LIS 724: Educational Research

 

                                                    Introduction

Since when has Nelson ever been wrong? Image source.

    Hello again, blog readers! This week, I’ve been reflecting on the past, present and future. Although our world doesn’t yet resemble that of The Jetsons, with flying cars and lovable robot maids, technology in modern society has still evolved to point where we have self-driving cars and lovable Roomba vacuums instead. In a world that is still experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, an historic event that is not even half a decade old yet, but has undoubtedly had significant impact on both current generations and generations in the years to follow. Between the global pandemic affecting daily life for countless people and technology advancements always around the corner, further integrating into our daily lives and routines, the future can often like a look scary and uncertain place from where we currently stand. However, our present-day, post-pandemic society and the future yet to come do not have to be viewed with a dreaded perspective, white there is often discussion in news regarding modern technology advancements, there is a tendency for the positive aspects to be drowned out by an ocean of negativity. For this week, I reflect over statistics and infographics from valid research reports that I have been studying, highlighting what stood out to me and to share with you, Readers, what benefits and positivity has come from the integration of technology in our post-pandemic world.   

    The Pew Research Center Report and What Surprised Me

    After reflecting upon the findings from the research organization Pew Research Center’s report, More Americans – Especially Young Adults – Are Regularly Getting News on TikTok by Rebecca Leppert and Katerina Eva Matsa, as the title implies, gathers data about the usage of the TikTok platform as a news outlet by users in recent years, what I found most surprising in the results was not only learning the large number and wide spectrum of adult age groups who use the app for their news source, but also the significant growth in the usage of TikTok for news sharing from the COVID-19’s outbreak in 2020 to the most current data in 2024. As the Pew Research Center’s data collection has found, with TikTok being utilized by users as a news outlet growing substantially from 3% percent in 2020 to 17% percent by the current year of 2024. This growth from members of TikTok’s userbase utilizing the app for information sharing and news coverage is significant due to TikTok’s popularity as a short-video sharing app for the purposes of recreation, with the same fact-gathering center reporting the usage of the TikTok app amongst teenagers on record at 63% of the membership base. The report further gathers data concluding that one out of every four adults in North America regularly use TikTok as a news source, with currently half of the total userbase at 52% report going to TikTok to stay up-to-date on news coverage.

Statistics provided via Pew Research Center.

McCrindle Research Organization Report and What Surprised Me 

    With these data results in mind, how did the COVID-19 virus outbreak impact younger generations, further integrating technology in their daily lives? How will the outbreak continue to influence the lives of generations born not long before, or after, the global pandemic? According to research findings from the McCrindle Research organization, within the article How COVID-19 will shape Generation Alpha by Ashley Fell, it is discussed how Gen Alpha, who already utilize technology throughout their daily lives, the usage of electronic devices has increased dramatically and more fully as an education resource as a result of the pandemic. A consequence of COVID-19 and the global pandemic has led to greater incorporation of technology for work and educational purposes, with McCrindle researchers concluding in their data that 84% of adults believe the COVID-19 outbreak will be defining event for the next generation and will greatly shape Gen Alpha’s development as a generation and its future, with 71% of parents who kept their children at home during the height of the pandemic reported it was a mostly positive experience in terms of their children, despite the issues of parents needing to balance work with keeping their children home in accordance to public distance restrictions, while 82% of adults also reported in agreement the belief that education will be made more available more online in the future. These numbers surprised me, as I assumed going into the data that there would be pushback or more hesitance from parents and their children in using remote learning, but the results were much more overwhelmingly positive towards online learning and its potential than I expected from the findings. As author Fell of the article findings stated in reference to the reported resilience of Generation Alpha, “We gave them the name Generation Alpha (of the Greek Alphabet) because, being born entirely in the 21st Century, they are not a return to the old but the start of something new” (Fell, 2020).

Statistics provided via McCrindle.

                                                  Conclusion

What did people do about badgers breaking into their homes before the internet? Image source.

    Although I was initially surprised by the largely positive reception to both remote leaning and TikTok as a news source, I reflect that I shouldn't be, considering how remote learning has been an overall positive experience in my educational journey. As a university student with a blindness disability that makes driving to in-person classes a significant challenge, I am incredibly grateful for being able to utilize and benefit from being enrolled in online, remote classes. As for the statistics regarding the wide-spread usage of TikTok, I feel it shows that while one should always do their best to ensure the the information they receive online is from a valid source, and we should all be careful when using different platforms, I also feel these numbers regarding TikTok highlight that there is a place for social media in professional fields. When I complete my education and join the librarian profession, I want to help utilize social media platforms in a responsible manner, whether to promote programs, services and resources at the library or be involved in community outreach.

    I share these statistics with you, Readers, because I think they highlight something important, the resilience and adaptability of people in uncertain times. Many of the families around the country whose routines were disrupted by the public safety restrictions, educated their children from home and discovered a new form of learning that benefited students and their households as result. A popular video-sharing app such as TikTok, meant for the creation of fun and silly short-form videos for entertainment, was utilized by children and adults alike for the spreading of important information and global news coverage, ensuring that information coverage would reach masses through the quickest links in a mainstream app. I share these findings with you because not only did I find them surprising to read myself, but I believe they highlight both positive usage of modern technology by today’s youth and young adults during recent historic events, but they showcase the adaptability of the human spirit, that even when society feels scary or modern technology seems risky or just simple passing trends, people can always find good, positive uses for electronic devices in their daily lives. It is important to discuss negative, dangerous threats in the world, but it is also valuable to address positive changes in society as well, such as the clever, creative, kind and resilient potential of modern tech users in a post-pandemic society.

 

 

                                                     Works cited

    Fell, Ashley. “How Covid-19 Will Shape Generation Alpha.” McCrindle, McCrindle Research Pty Ltd, 2020, mccrindle.com.au/article/topic/generation-alpha/how-covid-19-will-shape-generation-alpha/.

    Leppert, Rebecca, and Katerina Eva Matsa.

    “More Americans – Especially Young Adults – Are Regularly Getting News on Tiktok.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 17 Sept. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/17/more-americans-regularly-get-news-on-tiktok-especially-young-adults/.