The Multitasking Generation
by Claudia Wallis
Sunday, March 19, 2006 Claudia Wallis delves into how the infinite capabilities of technology affect the learning and thinking of young people today. Children growing up in a society with constant technological advances are able to interact with each other and work multiple tasks simultaneously--unlike any previous generation. Computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices make those activities a daily practice for most students. Despite constant communication and access to innumerable resources, " the mental habit of dividing one's attention into many small slices has significant implications for the way young people learn, reason, socialize, do creative work and understand the world," (Wallis 4). Some of those implications included lack of desire or ability to focus, decreased efficiency, and less deep or analytical thinking.
This article refers primarily to teens and college students but is relevant even in Early Childhood Education. The students that will be in my class are entering into the world of technology at a very young age. They have not yet developed the habits described in the article, but are sure to if they are not taught a healthy balance of technology and more traditional approaches in the beginning. To create a healthy balance, I believe it is important to focus on physical interaction, reading books, writing, drawing, group work, etc. I will encounter these students at a pivotal point in their lives! I hope to teach these young children the best of both worlds by incorporating technology into our lessons, but also cherishing traditional values that have been effective for generations. It will be exciting watching my students learn how to get the most from numerable resources at their fingertips, but also encouraging a healthy lifestyle of interaction with each other and their families, and developing their individual ability to think and reflect on their own work. As the article explains, the more children attempt to multitask the less efficient they are in their work and their relationships suffer. I aim to prevent this by teaching them appropriate uses of technology as well as appropriate ways to interact with one another. If they can make those behaviors habit, they stand a much better chance at focusing on each task separately and pursuing it with all of their effort and interest.
This article refers primarily to teens and college students but is relevant even in Early Childhood Education. The students that will be in my class are entering into the world of technology at a very young age. They have not yet developed the habits described in the article, but are sure to if they are not taught a healthy balance of technology and more traditional approaches in the beginning. To create a healthy balance, I believe it is important to focus on physical interaction, reading books, writing, drawing, group work, etc. I will encounter these students at a pivotal point in their lives! I hope to teach these young children the best of both worlds by incorporating technology into our lessons, but also cherishing traditional values that have been effective for generations. It will be exciting watching my students learn how to get the most from numerable resources at their fingertips, but also encouraging a healthy lifestyle of interaction with each other and their families, and developing their individual ability to think and reflect on their own work. As the article explains, the more children attempt to multitask the less efficient they are in their work and their relationships suffer. I aim to prevent this by teaching them appropriate uses of technology as well as appropriate ways to interact with one another. If they can make those behaviors habit, they stand a much better chance at focusing on each task separately and pursuing it with all of their effort and interest.
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