San Diego State University Professor of Psychology Jean Twenge is set to speak on “The Effects of Technology on Mental Health and Student Learning Experiences” at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC). The lecture will take place in the Event Center at the Branchburg campus Nov. 5 at 4:00 p.m.
The interdisciplinary event is being co-sponsored by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship at RVCC; the Humanities, Social Sciences, Social Work and Education department; and the English Department.
With rapid advancements in technology over the past 15 years, smartphones, tablets, and social media have become integral parts of everyday life, affecting how people communicate, seek information, formulate their values, and even think. However, this same time period has seen decreases in academic performance, literacy, attention levels, and mental health.
Twenge, who has published more than 190 articles in scientific journals, will focus her lecture on how Gen Z’s upbringing has been impacted by technology, what role it plays in students’ mental health and learning experience, and how technology should be approached in the classroom.
A question-and-answer session will follow the program, which is being partially funded by a community grant from the RVCC Foundation.
