Gabriel Hales

New MSU study says screen time benefits kids Researchers found that adolescents who have unstructured online leisure time are learning digital media skills and can do better in school.

Also, I was interviewed for a TV news segment that is a bit more top-level. See the video and story here:

MSU study: Screen time aids learning, but gender gaps remain MSU study finds digital media can boost academic skills - but the benefits are more significant for boys than girls

My paper has been in the news!

Unstructured time that young people spend on social media, video games, etc is NOT a waste of time.

Online leisure builds important social and web-based skills for adolescents that contribute to achievement across academic domains.

Read the MSUToday article here:

Rethinking screen time and academic achievement: gender differences and the hidden benefit of online leisure through digital skills Concerns about the detrimental effects of screen time on adolescents’ academic achievement are widespread. However, this perspective often overlooks the potential educational benefits of online lei...

Via @bowmanspartan.bsky.social
Rethinking screen time & academic achievement: gender differences & the hidden benefit of online leisure through digital skills by @gabehales.bsky.social & Hampton
doi.org/10.1080/1369...

Still, I can’t help but call it my favorite to date. Countless hours of work, but equally incalculable knowledge-gained throughout this experience.

Cheers to my next favorite (and those in between).

In the time between first drafting to publication of this paper, I’ve:
- co-authored FIVE+ other peer-reviewed publications,
- completed all PhD courses AND my comp exams, and
- written & analyzed more than half of my dissertation…

On a personal note:

This work, published in Information, Communication, & Society (open access!!), is my first ever first-authored, peer-reviewed research pub… to say this particular acceptance means more than the average is an understatement.

Using a path analysis of 2,500+ adolescents, we find that online leisure, like social media & video games, fosters digital skills which ultimately benefits performance.
Gender-specific differences also emerged in how digital skills+screen time ultimately benefit & even narrow achievement gaps:

Rethinking screen time and academic achievement: gender differences and the hidden benefit of online leisure through digital skills Concerns about the detrimental effects of screen time on adolescents’ academic achievement are widespread. However, this perspective often overlooks the potential educational benefits of online lei...

New research just published (after years in the making)—we challenge the panic surrounding screen time & youth school performance: doi.org/10.1080/1369...

read the full report here: ssrn.com/abstract=457...

read our full report: shorturl.at/2Qev1

or, if you'd like to learn more abt this research / look into some of my other work on digital connectivity, feel free to check out my website (gabehales.com) [open 24 hrs!].
thank ya kindly 🩶

overall: fast, reliable broadband infrastructure matters! and online "play"/screen time, like social media & video games, is incredibly important for student success.

while social media, video games, etc. have the potential for harm among some; #screentime was crucial for how young people managed relationships during lockdowns.

online "leisure" time continues to play a pivotal role in how adolescents connect, self-regulate, & develop knowledge relevant to life.

while feelings of isolation were rampant during lockdowns, we found no difference in student's self-esteem compared to before the pandemic.

young people are also now spending more time in person with friends than they did before COVID. and, those who spend more time using a variety of online media, especially social media, are spending the most time in person with friends.

from our #research surveying 3k~ rural adolescents, before & after the pandemic:

students with better home internet had far fewer disruptions learning from home & fared better overall—boosting digital skills and fostering more interest in STEM, but not college plans.

Gabriel Hales | PhD Candidate & Researcher | Digital Inequalities & Social Networks in Youth Gabriel Hales, PhD Candidate at Michigan State University, studying digital inequalities, social networks, and online learning in adolescent students. Excels at advanced statistical analysis and model...

If you're interested in learning more abt my work, dog, etc., feel free to check out my website: gabehales.com (I just updated this bad boi).

thank ya kindly 🩶

I've published & presented papers at multiple conferences on topics like gender differences in digital skills/digital divides and how digital technology relates to adolescent well-being.

I also love stats. and walking my dog.

while I consider how I'll use this app, here's a short intro:

I'm a PhD candidate at MSU researching how adolescents' digital lives shape their academics & social networks. I frame my work within digital inequalities, & primarily focus on online leisure (think social media, video games etc)