Does Tech Use Hurts Ski Racers?
I have a lot of pet peeves when it comes to ski racers when they’re training including leaning on their poles shortly before a training run (no intensity), chatting it up with teammates when they’re in the starting gate of a training course (no focus), and half-hearted effort to the first gate (easing into the […]
Read MoreIs Social Media an Existential Threat to Civilized Society?
The conventional wisdom among social-media experts is that social media is neither good nor bad; rather it is how social media is used that determines whether it is life affirming or life damaging. These same social-media experts (myself included) have been reluctant to speak strongly against these technology platforms for fear of being labeled a […]
Read MoreHow Social Media Can Mess with Athletes’ Heads
I was recently interviewed for an article that explored the impact of social media on how athletes perceive themselves psychologically and emotionally and its impact on performance. Whether competing at the junior, collegiate, international, or professional level, looking at how other people (including rabid fans!) can be jarring to athletes. Social media has become an […]
Read MoreSocial Media Use Among Teens is Increasing
Back in 2012, Common Sense Media, the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology, published a groundbreaking survey examining the use of technology and social media among young people ages 13-17. The results were shocking in how much children were immersed in technology six years ago. CSM […]
Read MorePro Athletes are Hooked on Social Media Too
As the author of a book on the impact of technology on young people’s lives, I see tremendous value in the use of technology to enhance athletes’ lives. At the same time, I also have grave concerns about its overuse, particularly with social media. In January, 2017, I wrote a blog post exploring how excessive […]
Read MoreKids & Screen Time: Two Perspectives
As the author of a book on the impact of technology on children and families, Raising Generation Tech, I have a strong professional interest in the role that the myriad of devices and screen time now found in the hands of children and their parents alike plays in the development of young people and the […]
Read MoreHow Media Use Hurts Athletes
I have a lot of pet peeves when it comes to athletes when they’re training including standing around before drills (no intensity), chatting it up with teammates when they’re about to begin practice (no focus), and half-hearted effort at the beginning of workouts (competitions can be lost in the few minutes). But I now have […]
Read MoreHow the Internet is Changing Your Brain
See a fascinating infographic from onlinecoursereport.com (read the basic findings below) that describes how the Internet is changing the way our brain works (for both good and bad). Distracted? 7 Ways the Internet is Changing Our Brains The Internet is a marvelous thing. Games, vast information, shopping, friends, medical advice: all at our fingertips. […]
Read MoreKeep Smartphones Out of Your Kids’ Bedrooms
Here’s a shocking bit of news (note ironic tone) reported in the Huffington Post today: A substantial number of tweens and teens wake up in the middle of the night to either check or post on their social media. Researchers indicated that this habit, found in more than 20% of young people surveyed, disrupted sleep, increased fatigue, […]
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