busyScientists Fear Technology May Be Rewiring Our Brains
When the brain spends more time on technology-related tasks and less time exposed to other people, it drifts away from fundamental social skills like reading facial expressions during conversation, Small asserts.
So brain circuits involved in face-to-face contact can become weaker, he suggests. That may lead to social awkwardness, an inability to interpret nonverbal messages, isolation and less interest in traditional classroom learning.
... this really sounds like the anti-bookworm propaganda some teachers heaped on me when I was younger, because I preferred the company of books to that of the banal little beasts they called my classmates. And while I've got some nearby friends, frankly I prefer the company of online folks to most of the locals, because the Midwest is not exactly a hotbed of culture and brilliance. The scientists may have a point in there somewhere, but if they want to sell it to intellectuals, boy howdy they'd better find a better way to phrase it.
December 10 2008, 11:01:34 UTC 12 years ago
Well, no kidding. And they only think this. Of course it is. I don't think that takes a brain surgeon to conclude. The world changes and our brains change. Good thing.
As far as traditional classroom learning being threatened- thank God. I am teacher trained, have home-schooled, and have just enrolled my 11-year-old daughter in a highly technologically savvy school. Educational models are seriously outdated and behind the times. Isn't school supposed to prepare our children for the world they will live in when they grow up?
For instance, why in the world are we still teaching cursive handwriting to students? We should be teaching word processing skills with that time instead. No, I am not saying children should not learn to write, to print. But do they really need to spend time learning to handwrite in flowing connected curly-cues? It is quant- for nostalgia's sake- but I don't think their world is going to use it when hardly anyone in mine does.
December 10 2008, 15:32:39 UTC 12 years ago
December 10 2008, 18:24:06 UTC 12 years ago
December 11 2008, 07:20:31 UTC 12 years ago
I think people tend to get sentimental about things like this. I have letters written by my mom in her beautiful cursive handwriting. She died when I was thirteen and I treasure those letters and am so thankful I can read them. But I'm not sure that nostalgia should dictate educational content.