Long Title: Post-pandemic iGen and Alpha behaviours on social media – the good, the bad, and the ugly

Speakers: Zeenath Reza Khan

Affiliation: Assistant Professor, University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD)

Abstract:
Safety in the digital space is a multi-faceted concept which is often misunderstood or mismanaged. iGens and Alphas are digital natives working on and experimenting with technology, which is more a second nature to them; particularly social media platforms their home away from home. Lack of understanding, role models and guidelines on use lead to not only immediate health issues for the child, but pave the way for a divergent, and convoluted understanding of right from wrong. This talk promises to sift through some critical issues with over indulgence by students in technology use, and how these may be transpiring into life-changing and sometimes threatening societal habits, with recommendations from a longitudinal study on how to foster healthy digital habits in igens and alphas.

Biography:
Zeenath is the Founding President and Board Member of the Centre for Academic Integrity in the UAE, Assistant Professor of Responsible Information Systems at Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, and Program Director for Freshman Pathway Programs at University of Wollongong in Dubai. She has been teaching in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences at the university since 2001.

Zeenath is an Audit Board Member for European Network for Academic Integrity and Local Advisory Board Member of Our Own High School Al Warqa UAE (GEMS Education). Zeenath is passionate about her students’ learning experience and has conceptualized many teaching innovations such as the Responsible Business and IT Use Vlogs Program (ReBitVlogs) which won two Council for Australia-Arab Relations grants as a student exchange program between UOW and UOWD; and more recently her work on WISP Human Libraries and Program has gained traction with 33 alumni members supporting current students as mentors for various subjects.

Zeenath currently holds the position of Editorial Board Member for International Journal for Educational Integrity, and edited book series from Springer on Ethics and Integrity in Education. Having received several internal and external grants from UOWD, UOW and other entities, Zeenath is a national and international award-winning academic with more than 80 publications to her name and an edited book titled Integrity in Education for Future Happiness (2021). Considered a Tier one speaker, Zeenath’s research interests are in academic integrity, ethics in IT, teaching and learning, and STEM for girls. In 2021, Zeenath was recognized for her research contribution by European Network for Academic Integrity as the recipient of their ENAI Research Excellence Award.