Does spending time on social media platforms really help youngsters to think critically or is it just for time pass?

Stream: Online networks and change stream

Abstract

We are all living in a digital era nowadays and more and more people and youngsters are high consumers of social media platforms to acquire information. Youngsters utilize Facebook, one amongst the most used social media platform. As Khan & Idris (2019) discussed, people rely upon the internet and social media for acquiring knowledge. The reason is social media allows flow of news and have that “participatory” element. Social apps may help youngsters acquire information but they should be able to develop their mind critically to be able to distinguish between true and untrue news. Critical thinking techniques give youngsters that mind to better learn the “truthfulness” of news acquired from social media platforms, as Khan & Idriss (2019) talked about. Social media platforms provide participatory and user-driven online culture and people are able to think critically while using social media and is not only for time-pass. How true are youngsters to find true news or just time passing themselves on social media platforms will be debated.

Keywords: Social media platforms, youngster, participatory, critical thinking, Facebook.

News is spread in-order to tell the population what is happening.  Critical thinking is developed and supervised, as Celuch & Stama (2002) said. To double check news on social media platforms, it demands either techniques or digital media literacy. What digital media literacy implies is simple internet techniques like filtering, accessing and making content as Khan & Idris (2019) talked are the skills to double cross-check news on social media platforms. To become a good critical thinker, it is mandatory to build the right attitude, according to Halpern (2014). For youngsters to become a critical thinker is they should think critical thinking part of their self-portrayal, then they will want to think critically while utilizing social media platforms.  AS Celuch & Slama (2002) said, youngsters will try to become critical thinkers if they perceive they have authority over critical thinking behaviors. If digital media literacy of youngsters is ameliorated, they will have that courage to become critical thinkers. Critical thinking in news media literacy is the ability for youngsters to reflect upon the news. To counter- argue this statement, youngsters are always holding up to their mobile phones and making use of social media platforms but at the end, youngsters ought to distinguish between the real and virtual environment. Social media makes youngsters to consume news at any time and irregularly without giving s lot of chance to understanding and assessing the content. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok is not utilized sometimes to become critical thinkers as youngsters want to be well-known, that need to stay connected with friends.

Examples of social media apps and their utilities for youngsters

Tik Tok

One social media platform is Tik Tok. It is a social media platform where critical thinking may be applied. A young child, aged 15 years of age is active at-least 2 hours every day, according to O’Neil, Livingstone & McLaughlin (2011). What is Tik Tok all about? As Herman (2019) said, Tik tok has just taken birth as a social media platform where people post short type of videos.  It is youngsters who utilize the platform the most ageing from six to sixteen years, according to Pouderoyen (2019). Not only Tik Tok makes youngster become critical thinkers, it also encourages participatory culture. Critical thinking means to reflect upon oneself and thus tiktok users ought to be critical of how they depict themselves on the social media platform. Tik Tok users ought to be critical of how they depict themselves on the social media platform. A youngster watching a video about investment ought to have that critical mind as he should know whether the investment is done correctly or not.  Youngsters aged between 14 to 17 will think twice before posting on the social media platform whether it is a good video, is it promoting something to his/her age group or not. Is it a positive or negative video?  As Jenkins (2006) said, participatory culture is where users have to investigate critically their own online behavior. It is a great plan of Tik Tok creators to make youngsters to think critically and have that element of participatory culture at the same time.

Facebook

Like Tik Tok, Facebook also is a social media platform where most users spend their time upon. Does Facebook act mostly the same way as Tik Tok? Why not. Facebook is the most utilized media platforms by youngsters. According to Jones & Fox (2009), Matney & Borland (2009), youngsters from 15 years onwards utilize Facebook as the platform encourages participatory culture which in- return empower critical thinking as they provide thoughts, judgements with their colleagues and teachers.  Facebook is a platform where students are able to tell their opinions compared to being in a classroom, as Cheung et al (2011) described. The platform takes into account better investment in the learning outcomes. As Black (2005) debated, having online talks make students think critically and questions ought to be well-answered; and thus, in this context developing a critical mind. By having online talks, there are debates, there is exchange of ideas, telling other people what is good and what is wrong and what corrections need to be made.

