The Positive and Negative Effects of Facebook on Schoolwork - Essay Example

Jolie O’Dell’s article “For Students, What Is the ‘Facebook Effect’ on Grades?” shows both the positive and negative effects of Facebook on schoolwork. In this day and age, it is too much to expect students to be completely focused on their schoolwork and not pay attention to social media sites. The use of social networking sites can help with schoolwork because it is easier to participate with classmates online. By offering solutions, students are better able to understand the point of view of their peers.

The benefits of social networking sites are obvious—students feel more connected and display more confidence when they are active participants on social networking sites. From my point of view, teachers who discourage the use of social networking sites only turn students against them. While social networking sites can be used for purposes other than schoolwork, which takes away from studies, there are many instances where social networking sites can assist students’ performance.

Lori Aratani’s article “Teens Can Multitask, But What Are Costs” discusses an issue that is rarely brought up. I can relate to Megan Casady because my life follows a similar trajectory. I am always moving from one task to the next while trying to juggle a few things at a time. But I don’t think that it is all bad because it shows how productive young people can be. Teenagers are at an age where they have the energy to go out and do all sorts of stuff, so why not let them have the freedom to do that if they wish? I admit that I do not think about the consequences of multitasking; it is just something that we do. I think it comes from the pressure to be more than we currently are. I mean, there are only so many hours in the day, and it seems like a race to get as many things done as possible. If people took the time to slow down and concentrate on the small tasks in life, it may lead to a healthier individual.
This is something that I should maybe take into consideration. The problem is though that right now no teenager thinks about their well-being in 20, 30, or 40 years. If we slowed down enough so that we could enough the little things in life, we could become happier people as a result. It is difficult to accept now, but someday we may pay for working too hard during our teenage years.

Read More