The Edutopia Poll
by Sara Ring
Cell phones, iPods, laptops -- today's kids have tremendous access to tools that allow them to listen, learn, and connect at dizzying speeds, sometimes all at the same time. Although multitasking is an essential skill, students may pay a price for constantly jumping from one information source to the next. The ability to navigate the short and snappy world of Twitter updates, Google searches, and text messages may not translate into an ability to focus on a lengthy in-class lecture or closely analyze a written text. Does too much technological multitasking hurt students' focus, or is does it prepare them for the reality of today's fast-paced workforce? We want to know!
No plug
Submitted by Mary CJ (not verified) on November 17, 2008 - 07:17.
Our brains do one task at a time. But the use of technology by students isn't my worry. I worry about the students who have no access to technology. For example, my elementary chorus students need to access my moodle site to practice their chorus music and memorise it by a deadline. Less than 10 percent do not have home internet access. Students who have no home internet access AND whose parents never take them to a public library may never get to use an electronic communications device except in school. Their limited access is a significate barrier their learning how to be part of today's society. Most of the enrichment resources provided by our state DOE are only available online.
Student Teacher, 2nd grade,
Submitted by Heather Hicks (not verified) on November 15, 2008 - 18:22.
Student Teacher, 2nd grade, Forked River School, NJ
Like everything else... change begins at home, with the parents, the family attitude, the expectations and standards that our children are held to.
I don't worry so much about
Submitted by Vaughan Johnson (not verified) on November 12, 2008 - 12:26.
I don't worry so much about attention span as what these kids are missing by obsessing over tweets and IMs. It pains me to go out to a play or dinner and see kids sitting at a table with their cell phone in their hands, completely oblivious to their families or their surroundings. I went to our school's 4th grade concert and there was a group of older brothers and sisters in the back completely ignoring their younger siblings performance. I'm all for ease of access for information and communication but we need to teach them to turn it off every now and then. Nothing a 13 year old has to say is so monumental that it can't wait an hour so that they can enjoy their surroundings.
I don't worry so much about
Submitted by Linda McClellan (not verified) on November 14, 2008 - 16:26.
I agree completely. Children are given too much time alone with technology and not enough play time. We are allowing our policy makers to make rules and regulations that are not allowing our children time to grow and play. And parents are jumping on the bandwagon, not realizing what they are doing to their own children.
The Myth of Multitasking
Submitted by Don Berg (not verified) on November 11, 2008 - 20:36.
Here's a perspective to consider:
Our brains are not actually capable of "multi-tasking." What we call multitasking is actually rapidly switching from task to task, which has the result of diminishing our ability to think clearly about each task. Since we have a limited perceptual and cognitive bandwidth as human beings and each switch actually demands extra bandwidth, the net result is a loss of quality for each task.
Here's a video that explains it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5vRMgw6pk4
--
Enjoy,
Don Berg
Site: www.Teach-Kids-Attitude-1st.com
Blog: blog.Attitutor.com
But aren't we as human
Submitted by Ian (not verified) on November 25, 2008 - 06:04.
But aren't we as human beings constantly evolving? Not to say that this generation is better able to think clearly and give greater attention to multiple tasks, but might they have a bit more capability, and be paving the way for future generations to not only rapidly switch from task to task, but actually truly multi-task?
Post new comment