Social media in the science classroom: the good, the bad, and the ugly

The coffee and keynote by Samantha Yammine (Science Sam) titled “Social media in the science classroom: the good, the bad, and the ugly” was presented September 30th, 2023. (Watch it on Inspiration Corner, on Let’s Talk Science’s Learning Pathways).

Another Cup of Coffee and Keynote is hosted and recorded on Treaty 4 territory, Regina and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, the traditional territory of the lands of the Cree, Saulteaux (SO-TOE), Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation

Our guest, Samantha Yammine, joined us from what is currently called Toronto, the traditional territory of the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Wendat peoples.

The music is by Daddy_s_music from pixabay.

Coffee and a Keynote Session Description

● Hate it or love it, social media is not just here to stay–it makes up a big part of our everyday lives. Canadian adults spend, on average, around 2 hours daily on social media, and teens clock in at 107 minutes daily on Tik Tok alone, plus nearly 9 hours a day in front of screens. But this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. To help start the new school year with a better sense of navigating choppy waters online is someone whose screen time far surpasses national averages: Neuroscientist and Science Communicator Samantha Yammine, better known as Science Sam.

About the Speaker:

● Samantha Yammine, PhD is a Neuroscientist and popular Science Communicator better known as Science Sam. She earned her PhD from the University of Toronto studying how stem cells build and maintain the brain, and then went on to found Science Sam Media, a science-based consulting and digital production agency.

● She is passionate about empowering people to explore science by making it more familiar, accessible, and inclusive. As @science.sam on Instagram and Tik Tok, Samantha is an innovative leader in creating factual content that stands out online. She has been a guest Science Correspondent for a variety of shows on Netflix, TVO Kids, CBC GEM, Discovery UK, CBC Radio, and AsapSCIENCE. She is the Chair and a Co-Founder of Science is a Drag, sits on the Board of Trustees for RCIScience and the anti-misinformation campaign ScienceUpFirst, and was named one of Toronto Life’s Top 50 Most Influential People in Toronto in 2021. Learn more about Sam and get in touch at samanthayammine.com.

Episode Highlights (and Timestamps)

● Introduction (0:00:00 - 0:06:59)

● Interview (0:06:59 - 1:18:45)

● Closing thoughts (1:19:19 - 1:22:56)

○ Incorporating learnings into your context.

○ Resources and thank yous

Resources

● Resources from Interview

Article/Learning Suggestions:

■ Samantha recommended reading articles about fMRIs the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and how we perceive and respond to mistakes - Here is one related article!

Book Suggestions:

■ Samantha’s Recommendation: Dorothy Roberts - Fatal Invention

Follow Suggestions:

■ Marques Brownleee: MKBHD

■ Darrion Nguyen: Lab Shenanigans

■ Vanessa Hill - BrainCraft

■ TheSpaceGal - Emily Calandrelli

■ Hank Green

● Resources from the presenter:

Stats on Internet and social media usage:

■ Gov Canada summaries on social media use in adolescents

■ Stats Can social media use across ages