In today's technology-based society, it is natural not to realize the extent to which we use the Internet and other forms of media. We are constantly checking our social media portals to see what is going on in the world with friends and family, and we are always using our cellphones, laptops, computers, iPods, iTouches, and iPhones throughout each day. In an article titled "How Social Media is Ruining Your Mind" by Aaron Saenz, "Social media pushes its users into states of continued stimulus and communication, with a system that rewards obsessively-frequent checking and updating." This notion of "obsessively checking and updating" is definitely true for me, and I'm sure other social media and technology users like myself can say the same. In the Saenz article, it was mentioned that scientists have been looking how social media in today's world have been influencing people's multitasking skills, social interactions, and ability to focus. All of these issues deal with interpersonal interaction and the way people behave. I believe that social media and technology are beginning to hinder these human skills and abilities, because of the constant need to be connected, and the failure to engage in normal human interaction. A UCLA study showed that just 5 hours of Internet surfing can change the way your brain works. I'm sure all of us at least surf for a couple hours a day, especially a college student like myself, so imagine what a lifetime of Internet surfing can add up to.
In an interesting book titled "Deciphering Cyberspace: Making the Most of Digital Communication Technology" Leonard Shyles investigates the impact of image based education, and information on the Web on children. "Such image-based education can easily lead to a shortened attention span among children, a situation already observed by many educators. Television's main contribution to educational philosophy, according to Postman, is the notion that "teaching and entertainment are inseparable"(pg. 146). It is apparent that we are changing the way we educate our youth with all of the new technologies and teaching methods that are rising in popularity. Some of these methods are very helpful and interactive, but when it comes to causing cognitive and attention problems, rethinking the way we educate is in order. "According to a study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, attention problems in children ages 4-15 have increased from 1.4% in 1979 to 9.2% in 1996 (Kelleher, McInery, Gardner, Cilds, & Wasserman, 2000). " This concrete statistic shows just how much the growth of media has influenced these cognitive problems in the past few decades.
In an article from
CNN "Is the Internet hurting children?" by Chelsea Clinton and James P. Steyer, they also discuss the impact of multimedia and the Internet on children. "While the research is still in its early stages, it suggests that the Internet may actually be changing how our brains work. Too much hypertext and multimedia content has been linked in some kids to limited attention span, lower comprehension, poor focus, greater risk for depression and diminished long-term memory." All of these effects can cause major health problems, many of which cannot be reversed. In order to test this shortened attention span as a result of media use, I would look to the students at University of Maryland, and middle and high schools in my hometown. I would observe classrooms to see the number of people using computers, laptops, and cellphones being used, and I would also observe the teachers. I would see how professors and teachers are educating their kids and the methods they are using, such as YouTube videos, Internet, and other forms of technology. I would compare the classrooms where a lot of media is used versus not, and observe the kid's social interaction in another setting. Cutting down on Internet and social media use or returning back to more traditional forms of educating and communicating is seen as a major debate as a result of these issues and research.
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