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When analyzing how the Internet affects our lives, we discover there are many advantages as well as disadvantages. To ensure these disadvantages are outweighed, it is crucial for our education system to adapt to the recent change in the relationship between technology and learning. This is why we as an administration have to recognize that the Internet is changing our ability to read and research and recognize this change as positive rather than solely focusing on the negatives. As presented in the five articles, it can be concluded that the Internet takes up most of our free time, computer screens can hinder some of our skills if used too much, reading online may not be approached with the same seriousness as reading on paper, and attention blindness and multitasking are issues that need to be addressed. In my opinion, all of these points can be effectively used to reform the education system.

The Internet or computer screens in general are starting to take up more and more of our free time. In my opinion, in order to use this to our advantage, we can create more programs that incorporate computers. Since students are already familiar with computers and the Internet, there is a potential for lessons to be taught faster. However, to avoid the disadvantage of not learning how to reading from texts as well, there should be an even divide between lessons are taught on screens and when they are taught from text on paper. In Nicholas Carr’s article titled “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” he argues that we are more inclined to use screens rather than paper. The Internet is now more accessible and therefore we often rely on it more. As a result, he says we find ourselves more distracted when reading paper books because we are used to reading online. We therefore find the internet more interesting and more useful. This causes us to skim through paper books more frequently because we do not take them as seriously. Hence the title, he questions whether or not this affecting our intelligence or our ability to learn (Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”).

Although beneficial, if used too much, the Internet seems to have caused some consequences for our generation. In the second paragraph of his article, Carr states that reading used to be easy for him but recently he has noticed a change in his reading. He says that he feels his brain changing because of his recently frequent use of the Internet. He notices that he does not focus as much as he used to (Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”). He says the internet is “chipping away his capacity for concentration” (Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid”). In La Farge’s article titled “The Deep Space of Digital Reading”, he argues “The Internet may cause our minds to wander off, and yet a quick look at the history of books suggest that we have been wondering off all along” (La Farge, “The Deep Space of Digital Reading”). Personally, I have seen a change in my reading since I started reading on the Internet but I agree with La Farge. A change in someone’s reading is an ongoing process, it does not just suddenly happen. I think history proves that reading on line has always caused a few changes in people’s minds and nothing has in the past few years.

Claims presented in Ferris Jabr’s article “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens” support that reading online may not be approached with the same seriousness as reading on paper. This article was published by Scientific American and therefore takes a scientific approach in analyzing screens versus paper. According to his research, people approach reading on a screen with a “less conducive state of mind” than when they are reading a paper book” (Jabr, The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens). Jabr says that people read less comprehensively and slower when reading on a screen. He also says that there is a sense of accomplishment when book versus reading a text on a screen. This is why I propose that the education system break this common perception and teach that screens can be used just as effectively as paper. Although research proves this, I believe that we as this education system can change this. If schools equally divide when computers are used and when books are used, students will learn the benefits of each and which work for them for different assignments.

Attention blindness and multitasking are issues that need to be addressed in order for our education system to adapt to the digital age. According to Cathy Davidson’s Now You See It, attention blindness is when one can not focus on more than one thing. She says that when our attention is focused on one thing, it is hard to concentrate on another. In other words, multitasking is not always beneficial or effective. She claims that attention blindness happens in all ages and that the Internet is a contributing factor to it. On the fourth page, she says “attention blindness is key to everything we do as individuals, from how we work in groups to what we value in our institutions, in our classrooms, at work, and in ourselves” (Davidson, “Now You See It”). From this claim it can be concluded that attention blindness can be effectively used in the education system if approached the right way. It is already incorporated our classrooms so we have to devise a way to use it to our advantage. Similarly, in Olivia Goldhill’s article titled “Neuroscientists Say Multitasking Literally Drains the Energy Reserves of Your Brain”, she evaluates the impact of multitasking on our generation. In her article she claims that “myriad activities are making us tired” (Goldhill, “Neuroscientists Say Multitasking Literally Drains the Energy Reserves of Your Brain”). She says that we think we’re multitasking we actually aren’t. In other words, we are not actually completing two tasks when we think we are. More than often, we are just focusing on one task rather then the other. We get tired more as a result of multitasking and switching between tasks builds up stress. Certain tasks may also be more draining than others. Her solution is to take breaks in between tasks or just giving up multitasking as a whole (Goldhill, “Neuroscientists Say Multitasking Literally Drains the Energy Reserves of Your Brain”). Based on my experience, multitasking is draining and is not always effective. This is why the administration should teach how to multitask effectively and when it should be used. For example, when doing laundry, a task that is not very draining, reading a book or listening to music may be acceptable. On the contrary, when completing an important assignment, it may not be as acceptable to multitask and students should just mainly focus on their assignment. Although this seems obvious, we as a society and more specifically as an education system still continue to use multitasking in the wrong way and at the wrong times leading to attention blindness.

