Nadine Schuurman argues that with the rise of internet use, our learning styles are rapidly changing. She describes this as a negative change, representative of our inability to understand previous forms of information. Brains and the way that they function are constantly changing (brain plasticity), and advances in technology/increases in use of technology have certainly affected our brains (Schuurman 1).
One of the primary negative effects that technology use has had on our brains is a decrease in our attention span; we cannot focus as easily or for as long as we used to (this is particularly prevalent in developed countries where the internet is more commonly accessed) (Schuurman 2). We are not as skillful when it comes to reading large amounts of information on print, rather, we excel at finding key pieces of information quickly.
Schuurman supports her argument by showing the ways in which the academic sphere caters to this type of learning in the format various resources (e.g. journal formats, academic reviewing, & academic social networking) --as pictured below. Schuurman argues that not only has our method of learning changed, we have started to cater to this new type of learning.
This is an interesting topic, and I definitely agree that many of us tend to skim through long articles in order to find key information, rather than reading for full comprehension.
ReplyDeleteI also read this article, and it was interesting to see how these learning changes affect geography. With such a short attention span, we may find it difficult to notice geographic and evolutionary changes.
ReplyDeleteInteresting read, thanks for sharing! I recently read an article about how ADHD has become more common and how it is not a biological disorder but rather a culturally shaped one. We are less engaged and become bored quickly because of the rapid pace of our culture.
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