Can all this technology be good for growing brains?
I would like to hear from teachers, principals, parents and kids today about how good they think they are at multi-tasking. Have teachers seen a downside to the constant text messaging, Facebooking and computer use? Are students able to focus for long periods of time on one task? What do English papers or complex math problems look like these days? Are they more riddled with errors because kids are trying to do their math and write their papers while they text and use Facebook? Or do teachers believe students are able to process information more quickly? Do some children benefit? Here's a New York Times piece to get your thoughts started. Warning: the story is long so you will have to focus for an extended period of time. Can you read it from start to finish without interruption?
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Our students can't "multitask" any better than we can. Multitasking really means doing several tasks poorly. Texting while learning is as dangerous as texting while driving - except that the blood, death and dismemberment are metaphorical.
Posted by: Baltimore HS Teacher | June 7, 2010 5:21 PM
Students today have a myriad of interuptions that... Let's see, three cups sugar and...who was that on the phone? They may want....I would love a fresh cup of coffee...Wegmans has great coffee...I just burned my toast. ..Is your homework finished?
Posted by: Boris | June 8, 2010 7:18 AM
@ Can all this technology be good for growing brains?
Do some children benefit? Answer "YES." Technology bridge gaps in any community and in our lifestyles and add to the culture of all of us. We will spend our adult lives in a multitasking, multifaceted, technology-driven, diverse, vibrant world. We also must commit to ensuring that all of our school systems provide and all students have equal access to this new technological world, regardless of their economic background.
Posted by: Interested & Engaged Parent of City Schools | June 10, 2010 10:20 AM