It can be concluded that the Internet takes up most of our free time, computer screens can hinder some of our skills if used too much, reading online may not be approached with the same seriousness as reading on paper, and attention blindness and multitasking are issues that need to be addressed. All these claims can be used to the education systems advantage if administration devises ways to strengthen the relationship between technology and learning. All five articles prove that although the internet or screens may not always be the most effective way for learning so it is our job to decide when to incorporate it and when not to. When used effectively, the Internet as well as multitasking will help the education system to adapt to the digital age in a productive and successful way.

Technology is constantly evolving in our world today. As individuals, we are capable of doing everything by the touch of a single click, including reading journals, solving math equations, and googling answers to our own questions online. This allows us to have so much more access from a machine rather than our own thinking. So, it’s quite common for educators to keep up with society as they adapt to the way students are learning from modern technology. The internet has its benefits and consequences, but I am a strong believer that we should limit ourselves when using technology for learning.  Forcing yourself to read online, as well as multitasking, is much more challenging and equally draining for an individual.

In the article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Carr expresses how easy it is to find information using the internet with all the resources available to us. Although, we cannot depend all our thinking on the internet. Carr and other colleagues claim that it’s hard to stay focused while reading online due to many distractions the internet has to offer. Carr expresses from other colleagues who have stated that, “The more they use the Web, the more that have to fight to stay focused on long pieces of writing” (“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”). Distractions like video ads, music, and notifications that instantly pop up that take your attention away in a snap of your fingers. For example, as I am writing this paper, referencing back to the article I am easily distracting by the ads that are shown and even the notifications that pop up on my screen as well.

While you think you may be the only one who gets distracted when working online, Carr discusses this phenomena in his article stating, “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. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle” (“Is Google Making Us Stupid?”). In his statement, Carr focusses on the point that reading online can become so boring and can make us become easily distracted with everything the internet has to offer such as social media, checking mail, and just searching the web rather than concentrating on the reading. Coincidentally, distractions could easily get confused with multitasking when working online.

I notice as I read different articles, Olivia Goldhill provides clear evidence similar to Carr’s evidence. Goldhill says, “That switching comes with a biological cost that ends up making us feel tired more quickly than if we sustain the attention on one thing.” (“Neuroscientist say multitasking literally drains the energy reserves of your brain”). She states that switching in between activities and tasks becomes more exhausting rather than productive. She even includes evidence that our brain uses oxygenated glucose which is burning out the same fuel needed to focus for single task. So imagine multitasking in between three different tasks and becoming ultimately overwhelmed—but really it’s your brain chemically over working itself to get everything you need done. Therefore, multitasking continues to make ourselves worn out and equally draining. It is suggested that a break is only needed in between tasks.

Completing two tasks at once is quite challenging when results do not come out as best as they could. Goldhill’s article she says “you can’t do two demanding, even simple tasks, in parallel.” This statement explains that we cannot focus or concentrate on doing two tasks at once because there’s no full attention on the one task that is needed to be done. For example, driving and texting is quite impossible and illegal, because not only is it a distraction, but it’s also putting yourself and others lives in harm’s way. We mentally cannot focus on the road and text because our attention should be fully focused on one thing at a time to get efficient results. Although, driving and texting is illegal and a major distraction, listening to music and driving is different because there’s no physical harm in it, because it doesn’t negatively affect the way we are completing a task. 

In the article, “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens” Jabr discusses the difference between reading on screen and paper. Jabr makes a good point—that we do read left to right in books while seeing the text as a whole with less distractions whatsoever. It’s a book, it’s in our hands, we turn the pages, our mind is constantly taking information in. For once, we are not overworking our brains with distractions and multitasking. When reading on paper it appears that we have a better way of imagining the text out as well as having a mental map of the text. Turning off all electronics and isolating yourself from distractions is a way for individuals to read a book to get less distracted. In contrast Jabr discusses the effects of reading online. Most digital screens do not always display as a paper book interfering with the way the text is presented to individuals. Individuals will scroll through a digital text, then begin to click on different pages as well as taking the time to go to the search function. Jabr states, “but it is difficult to see any one passage in the context of the entire text.” (“The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens”). Jabr means that sometime it’s better to see the text as whole instead of bits and pieces. Screen display a virtual page where one moment it’s there then gone and on paper we are able to retrace our footsteps.

As society is evolving and becoming more engaged in modern technology, many people suggest we should adapt our education system to the digital age. I’m here to say that we shouldn’t. The internet changes the way we think as our minds become more dependent on it. We lose sight and beauty of information that is physically around us to where we can’t think for ourselves anymore. When reading online, we tend to have a short attention span while becoming distracted by everything on the internet. As humans, we also tend to multitask with several things at one time. In result, we begin to lose focus of what we want to accomplish. With a physical book at hand we are able to see the full picture as well as not losing focus. Reading online and multitasking can completely over work our brains as distractions. However, as we know it, technology isn’t going anywhere, but only evolving as it is the future. Strategies that educators can conduct for students when using technology for reading online would be to limit ourselves from our phones and turning notifications off as we have a better focus off the text.

Ad from “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”

Driving while texting by: Brian Clausen