The secret to academic infamy and citation is to find some evidence (I use the term loosely) that any new technology either enables or disables its users. Facebook, fresh from causing cancer, as if that were not enough, is now apparently the cause of poor grades. Leading researchers (well, at least a doctoral student at Ohio State) reported data from a sample of 200+ students that suggests Facebook users average GPA is in the range 3.0-3.5 compared to Non-Facebook users whose average GPA was in the range 3.5.-4.0. How could this possibly be? Well, the next data point might help explain this: Facebook users typically spent 1-5 hours a week studying; non-users, 11-15 hours per week. Ah, so the truth is if you spend more time studying you might actually get a better GPA……who would have known? I bet Facebook will issue a denial any year now……
In fairness to poor Dr. (to be) Karpinski, she has tried to put these caveats into her reporting but who wants to hear the mundane truth when sensationalism is just, well,..more sensational. Among the more tangible nuggets in her survey we learn that 75% of those who said they used the social networking site reported that it did not impact their grades or study habits. So, the poor suffering students who can’t be motivated to study more than a couple of hours would probably do anything but study, even use social media, so why blame Facebook? The group most likely to use Facebook? Those majoring in science, technology, math, engineering and business. Conclusion: maybe you get higher GPA by studying the humanities…
(no, nobody has claimed that list bit to be the case….yet)
post script — News 8 Austin asked me for a comment on this and ran this story