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Impacts of technology on learning
Impacts of technology on learning
Impacts of technology on learning
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'Digital Natives and Immigrants: What Brain Research Tells Us' is an organized, rhetorical piece by Nancy K. Hethers, explaining the reasons and rationale behind the great divide of Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants, and sheds light over the effective cognitive development that takes place as a result of stimulating experiences in the light of Neuroscientic evidence and research. The underlying purpose of this article is to shed light over the fact that the brain adapts itself to the challenges and situations that it comes across, and that the brains of the Digital Natives are not more effectively equipped than the brains of the Digital Immigrants. The individuals termed as Digital Immigrants have also proved that they have adequate adaptive abilities to counter the challenges of today as effectively as Digital Natives can. The author addresses the general public as audience, while delivering an insightful research over the workings of the brain, and specifically seeks to refute the arguments of claimants, who believe that Digital Natives are born with specially equipped brains, and the Digital Immigrants stand no chance at competing with them at cognitive levels.
The author claims that the working of a human brain is deeply affected by the technological advances of the current age. Closely administered behavior of Digital Natives reveals that they have sharper cognitive skills as compared to the Digital Immigrants of the previous generation. She begins by quoting Palfrey and Gasser as her counter-argument, who acknowledge the difference between the current and previous generations, thus: “These kids are different. They study, work, write and interact with each other in ways that are very different from the ways that you di...
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...m the claims of cognitive supremacy of Digital Natives by birth, and the lesser tendencies exhibited by the Digital Immigrants. Later in the article, she advances to presenting various cognitive and Neuroscientic studies as refutation to the previously reported claims of Palfrey and Gasser, and Tapscott and Prensky, which may be best concluded in the words of John Medina, who states, “The brain is in the business of reacting to its environment by continuously rewiring itself in response to external experience.” (422) Hence, she proves her point that brain power is not “generationally defined,” rather it increases and adapts to the growing and demanding challenges faced by human cognitive experience.
Works Cited
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. 9th ed. London: Longman, 2011. 419-425. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
“The Dumbest Generation” is a title no group of people want to behold. Nonetheless, people under age thirty have been given this belittling title. To those who go off questions about obsolete general knowledge rather than the ability to take in and evaluate knowledge, this title may seem quite fitting. However, Millennials aren’t quite as dull as they’ve been perceived to be. The ability of Millennials to absorb information, rather than know general facts, and their use of contemporary technology as reading and writing resources has proven that they are quite an innovative and bright generation.
In “Cultural Illiteracy,” a preface to the novel The Dumbest Generation, Mark Bauerlein critically evaluates how technological distractions affect the younger generation. Bauerlein states that “digital diversions” are cutting the younger generation off from culturally enhancing mediums and is in turn making the younger generation less intelligent. Though Bauerlein is correct about the increase of peer pressure due to technology, he is mistaken about how technology is making the younger generation unintelligent.
Nicholas Carr, a periodic writer on issues such as technology and culture, wrote the article called “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” (743) In this, he discusses the way that not only Google, but also the advancement in technology, especially computers and computer engines is slowly altering our brain, along with the way we take in information. The process started back in the 1970’s and 1980’s when technology got a jump in society. For example “television was our medium of choice” says Carr (747). From then on it has been a slow decline for the way we process information. Throughout this essay Carr backs up the reasons why he feels the way by using different types of figurative language, deductive reasoning, plus the use of logical fallacies that can strengthen or may even weaken his argument.
Technology surrounds us every day in the modern world. It has become almost a necessity to most who use it, while others would beg to differ. There is debate surrounding both articles written by Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” and Jamais Cascio, “Get Smart” both arguments provide opinion and evidence about the use of technology. Carr discusses how the use of the computers affects our thought process. Carr begins by talking about his own experience as a writer and how he felt like “something had been tinkering with his brain, remapping his neural circuitry and reprogramming his memory”. (Carr, 1). On the contrary Cascio’s article "Get Smart," Cascio urges
Goldberg, David Theo. “If Technology Is Making Us Stupid, It’s Not Technology’s Fault.” Blog. Digital Humanities. August 16, 2010. Gooch and Suyler. in Argument. Avenue of the Americas, New York.2011. 301-03. Print.
The growing presence of technology is going to become more and more prevalent in the future as technology continues to evolve. If Carr is right, then we are going to see the continuous deterioration of critical thinking skills in future generations. However, we may also see a rise in more technological advances that will help society function better. Overall, this book was mainly concerned with the effects that new information and communication technologies will have on the brain.
“Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of our Era”, “‘Plug In’ Better: A Manifesto”, and “Your Brain on Computers”: A Critical Analysis of the Efficacy of the Methods by which the Authors Convey Their Ideas Technology and our exposure to it are changing our lives; of this there is no doubt. The issue regarding what form that change will take and the effects of it on our physical and emotional health, however, are more contentious, and experts’ opinions on it run the gamut. In “Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of our Era”, neurologist Dr. Richard Restak examines what effect technology has on our brains, and posits that technology, as well as the increasing demand on our brains to perform multiple tasks at once, is causing a decrease In “‘Plug In’ Better: A Manifesto”, technology writer and commentator Dr. Alexandra Samuel states that she believe that there is a middle ground between completely “plugging in” and “unplugging”. She states that we should approach our online interactions in the same ways we approach our offline ones.
