Author: Bruce

Technology has become an overwhelming factor in the world that we live in today and is overtaking normal books, magazines, etc. Some now say that technology is making the human race not as smart and is making things more difficult and complicated. Reading on a computer screen is effecting the way our brains process things and how it can be distracting. Nicholas Carr, Susanne Murphy, Paul La Farge, and Ferris Jabr all have arguments considering both methods explaining how it can either be harmful or beneficial to you. On my own experience it is a I prefer reading the text in paper which makes me have a better understanding of what I am looking at.

Nicholas Carr and Ferris Jabr are both strong believers of keeping print around and not trying to focus everything on the Internet. They both focus on how reading on the Internet has made drastic changes for them when normally reading in a book. In the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid,” Carr has many personal examples of how he is not as smart as he used to be and can feel his brain changing due to the use of technology. He says, “Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do,” (Carr) and how it has been putting a continuing effect on his mind the more he keeps using the Internet. I agree with what Carr is saying; when I read books I sometimes get lost in wandering within my mind, and used to looking around on the Internet page or something else instead of continuing my reading. My focus level goes way off, and my mind wanders. Ferris Jabrs article “The Reading Brain in The Digital Age: The Science of Paper Vs Screens,” has many examples and studies of how the reading paper benefits for you than reading online. A study done of seventy-two tenth grades students were split up where half were reading in text and half were on a computer. In the end results it said, “Students who read the texts on computers performed a little worse than students who read on paper,” (Jabr) which I can understand because people are focusing more on the readings in text rather than on that screen. Many people I know prefer to read text over paper. When it comes to me taking tests, quizzes, or doing homework online I tend to rush myself more and not really learn the objectives of what I needed to know. Information comes easier to me when it is taught to me, instead of me having to read it on my own. The two examples strongly relate because it shows how reading in text can help you focus better, and have a better understanding of what you are learning. You can have a better understanding of what you are reading.

On the other hand, some people prefer the new advancements of technology and enjoy reading on a screen or new E-readers. It does not affect the way they read, and they are able to process everything that is going into their brain. Paul La Farges article “The Deep Space of Digital Reading” has the sight of how technology is something new and advancing that we have to get used too. He says that “done well, it has the potential to expand and augment the very contemplative space that we have prized in ourselves ever since we learned to read without moving our lips,” (La Farge) which says that it can become easier for us. I disagree with his statement because even though that technology is having its advancements, reading a loud has always been a teaching tool. It was the number one way how I was taught to read, and it going to be the I teach my children. “Plagiarism is dead; Long Live the Retweet: Unpacking an Identity Crisis in Digital Content” shows that a lot of peoples work now are based so much off others research and most of the papers quotes and citations are all over it. Susanne Murphy states “More significantly, I believe, schools are losing an ability to matter,” (Murphy) and schools are losing control. Murphy claims that students take so much of other people’s work instead of using their own. I disagree with this statement because I use others peoples work to looks and learn what they write, then come up with my own unique things. I feel like people enjoy your work way more too when you put your own twists on things. Although when growing up in school it is taught for kids to use to cite anything they write about others work. Teachers have always stressed about making sure that you cite the things you write even when writing your own work. Although the uniqueness of one’s own work shows the kind of creative writer that you are, and where your head is at when stating the material.

It has taken deep thought about which one I would rather prefer, and I think it has come clear. Using both reading in text and reading online, I strongly prefer to read in text. The way my own experience really connects is with Jabr’s study about how students did better on the exam than the students on the computer. I always do well when I study right text and physically the paper in hand. Growing up technology was not really a big factor in my life, and reading was strongly enforced. I would always read a USA hockey kids magazine to learn about more things about hockey or any of the professional players. I was always using a book any time I would either read and know if I put my head down and grinded away in it, that I would successful learn what I needed. In the modern era that we live in today, a lot of readings that I have to do end up being online, but there are times that I find myself printing them out. Which in return helps me with my academics and helps me maintain a strong learning advantage for myself.

With the way technology is advancing as much as it does every day, that every time you go to bed and wake up some new form of technology has been created. All of this happening will change the way the new generations grow up and it will affect the way they learn to read and write. Colleges will keep updating their technology every year because they think students coming in will want to use nothing but everyday new. They always want everything to look good and have the best possible things for their students. There will never be a time that they take away from the traditional reading on text or a book, but I feel as if a lot of things will focus on digital reading. The best things for schools to focus in on the future is knowing that kids are going to get more and more used to using the computers and digital media so they need to stay on top of it.