Liz Kolb, Ph.D
@kolbl.bsky.social
UofM Professor of Teacher Education and EDTech. ISTE Author: Learning First, Technology Second. Edutopia blogger. Triple E Framework. Posts and opinions are my own.
University of South Florida research, 1500+ students, and phone bans, and their impact on mental health. www.the74million.org/article/surv...
Insightful research from CommonSense on boys and their online experiences and mental health. www.commonsensemedia.org/research/boy...
Boys in the Digital Wild: Online Culture, Identity, and Well-Being
From social media to gaming, apps, and more, adolescent boys spend hours each day online. Our new research reveals how this relates to their identities, relationships, and emotional well-being.
commonsensemedia.org
Why young brains are especially vulnerable to social media www.apa.org/news/apa/202... via @APA
apa.org
How is everyone feeling about students using AI chatbots to support their mental health? It's already happening... What type of education should we provide around this to ensure it's healthy for our students? www.techlearning.com/how-to/4-tip...
4 Tips For Using AI Chatbots For Student Mental Health Support
More and more students are turning to AI for mental health help. One district found a way to make those interactions safer.
techlearning.com
New study on the impact of cell phone policies and student mental health. www.the74million.org/article/surv...
CommonSenseMedia and Stanford reporting that AI companions are NOT safe for kids under 18. This includes AI tools like Characterai and Nomi. www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releas...
AI Companions Decoded: Common Sense Media Recommends AI Companion Safety Standards
Popular platforms such as Character.AI should not be used by children and teens under 18
commonsensemedia.org
Parents or teachers of children ages 3-13, please take 5 minutes to complete our essential survey. Parent/Caregiver Survey: lnkd.in/exHrjzQt Teacher/Educator Survey: lnkd.in/ePCquP2q For research project @umich.edu
New Findings: Smartphones may benefit children---if they avoid social media. “These are really nuanced findings that I hope encourage parents, educators, and politicians to think more of education for children on smartphones and social media, not bans,” www.newscientist.com/article/2473...
Smartphones may be beneficial to children – if they avoid social media
In the ongoing debate over the benefits and harms of smartphone use in children, initial data from a US survey suggests the devices can actually improve well-being and social connections, but social m...
newscientist.com
92% of school districts used federal relief dollars to provide digital access to their students. Now that money has dried up, schools are struggling to provide access to their students. www.edsurge.com/news/2025-02...
School Districts Lost Federal Funds. Will Students Lose Digital Access? - EdSurge News
With federal relief dollars gone and few states planning to step in with more money, will schools lose digital access gained during the pandemic?
edsurge.com
In a 2020 study, for example, students who sat next to classmates who were browsing social media or the web had a harder time focusing on the lesson, leading to a 9-point drop in test scores. https://buff.ly/4jAqchL 4/8
“Just having a laptop screen open or a cell phone next to a student (but not being used) is enough to distract their brain from fully focusing on the class activities,” writes @kolbl.bsky.social , a Univ. of Mich. professor of education. 2/8
7 Research Findings About Technology and Education
Here’s what research shows about the effectiveness of technology for learning and when less tech can be more productive.
edutopia.org
95% of American Teens (13-17) have access to a Smartphone. This is the digital device that most teenagers have access to. www.pewresearch.org/internet/202...
#DigitalWellness to support the convergence of personal devices and personal relationships is something we all need to dig deeply into. We have been lucky to partner with the University of Michigan Schools of Education, Social Work and Information. youtu.be/jy6skNI8lAs?...
U-M program pairs college students with middle schoolers on a digital wellness program
YouTube video by WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
youtu.be
New PEW research on Teens and Social Media use. One interesting change from previous years is that boys are now using Snapchat just as much as girls. Snapchat has really become the "texting" of this new generation. www.pewresearch.org/internet/202...
A tiny Norwegian neuroscience study argued that you learn more when you write by hand instead of typing. It ricocheted around the world last year. But it didn't ask students to learn anything. hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Scholars debate whether writing notes instead of typing is better for learning
A widely cited neuroscience study is contested
hechingerreport.org
www.healthychildren.org/English/fami...
Kids & Screen Time: How to Use the 5 C's of Media Guidance
The "5 Cs" offers easy-to-remember, age-based media guidance tips for parents. It's based on research and what we know supports family relationships, social-emotional development and mental health. Le...
healthychildren.org