Twitter

As trubit & Overholtzer (2009) said, Twitter is described for sharing news, create and encourage relationships. Despite Twitter being a social media platform, it plays a vital role in youngsters lives, according to Todoric (2011). Twitter helps in becoming a critical thinker about the social and political parts of data creations as Dunaway (2011) discussed. Here also, just like Facebook and Tik Tok, Twitter provide that aspect of participatory culture as Dunlap & Lowenthal (2009b) talked, Twitter helps informal learning, make youngsters develop a critical mind. Youngsters become self-learnt, knows how to think critically, to tackle issues, create new ideas, learns and appreciate working with other people. There is aspect of participatory culture, critical thinking and yet social media platforms is still seemed to be a time pass for youngsters? This view needs to be changed as spending time makes youngsters think critical in their work. They become self-learnt and knows to take the right decision.

Instagram

One another social media platform which is Instagram appeared in 2010 and has since become a great phenomenon globally. As Hu (2014) said, Instagram is a platform where people portray themselves to the global world in simpler words. According to Instagram (2013), there is over 16 billion photos shared. Well, who would have predicted that Instagram would be a great educational tool? Lots of works can be performed throughout the app as it helps people to know other people, collaborate together, share experiences, thoughts.

 Teachers for their students may share other people’s work and thus the students making efforts to do research, distribute reading book where students will post their preferred book on the app and will think critical and also their friends will comment, will give their views and opinions. Photos is not only about taking picture and looking good but on a critical note, on Instagram, a photo depicts a thousand words. Pictures aide youngsters to think hard about what captions are to be written. Who said Instagram is only just time-pass as on the platform, it gives people the ability to develop a critical mind.

Roles of social media platforms for youngsters to think critically

Social media platforms give the possibility for youngsters to be in-touch with their friend’s circle. It has that aspect of collaboration which allows to create a text having deep meaning than single-genre text. Having an online collaboration make youngsters think critically as one is exchanging ideas, able to differentiate others work, able to know and correct mistakes. Spending time on social media platforms should not be in excess as it promotes mental problems which at the end leads to depression and one harming himself. Instead of utilizing social apps to connect with peers, some youngsters become less social. Twitter, Facebook, Tik Tok are used extensively by youngsters and if they are not controlled, it will lead to different issues.

On social media platforms, there is online groups and youngsters in a way feel more kind of “connected”. Youngsters will go look out for information whether it is true and why it is so.  There are certain pages on social media platform focused on critical thinking. Yes, people, youngsters are spending their time but not for time-pass but rather to develop a critical mind. Once that has been developed, that person will be able to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. On social media, people get exposure to tons of information and all seem correct; but those having developed a critical mind will be able to distinguish whether that information is trustworthy or not.  We are in 2022, the 21^st century and youngsters get an easy entrance to digital gadgets to become critical thinkers. Youngsters have groups about professional Nikon cameras about techniques to get the best pictures, ways for editing. A digital gadget; for example, can be a professional Nikon Camera where youngsters learn the best techniques on social media platforms where specific groups have been created on how to get the best pictures, think critically the options he is choosing for that particular place and time. Now, it is users of social media platform to choose whether to become critical thinker or just to time pass. The final decision rest upon their shoulders whether to make good use of social media platforms or to just lose time.

Social media is service to the area, people and even community as Simon Mainwaring (2011) said. As the world is evolving, even youngsters are doing the same. They are more focused towards technology compared to normal teaching manners. As McGonigal discussed, interactive apps and games give the chance to students to learn by themselves; thus, able to find solutions to problems, think critically and take good decisions. Youngsters may also be students and not only above 18 years of age and on social media platforms make them be occupied. Through learning by oneself, one acquires something in-return.

Teachers are giving ideas; a student reflects upon these ideas and therefore are able to think critically. Can one only say that spending time on social media platform just for time-pass? Not really as youngsters as Maurino (2006-2007) said, online communication give further critical examination than oral talk as they have the opportunity to compose, alter and read other students posts. Exchanging ideas with teachers and colleagues will make students better develop his critical thinking. It is as simple as teachers or even the students will create a group, put questions to be answered. Youngsters is benefitting from the use of Facebook as they spend most of their time on it. Does spending time on Facebook mean to be losing time? It may not be necessary as youngsters are acquiring knowledge, better understand how to think critically while utilizing Facebook and are able to express themselves freely compared to be in a classroom.  Tik Tok , Facebook may not be mandatory to be labelled as “time-pass” as they can be of great help.

Conclusion

On a concluding point, time spent on social media platforms have both its advantages and disadvantages. Social media helps youngsters to acquire information and whether that information is credible or not. There is better engagement, better critical thinking analysis, ideas are exchanged. However, social media apps have their drawbacks too which should also be taken care of.

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