Cognition, Education and Technology

This summer, I learned quite a bit about technology in the classroom and how it can help our students. In order for me to truly understand how technology can help, our professor had to present us with articles that were for and against the tech. Articles such as that written by Matthew Wisnioski,  How digital technology is destroying your mind., allude to Susan Greenfield's book, in which she, 

"asserts that the digital revolution exploits our biological propensity for mindlessness. She cites laboratory studies finding that social networking and video gaming trigger dopamine in the same manner as junk food and Ecstasy...Because cyberspace lacks causal sequence, is devoid of immediate consequences and gives instant access to information without guidance, our attention spans shrink, deeper thinking declines and interpersonal bonds wither." 

Though there are quite many people who think just like Greenfield and uphold that technology will make people less intelligent, there are others who completely disagree. For example, in his article, How Digital Technology Has Changed the Brain, Taspcott notes that "scientists are beginning to document the traces that the Internet leaves on sensitive young brains. People who play a lot of action video games, for instance, process visual information more quickly than people who don't, according to a seminal 2003 article in Nature." 

Our class debate further strengthened my belief that technology is good for all of us if and when used appropriately. As educators, it is our job to ensure that we are properly teaching our students how they are supposed to use technology to get the most out of it. Also, technology can increase our higher order thinking skills because with it we are able to create new ideas from information we have synthesized. There are many websites and applications that have been created so that individuals can continue to develop their cognitive abilities, depending on their age. I have noticed this after having my child go on an interactive website where she learned how to write out her ABCs and read some basic words. 

As far as our culture is concerned, technology is embedded in it. A Huffington Post article expressed that "social networks -- and the gadgets they run on -- aren’t a distraction from real life, but a crucial extension of it.” We cannot run away technology. It will continue to follow us indefinitely from now on. Those who find that it is detrimental to our society, will not see it that way as long as they learn that it can actually be good for us. We just need to learn to use it the right way for the right reasons.

Most importantly, technology, especially in the classroom, can increase students' motivation. The Self Determination Theory says that students develop motivation when they are able to use technology which caters to the students' autonomy, relatedness and competence. I believe that if I continue to implement technology in my class, I will see my students' intrinsic motivation continue to develop.As a result, students' learning will increase and this will show that technology is actually good for our society because we are going to be using it appropriately.

I am glad I chose this track for my M.Ed because now I can truly make a difference in my students and their learning. I can't wait for the next Ed Tech class!