Mental Health Impact of Social Media Study

 In a new report, the AFT describes the toll—particularly surrounding youth mental health—certain online technologies have taken on students both in and outside of the classroom as students partake in the “unregulated environment” known as social media. The report serves as a reality check to social media companies that need to make “fundamental changes” to their platforms so that students’ and educators’ lives may be improved as a result. According to the report, social media companies should adhere to the following five principles:

• Prioritize children’s safety
• Protect students from becoming addicted
• Protect students’ privacy
• Protect students from risky algorithms
• Engage and work directly with K12 schools and parents

American Federation of Teachers. (2023). Likes vs. learning: The real cost of social media for schools. Author.

https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2023/LikesVSLearning_Report.pdf

AI and teens study

 A recent survey found that more than 40% of teens are likely to use artificial intelligence to complete their schoolwork, but 60% consider it cheating. As AI-powered tools like ChatGPT become more prevalent in schools, educators are grappling with how to incorporate AI use responsibly, emphasizing it as a tool to assist learning rather than a replacement for learning.

Junior Achievement. (2023). AI and tomorrow's jobs. Author.

https://jausa.ja.org/dA/79df6c0f56/criticalIssuePdfDocument/AI%20and%20Tomorrows%20%20Jobs.pdf

Study: K-12 digital literacy lacks consistency

 A new study highlights the lack of consistent teaching of digital literacy and digital citizenship skills in K-12 schools. The study reveals that schools often focus on traditional digital literacy topics but neglect evolving skills -- raising concerns about equity and the division of responsibility between schools and families.

Ramsey, L. H. H. (2023). Examining How Teachers Define and Integrate Digital Citizenship Into Core Content Area Curriculum (Doctoral dissertation, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte).

Parent reading study

A large-scale Chilean study looked at the relationship between parents' reading habits and those of their children. Unsurprisingly, the study revealed that, when it comes to adolescents’ leisure reading, the impact of parents' reading motivation and frequency proved far more significant than socioeconomic status. Writes the author, “The findings reported here should encourage stakeholders to promote the love of reading in not only children but also their parents.

Cubillos, M. (2023). A chip off the old block: Do reading-motivated parents raise reading-motivated children?  Reading Research Quarterly.

https://repositorio.udd.cl/server/api/core/bitstreams/e6b7087f-a56f-44e4-b809-80fba9df1e79/content

School librarians' impact on elementary students study

 Restricted data from North Carolina and propensity score matching was used to compare students who attended school with a full-time certified school librarian to similar students who did not attend schools with a full-time certified school librarian. In addition, this relationship for both reading and math over a four-year time span was examined. Findings include that students who attend schools with a full-time certified librarian score significantly higher on math and reading tests than do matched students who attend schools without a full-time school librarian.

Wine, L., et al. (2023). Impact of school librarians on elementary student achievement in reading and mathematics. Library & Information Science Research, 45(2). 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2023.101252

Designing school libraries study

 Drawing on a large-scale study of sustained school library transformation in the Singapore secondary school context, this article explains how a design-centric approach focusing on the needs of the student as user provided a way for educators as change-makers to understand student needs within their school profile and context, evaluate success and gather insights for implementing changes at school or system level. The article focuses on three key strategies: (1) reviewing existing literature to develop a conceptual map of library functions, (2) conducting baseline studies to understand trends and student needs, and (3) involving students as users in participatory research. It concludes with a reflection on the process of change and suggestions for moving forward.

Loh, C. (2023). Designing future-ready school libraries. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association. 

 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2023.2231229