IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN

Abstract 

For a high school student, suddenly having access to a smart phone can be a challenging transition from not having any mobile phone in the past. The underlying project aims to understand the changing behavior and mindsets of students in various schools due to the advent of social media. To serve this purpose, research was conducted at Roots Ivy International School in Lahore and data was collected from students of grades 6 to 12, using surveys to observe and analyze the changing behavioral patterns of students as a result of this technological shift.

Key findings

The study findings revealed that the behavior of consumers, be it adults or children, and shift in these behaviors are of paramount importance to any industry. Education is one of the most important sectors and is a business in Pakistan. Moreover, it was found that the advent of social media in children’s lives is analogous to the evolving diet consciousness in Cola industry so even a major shift is expected in the behavioral patterns, perceptions and attitudes of young generation with the increasing involvement and impact of social media in their routine lives. Similarly, survey results showed that there is rapid adaptation in students for the emerging technological trends and advancements, as they are becoming tech-savvy day by day, which has also increased their educational requirements and expectations in turn. 

Implications

The information from this study can be used in recruitment and internship drives and in the education sector, while helping to design different programmes, policies and curriculum for students. These programs could align this new medium to expand education and learning. Moreover, the findings about changes in behavior might help in pointing towards the changes in students’ thought process and key innovations that are required in teaching methods.