Technology has always been at the forefront of the world’s mind, for as long as anyone can remember. The idea of “advancing” has been a consistent goal among developers. However, recently the invention of smartphones broke out into the world of technology, causing millions of people to become encapsulated in a world of knowledge at their fingertips. Jean Twenge elaborates on the impacts of the smartphone on the younger generation in her article “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” Twenge’s article is just a sliver of the analysis that she presents in her book “IGen.” Twenge, a professor of psychology at San
Using technology can have certain effects on the brain. Nicholas Carr’s magazine blog, “The Web Shatters Focus, Rewrites Brains,” tells us an experiment from a ULCA professor, Gary Small. Gary Small
Throughout our everyday lives whether we think about it or not. Computers and technology are and have been an integral part of our lives. Computers and technology assist us with so much, such as the way we drive and the way we learn. We no longer have to deal with the hassle of driving stick and we no longer have to be in a physical classroom with the advent of online education. In Clive Thompsons’ essay “Smarter than you think how technology is changing our minds for the better,” he discusses how the ever changing capacity of technology improves the mental cognition of human beings.
The teenage brain can keep up with technology pretty well So how well are children handling multi tasking in a digital age that changes seemingly by the hour early evidence suggests pretty well. The teenage brain has a track record of successfully adapting to challenging it wasn't initially meant to take on.” Said the video ‘Development of the Young Brain’. Humans have been able to change what the brain can do such as reading. In the video ‘Development of the Young Brain’ It states that the we have been able to change what the brain does based on having the written word and having this environment. The brain learns through an example. And things around them. The video ’Development of the Young brain it says that the brain learns through example based on what they see and what they are taught every day. For example, what you do in front of children like use your phone, be on the internet and talking to people are all learned really easily by kids and teenagers. The brain takes influence of technology really well. It has no problem keeping up with technology. Recent study shows that teenagers can multi task and keep up with
For example, while computers have replaced typewriters, it helps the students to become a better writer as they can “revise text, rearrange paragraphs, and experiment with the tone and shape of an essay” while using word processing. Thus, the computer helps the students to improvise their writing. Human relationships with computers and technology have come closer than ever before in the recent decades. Erik Erikson’s view on the element “psychological moratorium” implies the identity development in adolescence. According to Sherry Turkle, computers and the internet have given wonderful opportunities to the young generation that helps them to present themselves online through role-playing games, chat rooms, and other technological venues.... ...
Nicholas Carr argues in his controversial article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” that technology, specifically; the Internet and the devices we use to access the Internet (smartphones, computers, and tablets) are having detrimental effects on mental cognition. I do not think these effects are limited to just the way we are reading. It is beyond...
Children today are not born with an umbilical cord, but a computer cord. Kids aren’t the way they use to be. How many times have you caught yourself thinking or saying this? Theories today believe that children form these generations are actually different, meaning their brains are different from when we were children. What can we do about it, or should we do anything at all? This paper will examine children today and the difference between the generations. Secondly, due to the difference in generations, the importance of maintaining social interaction, critical thinking and problem solving skills, which, are just as important as technical fluencies for the 21st century. In order to maintain the “humanity” skills, I will discuss the importance of Daily Physical Activity (DPA). Furthermore, the paper will also examine the importance of building a bridge between the digital divide. It is necessary to examine the educational system and the digital divide. Children are engulfed in a digital world and have different experiences and environment. How do we build a bridge between the technical fluencies and the humanity skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century?
A mere twenty years ago, children played in their neighborhood all day, jumping ropes, riding bikes, and building forts. They were the masters of imaginary games. Children created their own play that didn't require any money or parental supervision. Children would play with sticks. It could become a slingshot, a pistol, a claw, or anything else that they could dream up (Sawyer 1). In the past, family time was often spent doing chores, crafts, and homework. The dining room table was where families came together to enjoy their meals and have conversations about their day. After dinner, the dining table became the center for baking and homework after dinner (Mendoza 1).Today's families are different. Technology's impact on the 21st century family is fracturing and altering its very foundation, and causing a disintegration of core values and breaking down the fabric that held families together long ago. Comparing to this current generation, children have been born into a digital world and grown up with the most advance and updated technology. Children are called “digital natives (Richtel 1).” They are contrasted with the digital immigrants, such as their parents and teachers, who have adapted technology much later in life (Richtel 1). Technology has advanced so rapidly that families have scarcely noticed the significant shifts and transformations to their family structure and lifestyles. According to 2010 Kaiser Foundation, the study showed that elementary aged children use on average 7.5 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75 percent of these children have TV's in their bedrooms, and 50 percent of them have the TV on all day (Mendoza 1). Laptops, phones, and televisions are considered as some of the most popular technologies...