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The Make Sense Podcast

Virtual Learning: Overcoming Pandemic-Driven PTSD for the Sake of Our Children

By May 7, 2024November 21st, 2024No Comments

Hey, I’m Lindsay, the host of Make Sense w/ Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, a weekly podcast where my guests and I simplify complex topics at the intersection of people & technology. We analyze whatever hot mess is in the news, evaluate trending innovations through a human-first lens, and take deep dives on a need-to-know basis.

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If you had K-8 children during the pandemic, does a chill go up your spine when you hear “asynchronous learning” or “online classrooms”?

You’re not alone. Many parents and children still have trauma from that experience and shudder at the thought of returning to virtual learning.

Though parents have strong feelings about in-person versus online teaching for their children, they’re less clear on their rules for children’s access to and use of social media. Where is the parenting handbook for social media etiquette?

In Make Sense’s 53rd episode, my guest Jessica Shelley, Founder of Dailies, an online learning platform, and I cover two topics:

  • Virtual Learning: What have we learned to improve the experience post-pandemic, and who is it for now?
  • Social Media: The case for banning kids from these platforms

With the headline hype linking social media to mental health issues growing, there are some essentials I want to clarify for you, particularly around TikTok. These are so important, I’ll share them here rather than force you to listen to the episode yourself:

  • The battle over TikTok’s ability to operate in the US is over multiple issues, the two most important: (1) Data Privacy, and (2) TikTok’s alleged manipulation of their algorithm
  • For Data Privacy, the message is clear: TikTok collects a lot of personal data, and that data is stored on servers globally, including in China. That poses personal identity problems as well as national security risks.
  • With regards to their algorithm, the message has gotten lost in the headlines. Know this: The way TikTok’s algorithm works in China is very different than how it works in the US.
    • First, children’s use of TikTok is restricted to 1-hour per day by default in China
    • Parental controls are also turned on by default in China while in the US, parents have to to enable them (if they know they exist)
    • The parental controls available in China are different than the paltry controls given to US parents
    • The content delivered and algorithmically-boosted in China is different than in the US
      • Example: In a study of TikTok users, Chinese children responded to a question about their future profession with answers like Astronaut, whereas in the US, children responded with answers like Influencer.
    • Since TikTok’s algorithm operates differently outside China, and evidence like the example above shows the harmful effects of those differences, many are alleging China is manipulating the algorithm on purpose to disrupt US society and culture.

Now, we are no strangers to social media companies allowing misinformation to run wild but there’s a significant difference between Facebook’s negligence to hold outside bad actors accountable versus TikTok’s active manipulation of what gets delivered. Concerning Facebook, bad actors were taking advantage of weaknesses in Facebook’s algorithm. Concerning TikTok, it’s the company itself that is taking advantage of its algorithm. These two are not the same.

This is a BIG difference, and it’s not only affecting our children’s mental health, professional ambitions, and feelings towards the country. It’s actively affecting global politics.

If you’d like to hear more perspectives and insights at the intersection of social media, children, and mental health, check out these other Make Sense episodes:

Reference the full show notes below.

Choice Quote

“The traditional education system was not equipped to go so quickly to virtual while also having the added pressure of meeting students where they are and families stressed about the pandemic. It was overwhelming for every parent who was trying to navigate their child’s learning, their home life, and their livelihood to support their family.”

– Jessica Shelley, Founder of Dailies.

Headshots of both Lindsay Tabas and Jessica Shelley accompanied by the podcast title How parents can help their child navigate virtual learning and social media

Buck the media hype cycle. Calm the fear-mongering. Laugh at the inanity of Tech CEO “hero culture.” Be the smartest person in your peer’s LinkedIn feed:

Key Takeaways with Jessica Shelley

Here are Jessica’s takes from the segment Crystal Ball: What does the future hold?

  1. Community-based learning: More learning projects where students pursue specific subjects together: Yes
  2. The Development Of Hybrid Learning Environments in Higher Education: Yes
  3. Increased Use of Datafication and Learning Analytics, including leveraging the blockchain for sharing student records: Yes

Listen now on Apple, Spotify & YouTube

Show Notes

00:00 Introduction and the Impact of Virtual Learning
06:06 Deep Dive: Trauma of Virtual Learning and Daly’s Online Learning Platform
31:08 Updating and Enforcing Regulations
37:56 Concerns of Algorithm Manipulation
44:12 Promoting Social Media Etiquette and Education

Where to find Jessica Shelley

Jessica Shelley, a former schoolteacher and mother of five, and the co-founder of Dailies. Dailies is an exciting online learning platform that brings unique and personalized learning to children while providing transparency for parents and teachers to track their progress. Dailies serves over 15 thousand families worldwide, and this work earned Jessica a spot on Forbes’ “30 UNDER 30” list for Education.

Try out a free preview class to unlock learning insights about your child at dailiespods.com or connect with Jessica on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-shelley/

Where to find Lindsay Tabas

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytabas
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LindsayTLadyEngineer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaytladyengineer

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