Yes+Ed+Tech+Shortening+Attention+Span

Educational Technology Shortens Attentions Spans

 * Introduction**

media type="custom" key="7737229" align="right" Today's classrooms are equipped with technology. From smart boards and computers, to audio systems and internet games. Although all of these items are great technology tools, they can have adverse affects on a student's attention span. Using technology to educate children, if misused, can cause students to not be able to focus. The reason that they are not able to concentrate is because the technology uses a large amount of flashing lights, colors, and fast moving objects. This constant changing of things, has programed the brains of our children to be on alert and craving action at all times. Therefore when they are engaged in something such as reading quietly, they are inattentive because their brain is expecting the stimulation. Educational technology can be beneficial, but if it is overused it can shorten a child's attention span, cause them to prefer technology over traditional teaching methods, and cause health issues.

Negative Effects of Educational Technology in the Classroom
Three Ways that educational technology causes problems with students:


 * Shortens attention span
 * Favor technology over traditional tools
 * Cause health issues (headaches/over stimulation)

All the new technology options and offerings can be addicting and turning even the most polite of citizens into ones that have a hard time veering their vision or attention away from their technologically enhanced device for very long. Couple that with all the bells, whistles, music and sound alerts that notify you to so much more than 'you've got mail' anymore and is it any wonder that anyone can truly finish anything that they have started? This technology was developed to try to help people become more connected and help them perform tasks more efficiently. So does this technology truly help with multitasking or is it just a big distraction ultimately shortening individuals' attention spans? There is a growing acknowledgment to the fact that this technology is truly shortening attention spans. (Ko, Y. April 13, 2010). As individuals try to accomplish one task (or find an application that might help them), they are easily distracted with other information, games, applications or new incoming communications. Many employers have even begun monitoring employees' time while on the computer in an attempt to increase work production. If technology didn't pull employees attention away so easily, then employers would have no reason to monitor it.
 * Multitasking or Shortening Attention Spans?**

This problem has been pervasive in every part of the United States. Initially, the US had trouble finding people that could effectively use new technologies. Now the US is full of people that cannot function without technology. How many people can do math equations without a graphing calculator? Until about 20 years ago it was all done with a slide rule. Recently, a US Army colonel slammed the Army for "endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals to spoon-feed them information." (Farmer, B. August 29, 2010) Scientists in the Department of Energy also forgot how to make a critical component for nuclear warheads and only learned of the lost knowledge when trying to refurbish old warheads. (Edwards, R. March 7, 2009) This sort of "brain drain" is exactly what our over-reliance on technology is costing us.
 * Cannot Function Without Technology**

Children are just as dependent on technology. "Why do I have to know this if I can just look it up on the internet?" is a common complaint by children in today's classrooms. They are no longer learning or using problem solving skills because they do not feel that it is necessary. They could not be further from the truth. Taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together, being able to reason your way through a problem, or working with a team of people to solve a problem are all skills that are necessary in order to be a contributing member of society and the best way to learn these skills is through hands-on learning.

Many classrooms today have children in them that have been diagnosed as having ADHD (attention deficit hyper-activity disorder). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 7 percent of children age 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD; a number that has been increasing by 3% each year since 1997. (Fox News; August 20, 2010) In a classroom of 30 students, on average there are 2 children diagnosed as having ADHD and several other children that may have similar symptoms that have not been diagnosed. Technology use in the classroom contributes to the inattentiveness of these students. Flashing graphics, bright lights, and sounds being fed through speakers are all contributing to the overstimulation of our students. Although there is no direct link between technology use and ADHD, it has been proven that technology use is directly related to attention problems. “A recent study assessed the viewing habits of 1,323 children in third, fourth, and fifth grades over 13 months and found that children who spent more than two hours a day in front of a screen, either playing video games or watching TV, were 1.6 to 2.1 times more likely to have attention problems." (Fox News; August 20, 2010) We do not have control over the amount of time that children are exposed to "screens" at home, however, we do have control over the amount of time they are spending in front of the "screen" at school.
 * Too Much Over Stimulation**

Too much technology has also been speculated to be a cause of autism. As communication becomes increasingly less personal due to the relationship that people are having with their computer screens instead of with actual human beings, researchers have hypothesized the link between the digital age and autism. Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist from Oxford University and director of the Royal Institution in England, indicates that as screen time has increased brain chemistry has in the younger generation has changed (Derbyshire, 2009). While addressing the House of Lords in England, Greenfield stated, "Of course, we do not know whether the current increase in autism is due more to increased awareness and diagnosis of autism, or whether it can - if there is a true increase - be in any way linked to an increased prevalence among people of spending time in screen relationships. Surely it is a point worth considering' (Derbyshire, 2009). Spending too much time in front of a computer screen is changing the way we think. Students are building relationships with their computers, but not interacting positively with their peers in person. My high school students increasingly have emailed me with personal issues in class, unable to personally ask me for class extensions or help. The thought of directly approaching a teacher or a peer with issues will cause many students to avoid face to face confrontation altogether.

In the age of technology it is crucial that we do not allow technology to destroy our ability to think and focus for ourselves. It is true that technology does allow for a wide variety of tasks to be complete with more ease. However, if it ends up affecting our ability to think for ourselves, it may hurt our progression to develop new and innovative ideas. Additionally, dome educational methods that not involve technology are still the best practice for learning certain topics. If we condition our students to only use technology it will end up hurting their ability to learn when technology is not available to them. Finally, as stated before, technology does not make certain tasks easier. However, if we constantly subject our mind, eyes and bodies to more technology than is necessary, we are setting ourselves up for undesired health conditions. Overall, technology is best described as many things in our lives...it is good to have and use, but only in moderation.
 * Conclusion**


 * References**

1. Alderman, L. (2010, August 31). "Does Technology Cause ADHD". Retrieved on December 8, 2010 from Everyday Health [].

2. Derbyshire, David. (24 Feb, 2009) "Social Websites Harm Children's Brain: Chilling Warning to Parents by Top Neuroscientist." //Mail Online.// Retreived on 8 Dec. 2010, [].

3. Edwards, Rob (March 7, 2009). How the US forgot to make trident missiles. Herald Scotland**,** retrieved December 7, 2010 from []

4. Farmer, Ben (August 29, 2010). US Colonel sacked after publishing rant about joint command. Sunday Telegraph, retrieved December 7, 2010 from []

5. Fox News (August 20, 2010). "Scientists Study Effects of Technology." Retrieved December 4, 2010 from **@http://video.foxnews.com/v/4316667/scientists-study-effect-of-technology**

6. Ko, Yurina (April 13, 2010). Brave New Reader. Columbia Spectator, retrieved December 4, 2010 from **@http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2010/04/13/brave-new-reader**