Episode Details

This week Jen Schwanke joins me as we talk about research on trends among students. As always, Jen’s feedback on this discussion adds so much value to how you apply practical responses to the real-life scenarios educators encounter when serving students – especially those struggling with anxiety or other emotional challenges connected to emerging technologies. Listen-in to the entire conversation for those great takeaways!

I’ve also taken time to write a summary of the notes and sources I mention in the show that you can read below for reference:

Serving Generations by Understanding How To Walk Together, by William D. Parker

I’m curious if you like to go for walks? I enjoy a good walk – especially when the weather is pleasant, there is a pleasant road ahead of me, and I have a companion to share good conversation with as we saunter along. A good walk doesn’t even need to include a destination as the walking experience may be the destination. 

Let’s pretend that you were born in a time, place or physical condition where you had never seen or experienced a walk. I could explain ‘a good walk’ to you, but wouldn’t it be so much more meaningful if I was able to just go with you on a walk together?

Now, I want you to think about explaining generation trends and differences. Psychologists, researchers and educators spend a lot of time considering challenges, trends or differences in the various age groups, time periods and applications that happen between generations.  This analysis can be very helpful. At the same time, wouldn’t it be even more helpful if I could take a walk with you to help understand the life experience through dialogue and shared stories?

Think-Tank Invitation

Recently, I was invited to a “Think Tank” session in Atlanta, Georgia, with some fellow educators. The event was hosted by Dr. Tim Elmore, the Founder of Growing Leaders. In attendance was the Growing Leaders executive team, several college interns, a few consultants and business owners, an executive coach and a set of educators from local schools, including the 2023 Georgia State Teacher of the Year, Michael Kobito. 

During this day-long session, we also had a live virtual session with Dr. Jean Twenge, author of the new book, Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents―and What They Mean for America’s Future.

Dr. Twenge’s research provides evidence to what many of us have already been seeing in practice. Adolescents are facing a mental health crisis. From 2011-2019, teen depression has doubled. Dr. Twenge’s research also shows that increases in self-harm and depression are correlated with increase in use of technology, including social media. Students today sleep less and interact in less face-to-face conversations than their predecessors. According to Dr. Twenge, the younger a child has access to a Smartphone, the greater his or her mental health challenges.

Her recommendation to policy makers and parents: raise the age of social media access to 16 years of age. Dr. Twenge is not alone in her concerns. Dr. Tim Elmore shared stories of parents who have encouraged delayed access and the benefits these young people report. As Dr. Twenge said in our meeting, “If social media and smartphones are a root cause, we can actually do something about it.”

This summary is not my attempt to recommend or prescribe policy. In fact, I listened to others in the Think-Tank share thoughts of trends they are seeing in education, industry, and culture, I wrote down five ideas I believe help add some additional context to Dr. Twenge’s data.

Here are five other areas I would like highlight that are also affecting the current economic an