Technology Then vs Now
In 2005, teens mainly used their phones to call friends and send these short written messages.
What is texting/text (SMS)?
By 2025, spending too much time on phones makes it harder for teens to do what kind of thinking that requires careful analysis and problem solving?
What is critical thinking?
In 2005, teens usually connected with friends in person or by using this classic method of communication.
What are phone calls?
In 2025, studies connect heavy smartphone and social media use with higher rates of this mental health issue in teens.
What is anxiety?
Smartphones allow teens to quickly contact parents or guardians in this type of situation.
What is an emergency?
By 2025, many teens spend hours each day on these apps that use algorithms to recommend content and keep users engaged.
What are social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat)?
The part of the brain responsible for impulse control and decision making that is still developing during adolescence.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
By 2025, teens often feel anxious from constantly checking their phones for this type of digital response.
What are likes and notifications?
In 2025 This mental health issue among adolescents has been linked to social comparison on social media.
What is depression?
Many students use smartphones to access interactive lessons, quizzes, and course materials through this type of digital platform.
Google Classroom or Canvas
The first widely adopted smartphone released in 2007 that transformed teen phone usage.
What is the iPhone?
Notifications and likes activate this brain chemical associated with reward and addiction.
What is dopamine?
This form of online harassment became a growing concern with smartphone use among teens.
What is cyberbullying?
By 2025, teens often measure their popularity and self-worth based on follower counts and engagement on this type of platform.
What are social media platforms?
Smartphones allow teens to access information instantly through this global network.
What is the internet?
In 2005 teens usually accessed the internet on this device instead of their phones.
What is a desktop computer?
Around 2010, teens often communicated online with friends using this social networking platform instead of meeting face-to-face.
What is Facebook?
By 2025, teens frequently share short, creative videos online to stay connected with friends.
What is TikTok?
The feeling of distress when seeing others’ activities online and feeling excluded.
What is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)?
Using smartphones helps teens build skills like communication, time management, and tech literacy that prepare them for this future environment.
What is the workforce?
By 2025, smartphones include this feature that allows users to track steps, sleep patterns, screen time, and other health-related data.
What is smartphone health tracking app/health app?
In 2025, using phones heavily at night was shown to interfere with this natural body rhythm important for teen growth.
What is the circadian rhythm or sleep cycle?
Some researchers argue that too much phone use can weaken this ability to understand others’ emotions in person.
What is emotional intelligence?
In 2025 Experts recommend limiting teen screen use before bedtime to improve this essential developmental function.
What is sleep?
The biggest change in teen phone use from 2005 to 2025 is that apps now focus on increasing this.
What is user engagement/algorithm-driven engagement?