Social media is everywhere these days. With more and more people joining Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other sites, and the pros and cons of social networking being debated constantly, we can all agree that our communication methods have changed drastically in recent years.
Controversy surrounds the role social media can and should play in the lives of our children, and internationally known writer and educator Rosalind Wiseman has focused on the technological outlets facing the new generation of teens. Wiseman is the author of the best seller, Queen Bees & Wannabes, which examines the interactions of girls from adolescence through the teens and the role that today’s technology plays in their development.
This book inspired the popular movie, “Mean Girls”, and it has impacted the way parents and teachers view girls’ friendships and conflicts. Her most recent book is a teen novel, Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials, which deals with similar themes of teens, relationships, and the struggle to fit in to the social scene.
In a recent appearance on To the Contrary, a PBS news program, Wiseman discusses how teen girls’ interactions have been impacted by the realm of social media, as they are faced with issues such as privacy and sexting.
Wiseman will be a speaker at the 2010 NSBA Annual Conference, April 10-12, where she will be presenting a Special Session entitled “Connected 24/7: Safe and Ethical Social Networking in the Digital Age.” She will be doing a book signing at the Conference Bookstore following her session.
