When one leaves for college they often leave many of their old friends behind. How does one stay in touch with friends of the past? How does one make friends in this new environment that is so foreign to all of us? The answer, is Facebook. But is Facebook good for college students or does it create too big of a distraction? Recently Ohio State University did a study which linked Facebook use and lower grade point average in institutes of higher learning. The study itself, which surveyed just over two-hundred people, shows that students that use Facebook studied approximately ten hours less a week than those that didn't use Facebook. The study, however, does have some flaws and many people point out that other procrastination tools, such as television, could have a similar affect on study times. I also did some research of my own and discovered that over 85% of college students have a Facebook. This might put those 15% that do not have a Facebook in a completely different category of student that was more likely to study and get better grades than the rest of the student body regardless of the distraction Facebook might provide. As a result of these studies, many professors have begun to ban laptop use in their classrooms to prevent the temptation of logging onto Facebook and becoming distracted from the lecture.
But Facebook isn't all bad, in fact there are some that claim Facebook could be good for students attending college. Most notably, EDUCAUSE (who's goal is to "advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology") has put out some startling research (HERE and HERE) on the subject. They even went so far as to put out a pamphlet aimed at college professors that explains what Facebook is and why it is essential in teaching and learning environments. They have also theorized that Facebook allows college students to become better connected and cope with any feelings of depression, anxiety, stress and homesickness they might feel when first beginning college.
So what does this all mean to the average college student? Should they be using Facebook or not? The answer to that question isn't simply a yes or a no but, in my opinion, is a combination of the two. Facebook is an easy way to meet new people and make friends, which are both crucial for a new college student. But it shouldn't detract from your school work. You shouldn't use it to drown out a professor whos lectures you find particularly boring and it shouldn't be utilized to procrastinate assignments that deep down you know need to be done. Students aren't going to stop using Facebook simply because they are in an environment that challenges them more than the last, but they should proceed with caution and make sure that it doesn't detract from either their studies or activities they could be participating in.
No comments:
Post a Comment