Muscat: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) is organizing the 3rd edition of a forum titled “Parental Upbringing as a Measure to Counter the Impact of Social Media”. The two-day forum kicked off on Monday under the auspices of Dr Abdullah Nasser al Harrasi, Minister of Information.
As many as 140 researchers from inside and abroad are taking part in the forum, which focuses on the growing negative influence of social media platforms. The forum also seeks ways to maximize benefits from the positive aspects of such sites in a manner that serves families and consolidates the concepts of national identity, citizenship and humanity.
The forum saw the launch of the UNESCO Chair in Educational Psychology, a research chair supported by Sultan Qaboos University. The Chair aims to advance research and its applications in cooperation with the National Commission for Education, Culture and Sciences and the UNESCO.
The forum includes more than 130 research papers and about 10 themes that evolve around parental upbringing and the role of the Islamic value system in shaping behaviour, notably to address the challenges of social media.
The forum looks into the personal motives of social media users, electronic blackmail and safe electronic programmes and applications that can benefit people, children and youth. It also underscores the role of teachers, psychologists and social workers in developing skills for dealing with social media.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
