Description:
"Does Your Teen Need a Break from All That Technology?" was addressing a question that is on a lot of parents' and educators' minds. Today's parents and educators are not "digital natives,' they are more like digital converts. Because of this, many adults have begun to speculate on the effects of students' never-ending relationship with technology--both positive and negative effects. Many people, like Janet Oak, believe that the phenomenon of digital multitasking is second nature to today's youth; even labeling it as media-meshing rather than multitasking. Others agree with this and, and go even further, classifying students' "media-meshing" as an act of modeling or a skill development. In today's society more than ever the ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently is prized, but many are still wondering if the technological multitasking performed constantly by students is actually harming their ability to focus on tasks rather than strengthening it. The article included a variety of different views surrounding this concern and highlighted some tips for parents to help determine whether or not their children were indeed being negatively impacted by all the "media-meshing." In the end, though, it all comes down to the individual--just like in the classroom, some students handle certain activities and skills better than others. And the appropriate level of technology use for each student depends upon his or her own personal ability to work efficiently amongst it.
Analysis:
This article discussed a hot topic right now in a variety of fields concerning child development. More than ever before, students are being bombarded with opportunities to multi-task, or media-mesh if you will. Whether or not this bombardment is positive or negative is yet to be discovered. To be honest, I do not believe there ever will be a definitive answer to the question/controversy. It all depends on the child...their background, cognitive ability, and preference. The environment some students thrive in, others perish. The question is not cut and dry; so neither is the answer. I do agree with the article, though, that it is important to understand how your child (or students) function most efficiently and to use this information to not only help them achieve but improve the skills they are less proficient in.
Reflection:
The article brought up a lot of good points regarding student development and the effect of technology on their cognitive development and focus. This is a discussion that definitely affects education--both in the school and home atmosphere. Furthermore, I believe this article would be something I could share with my students' parents/guardians. I believe that each family should set guidelines for their children regarding study time vs. technology time and how the two can co-exist.
No comments:
Post a Comment