Professional Experience Placement

Alt (2016) undertook a timely study in the United States of America regarding assessing the assumption that maladjustment to college could lead towards excessive use of social media for leisure during class. The study also examined the phenomenon of ‘fear of missing out’, known as FoMO. The author describes the context of college students being of the generation of that have known the use of the Internet for their entire lives, this coupled with the increased availability of social media platforms have led to concerns about technology-enabled tools can disrupt, enable addictive behaviour and enhance depression and anxiety in some individuals.

The author described the three main categories of social media 1) content sharing and organising; 2) content creation and editing; and 3) social networking. Alt (2016) reviewed the literature in relation to these categories and found social networking site addictions were more likely cause distress in real-life communities, academic performance and work. Teaching self-regulation skills to assist with balancing technology usage. This author also noted the human tendency to focus on negative consequences which may result from an evolutionary process of identifying and minimising risk. It is important to acknowledge as there may be benefits that are overlooked, while scientific caution and moral panic prevails due to lack of evidence.

The study is interesting reading and details the process undertaken to arrive at  the findings, which included satisfaction with being in college does not seem to impact on the desire of millennial students to stay constantly connected with what others are doing. It seems that FoMO increases social media engagement and may disrupt learning processes. Student ability to regulate their behaviour in a new environment and therefore meeting the new learning requirements can be impaired.

The importance of this study for clinical supervisors and educators is understanding that students may be unaware of the need for self-regulation behaviour as it is not currently taught in the curriculum. Students may not realise the disruption to their learning or the inappropriateness of their behaviour.  It is important that students are prepared to demonstrate professional behaviour during healthcare experiences.  Orientation needs to include expectations regarding the use of digital tools and the organisations they attend for their healthcare experiences.

If you have any comments regarding students and the use of digital tools, you are welcome to post them here.  Please join us @PEPCommunity.