Learning in the Layers: Adolescent Routines and Development in a Digital Ecological System

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Technology and Adolescent and Youth Development

Abstract

This study explores how adolescents engage in informal learning and identity development through daily social media use, using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as a guiding framework. Ten teens participated in interviews and media diaries, revealing how proximal processes unfold across digital platforms and are shaped by individual interests, peer networks, school contexts, and broader cultural discourses. Findings highlight the dynamic interplay between identity, information, and interaction, with social media serving as both a mirror and a map for adolescent development. The study introduces a digital ecological systems perspective, offering insights for educators and families seeking to support youth in navigating complex, networked environments.

Authors

• Vanessa Dennen, Florida State University

• Idam Kim, Florida State University

• Melissa K. Jones, Dartmouth College