As technology has played a bigger role in our lives, our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined, while our visual skills have improved, according to research by Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles.
Contents contributed and discussions participated by Madeline Greenberg
Discussion Board for the group - 28 views
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I don't know if anyone saw but I posted two summaries from the sources I found in the discussion group on the FS connect. I think they would be good if combined into one paragraph for an essay. If it is easier I can copy and paste it into here? -
The Waterloo University in Ontario has started to require an exam testing basic English language schools for their admitted students. However, the results of their testing has shown that about a third of the students are failing this exam. Ann Barrett, the director of the English exam for the University states that the percentage of students that do not pass this exam has increased in the last few years by five percent. Across many universities, it has been noticed that students grammar is becoming significantly worse in recent years. Emoticons and abbreviated words are commonly included in students' writing. Many professionals and experts feel that the use of texting and social media are responsible for the poor literacy skills of people now. People have conformed to improper writing on the Internet which transfers over to the writing style they have in their careers or academics.
According to Patricia Greenfield, a professor of psychology at UCLA, as technology has increased and become a more prominent thing in daily life, critical thinking and analysis have declined. With more technology available, the amount of people who read for pleasure has decreased, and according to Patricia Greenfield's studies, reading for pleasure "enhances thinking and engages the imagination..." She also states that students today have a greater skill in visual literacy than print literacy. In one study Patricia Greenfield conducted, the result showed that students who had access to Internet in class and in their lectures didn't retain and understand the information being taught to them at the same level as the students who did not have Internet access. Further into this study, the students were tested and those that didn't rely on Internet access had better test scores. Regarding the studies that Patricia Greenfield conducted on students with Internet and their multi-tasking abilitiies, she stated that multi-tasking "prevents people from getting a deeper understanding of information."
Is technology producing a decline in critical thinking and analysis? / UCLA N... - 0 views
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Reading for pleasure, which has declined among young people in recent decades, enhances thinking and engages the imagination in a way that visual media such as video games and television do not, Greenfield said.
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Students today have more visual literacy and less print literacy.
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Madeline Greenberg
The statement "Technology (through television, texting, social networks posting, and the Internet), has contributed to an increase in literacy skills" is a false statement because technology such as television, texting advances, social media, and the Internet have actually made it easier for people to ignore practices that enhance our literacy abilities. Technology has become a first priority in society, therefore replacing the vital lessons in students' education that contribute to the enhancement of basic and necessary literacy skills. Literacy skills include being able to read, write and comprehend information. In today's digital age, the amount of illiterate people is consistently increasing as technology continues to advance. Today, technology is such an important part to people's lives, and although basic digital skills are extremely necessary for education and work today, there needs to be a balance between technology skills and basic literacy.
Across many universities, it has been noticed that students' grammar is becoming significantly worse in recent years. Emoticons and abbreviated words are commonly included in students' writing. Many professionals and experts feel that the use of texting and social media are responsible for the poor literacy skills of people now. People have conformed to improper writing on the Internet, which transfers over to the writing style they have in their careers or academics. According to Paul Budra, an English professor and associate dean of arts and science at Simon Fraser University, "Punctuation errors are huge, and apostrophe errors. Students seem to have absolutely no idea what an apostrophe is for. None. Absolutely none."
According to Patricia Greenfield, a professor of psychology at UCLA, as technology has increased and become a more prominent activity in daily life, critical thinking and analysis have declined. With more technology available, the amount of people who read for pleasure has decreased, and according to Patricia Greenfield's studies, reading for pleasure "enhances thinking and engages the imagination..." She also states that students today have a greater skill in visual literacy than print literacy. In one study Patricia Greenfield conducted, the result showed that students who had access to Internet in class and in their lectures didn't retain and understand the information being taught to them at the same level as the students who did not have Internet access. Further into this study, the students were tested and those that didn't rely on Internet access had better test scores. Regarding the studies that Patricia Greenfield conducted on students with Internet and their multi-tasking abilities, she stated that multi-tasking "prevents people from getting a deeper understanding of information."