Meeting Pattern

Online/Blackboard

Description

The mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s with rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide rising sharply, sometimes doubling. Why? In the Anxious Generation book study, we will look at The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, who argues that the spread of smartphones, social media, and overprotective parenting have led to a “rewiring” of childhood and the rise of mental illness. You will be guided in four weekly discussions that look at the decline of a ‘play-based childhood’ and how it was replaced by a ‘phone-based childhood’, how the use of technology and social media has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, and how we can take collective action to guide youth through this technological world. Throughout these discussions will be insight into the adolescent brain development and techniques for a deeper connection with your child or the children you teach.

Syllabus, Objectives, and Outcomes

Objectives:

You will:

• Understand the effect of technology and social media on the adolescent brain.
• Understand how the lack of free play has contributed to the rise of anxiety and depression in adolescents. 
• Reflect on the changes to be made to improve the mental health of adolescents.

Materials:

Required Text

The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness; Jonathan Haidt (Penguin Press 2024)

Course Materials:

1. Required text.
2. Form of technology to access the internet and blackboard access.

Testimonials:

"I APPRECIATED HOW THE COURSE WAS SET UP. EVEN THOUGH WE WEREN'T IN PERSON AND IT WAS ASYNCHRONOUS, IT FELT LIKE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS. I LIKED HOW I AM ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THINGS ON MY OWN TIME."

"I REALLY LIKED THE VIDEOS THAT WERE A GREAT OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK AND BROUGHT UP IDEAS THAT I MAY NOT HAVE CONSIDERED AFTER READING THE BOOK. THEY WERE FANTASTIC TO HELP ME THINK DEEPER INTO THE CONTENT AND WERE AN APPROPRIATE LENGTH."

"I LEARNED SO MUCH OUT OF THIS CLASS. I WORRY ABOUT THIS GENERATION AND HOPE FOR A SOLUTION TO ANY OF THE THINGS THAT CAUSE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE SO MUCH ANXIETY."

"THE INSTRUCTOR WAS VERY RELATABLE AND I ENJOYED LISTENING TO HER INSIGHTS DURING DISCUSSIONS. SHE DID A GREAT JOB HIGHLIGHTING THE MOST IMPORTANT AND APPLICABLE PARTS OF THE BOOK."

"COURSE WAS GREAT! NOT TOO TIME CONSUMING OR FULL OF BUSY WORK. THE COURSE WAS DIRECT AND TO THE POINT. VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING."

"ALL THE AMAZING INFORMATION FROM THE BOOK THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE."