are not unique to today’s teenagers. However, internet socializing encourages and exploits these behaviors. In lieu of strong personal relationships, the internet presents as a constant “friend,” ever available to “listen.” Direct, personal encounter skills have diminished opportunity for exploration and development.
It is my experience that actual personal relationships are seldom made in a "click"; they are built over time and use a wide variety of connection modalities. Relationships limited to “clicking” are frequently fleeting and without significant depth.
Lost, lonely children tumbling along in life without moral constraint and lacking personal security in an adult who determines to unconditionally love them is a huge problem. I am not sure how to fix that. I can only say it most optimally is started when teenagers are babies and that the need for good relationships continues throughout life.
My Teaching Setting. I must not expect students to recognize “what I know” as important without also recognizing and being skillful at what they know. Learning is ever constant and requires deliberate attention from teachers. This underscores to me how important it is to be skillful to some degree in all form of communication to maintain viability. I believe that strong, dependable trust is basic to good personal interaction and significantly impacts the direction of virtual interactions.
All of my “students” are professionals and over 20. I have learned (and it has taken time and not without mistakes) to avoid being judgmental and accept the good that individuals have to offer in their work. I am in a position to enable and facilitate professionals to have confidence and skills in critical life situations. Each day I see the confidence element as more critical.
Interpersonal skills are often lacking in professionals, younger and older. I have been the recipient of some thoughtless emails and instant messages. I find that neutral or positive responses, personal notes, calls, and remembering individual needs is both surprising and well received. I try to build trust by strengthening their ability to remember algorithms and critical responses without judging their weaknesses. I really do. I know that professionals must know the material or skill even better than me because when they are done they must use it to save a life.
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