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Is Technology Producing A Decline In Critical Thinking And
Analysis?
ScienceDaily (Jan. 29, 2009) - 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.
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Learners have changed as a result of their exposure to technology, says
Greenfield, who analyzed more than 50 studies on learning and technology,
including research on multi-tasking and the use of computers, the Internet and
video games. Her research was published this month in the journal Science.
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.
How much should schools use new media, versus older techniques such as
reading and classroom discussion?
"No one medium is good for everything," Greenfield said. "If we want to
develop a variety of skills, we need a balanced media diet. Each medium has
costs and benefits in terms of what skills each develops."
S
Doug Johnson is a big believer that blocking Web content is a lot like banning books. He would rather teach kids proper use as opposed to say "You can't use it here."
As we look at education in the 21st century, we need to take these things into
account.
I agree, yet the method for accountability needs to change as well. Schools will respond to where the carrot or the stick is....right now that focus is on testing....the pendulum will need to swing more towards performance based assessment.
What did MN learn from grad. standards of the 1990s? The grassroots of that movement came from the business community and addressed these exact issues...yet, education became bogged down with the accountability of it all.
Hmmm...Interesting quote. With our technologies, can't we look up everything? Is there anything worth memorizing? This will radically change how we teach. Memorization is a time-saver in the long run. We'll need to consider what information we teach is "worthy of memorization".
I think this would be a great conversation! I see a huge difference between memorizing your math facts and memorizing the capitals of states. Where do we draw the line?
If NCLB/MCAII's require students to memorize facts for standardized tests, can we instruct at a higher level than Knowledge on Bloom's? Scott McLeod has an interesting video on that here: http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/08/whats-the-best.html
Though you will need to view it at home because our filter blocks Vimeo, the site he uploaded the movie to.
Hmm. . . . I don't buy it! Isn't a knowledge base necessary for the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy? Am I old-fashioned to think that there are certain things that educated people should KNOW?
(Twitter blocked on the filter, but Facebook not!)
An innovative and collaborative environment is an exciting thought. Technology has changed so much in the last 15 years. It is hard to imagine how our classrooms will change in the next five years.