An article in my local newspaper today discusses whether growing up digital and immersed in social media is helpful or harmful to the current generation of students. As an editor who works online to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, I have a few differing views on the topic.

Social media are a terrific way for people to reach, engage, and connect with each other. Just last week, I went to a gathering of people I've worked with off and on through many company moves, name changes, and company sales. People showed up whom I hadn't seen in ages, and everyone commented on how great it was to see each other after so long. How was the gathering arranged? Through LinkedIn, Facebook, and email.

My son got a new co-op job a few hours from where he lived near his college. He announced his luck on Facebook and within an hour had a friend comment that she also worked there, lived near the company, and would be happy to rent a room to him. Housing problem solved. Next my son organized a celebration party. How? Facebook, of course!

Social media are as useful to students as they are to everyone else. Probably more so. Suddenly, friends are reachable wherever they are and whatever they're doing. Lost your homework assignment? Need help figuring out the physics problems? Can't find your new classroom? Solutions are a few keystrokes away.

But all this convenience has its price. As Robin Welch, principal of the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Framingham, Mass., said in the MetroWest Daily News article cited above, the Internet "can be a wonderful educational resource," but he bemoans "the lost art of spelling, grammar and writing." The article continues:

And there's another side to the sloppy writing coin. Students who would probably otherwise not write at all are now doing so, and if not neatly or at great length, at least frequently. I would wager that illiteracy has declined dramatically just as digital engagement has grown.

So do social media help students engage or hinder their concentration? Do they connect friends who would otherwise drift apart or turn students into couch potatoes? And should good grammar be a priority all the time or just in the classroom?

- Naomi Price is Associate Brand Manager of EE Life and of Innovation Generation and Managing Editor for Content of Drive for Innovation.

This story was originally posted by EE Times.

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