It's no secret that Canadian society is becoming more and more technologically advanced and this includes education. When I worked an a work experience student in grade one last year the changes to how the students learned was eye opening. When I was a grade one student we wrote journal entries, counted pennies and listened to tape cassettes. Now in grade one they have computer class, count apples on a Smartboard, and all are required to have their own calculators.
It's one thing to give grade ten, eleven and twelve students lap tops, but do grade ones really need a computer class?
This is a really two sided argument. Personally growing up my parents were always faulting my brothers and I for the amount of time spent on the computer on MSN and Google. They didn't understand the hour conversations we had on the phone with friends we would see the next day. When we asked for a cell phone in grade ten, they didn't think it was necessary. However now we depend on our Blackberry's for communication. Texting, Skyping, and Facebooking have become common terms in society as well as dominate forms of communication.
The increase in technology is concerning to some people because they worry we are losing important aspects of human interaction. Thinking back when is the last time you received a hand written letter? This used to be an everyday occurrence, and now if you asked a sixteen year old to write one, they wouldn't even know where to begin. Critics are worried that face to face communication is becoming extinct and that people don't know how to socially interact. Viable concerns when you reflect on the addictions teens are developing for video games, texting and Myspace.
In class we watched a video with facts on the effects of technology on education. Researcher's went to one of the top universities in the US and talked to the top multi taskers in the school. It turns out that all that texting, emailing, and Facebooking between studying and writing essays may be inhibiting our ability to learn and retain knowledge.
Being an aggressive multi tasker myself this was alarming. I've always gotten good grades, and been able to keep up with all my social needs. When I do anything my phone is near by. I don't even know how to study without music playing and it has to be a pretty tough test to make me turn my phone off to look over the notes.
Research continues and we are left wondering, as the digital generation are we only setting ourselves back that much more?
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