I am slow to get to my thoughts on Twiiter and PLN this week because I daily commuted to an AP Env. Sci. training session.
I feel behind, but also don't miss the mental frenzy that goes with checking posts. During some down time and an overnight session with no laptop, I read The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Mark Bauerlein, 2008). While the ultimate argument of his book is that American adolescents spend time on screen at the considerable loss of intellectual growth through reading, he did include one chapter on studies of on-line learning that bolster his case. These might be something to consider as we contemplate Web 2.0 applications in our classes.
He acknowledges that the wired, gaming, messaging generation may develop better spatial awareness and some planning, but doesn't feel that students become better learners in the process.
A quote from Bill Joy founder of Sun Microsystems at a WEb 2.0 conference: I"m skeptical that anything has to do with learning. It sounds like encapsulated entertainment."
Overall, blogs, etc reduce student reading ability because they spend little time reading books where they might encounter more unusual words. "For most users, screen time doesn't graduate them to higher knowledge/skills levels. It superpowers their social impulses, but it blocks intellectual gains." (Bauerlein, 139)
Another section deals with research into how people look at computer screens. A web consulting company of Jakob Nielsen looks at individual responses and more importantly, monitors what user is really doing with eye movement cameras. Some of the findings:
1. 0nly 16% of uses read text on a web page in linear, word to word fashion. They scan text, fixate on interesting items and then quickly move on.
2. Readers of RSS feeds spend even less time on headlines than on the newsletter itself. Typically a reader will look at the first two words in the headline, and if nothing in those two words sparks interest, then will go to next page.
3. Most readers look at web pages in F pattern, read top line, some in the middle, and the left edge. Lower right corner often ignored.
4. Teens display reading skills, research procedures, and patience levels insufficient to navigate the web effectively.
5. Adolesecents complete online tasks only 55% of the time, compared with adults 66%. Students have short attention spans and want to be stimulated.
6. Much of the problem comes from the large amounts of time students have control over what they do with digital technology, much more than required school time. They are so grooved that efforts from school may not change them.
Ultimately, digital technology presents adolescents so much choice, that they spend nearly all of their time on sites with people who share their opinions and don't challenge them to grow intellectually.
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I think you need to be really careful with the generalizations presented in Bauerlien's book. First, his title shows that he is more interested in selling books that providing a reasoned and balanced argument. Second, "research" on the impact of technology is in its infancy. He is speculating on the long term impact of technologies that have only been around for a few years. He also cherry-picks the negative results and rarely puts it in context. Third, he is rolling out the same arguments that every generation makes about youth. How often do you see a book title, "Be and optimist: Your children will save the world!"
ReplyDeleteHere is a good critique of the book-
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138536
Eric, I don't necessarily buy Bauerlien's tenants about Dumbness. This is old hat about older people's opinions of the youth. What I found interesting were the reports he cited about relationship between digital behavior and learning. Even the Newsweek article, which mostly addresses the Dumbest argument, cites studies that show that multitasking doesn't lead to deep understanding or the ability to comprehend complicated linear arguments. I think we need to recognize the degree to which many teenagers multitask when they use electronic or web media.
ReplyDeleteAs a twenty plus teaching veteran, the thoughts about reading skills are provocative. About ten years ago I started seeing more students having trouble understanding information presented as text. This year I taught a class to seniors who were college bound, not necessarily college prep, and they couldn't use the text which was designed for low level, non science major, college students.
I think the point about availability of resources offering so much choice is worth pondering. Even when we talk of Web 2.0 and use something like RSS services, do you really think most people subscribe to sources that present ideas that challenge their existing world view? Sure there will be some, but it will be a small minority. And for the standard teenager,I am sure the number will be even lower.
Bauerlien includes some material that echoes some web 2.0 proponents. Mainly, students don't use electronic media effectively, and one value of education is to help students how to use them better through "good" exercises in school.