Literature Review #5

Cathy Davidson

Citation:

Davidson, Cathy. "The Three Biggest Myths About Distracted Youth." Speakeasy RSS. Wall Street Journal, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/10/11/the-three-biggest-myths-about-distracted-youth/>.

In the article, "Three Biggest Myths About Distracted Youth", Cathy counter argues the stigma against young people who are distracted by technology and in result can't memorize anything, can't read for long and cause accidents because of multitasking. Through her research she discovered that these stigmas are indeed incorrect bringing to light the truth behind this revelation against young people who are codependent on their cellphones and computers.

Cathy Davidson is an author and professor at the University of New York where she is the Director of Future Initiatives. Along with publishing 18 books, she has worked for Duke University as an English Professor where she later recieved a chair position as John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute Professor in 2006. She works as a leader and author who finds great interests for technology, digital age, learning, cognition and collaboration and in doing so has conducted research in those fields that she expresses in her online articles and books.

Key Terms: technology, distraction, memorization, cognition, multitasking, information, computers, cellphones, reading,

Quotes:

"If there is a social currency in remembering something, people (even young people) continue to remember it.   The issues here are interest, ease, and utility—not compromised neuronal capacity."

"The Scholastic Association estimates that fifteen-year-olds today read more books a year (outside of school) than their parents do—and more books per year than their parents did when they were 15."

"The single greatest predictor of traffic fatalities among young people (besides substance abuse) is the presence of other young people."


This article was valuable because it counter argues my position against young people and the disadvantages of technology as it plays as a distraction in their personal, emotional and academic lives. She underlines stigmas that are strongly associated and looked down upon amongst young people. She brings to light these stigmas and explains that they are false through her research and expertise in the subject. It is interesting to hear her arguments because although some may be true, it only takes a glimpse on a certain percentage of the population.

Research Blog #9 Counter Argument

Article Title: The Three Biggest Myths About Distracted Youth 

URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/10/11/the-three-biggest-myths-about-distracted-youth/

In the article, The Three Biggest Myths About Distracted Youth, published by the Wall Street Journal underlines the myths and troubles about our distracted youth that are heavily absorbed by their cell phones and computers. The authors' first arguments begins to explain that although students are indeed consumed by technology, they are not incapable of remembering and memorizing much, however she does not explain that what students are memorizing is generally useless and out of context. In result of high internet use and information availability, students no longer depend on their memory because their Iphones can serve them purpose in any crisis. However the author counter argues this by still suggesting that young people are still capable or using their memory. "If there is a social currency in remembering something, people (even young people) continue to remember it.   The issues here are interest, ease, and utility—not compromised neuronal capacity," she says. However what is the use of memorization if young people are generally remembering what they want to such as song lyrics and and basketball stats. What she does not mention, is the lack of ability to memorize what is needed. There is also the factor of abundant information bombarding students' brains leading to the incapability to decipher accurate information from false. In conclusion, although young people still maintain their ability to memorize, they lose the capability to decipher what to memorize in context of value and usefulness.

Research Blog #8 Interview

Interviewer: Joanna Augustynowicz

Interviewee: Nicole Sozzi, 22, Central New Jersey,
Current student at Rutgers University,
Instragram followers: 1,601
Twitter followers: 790
Facebook: 546

1. What do you primarily use your phone and computer for?

Texting, emails, and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat)

2. Do you use your phone and computer while in school? And if so, what do you find yourself using it for?

Computer: mostly notes, homework, or design related stuff. Occasional social media browsing

Phone: See #1

3. When you see students in class using their computer and phone, what are they using it for?

Pretty much the same as what I use mine for.

4. Have you ever used your phone/computer in class for things that didn't pertain to school? And if so, how often?

Yes, but not often. Most of my classes have strict guidelines with mobile devices or computers.

5. Do you feel that your computer and cell phone help you in class, or do you feel that it serves as a distraction?

Both

6. Can you go a day without using your cell phone or computer? If you couldn't, how would that make you feel?

I could, but I would probably be very fidgety and might feel disconnected (literally).

7. Do you feel discontent and anxious when you are unable to check your email or social media?

Probably only for a fixed amount of time, then I’d get over it. I’m pretty close to deleted most social media.

8. Has there ever been times that you felt that social media is bombarding your life?

Not really

9. How often do you check your social media and what do you primarily use it for?

Multiple times a day, when I’m bored

10. How many of your "friends" on social media do you actually know or interact with on a personal level? (a percentage is fine)

FB: all

Twitter: 75%

Instagram: 25%

LinkedIn: all

Snapchat: all

Research Blog #7 Your Case

Technology & Education

In my essay called "Technology, Education & Self-Defeat" I begin to underline the effects of technology and its overall affect on a student's life. In a nutshell, technology has taken a strong tole on the emotional, social and physical aspects of a young person's life, particularly students who grew up during this cultural shift during the 80's and 90's. During a time of privatization when self-interest is placed above the collective, people are finding it easier to isolate them self from reality into a world of fantasy where interaction is no longer necessary. People begin to seek more out of their computers beyond communication and entertainment and the computer transpires into an interactive object that provides them with the connection that they seek. In result, a dependency is formed and when withdrawn people feel anxious and agitated. Through this dependency, students' also become more absorbed into their computer screens causing them to pay less of their attention towards their education and physical health. In result, GPAs drop and their health declines. With the informational influx of technology, the culture of college changes. Students are less engaged with one another and more dependent of their computers to do their academic work disrupting the learning process with false information. In exchange for their infatuation with their computers, students' are also spending less time exercising and doing physical activities that keep their bodies healthy and strong.

Research Blog #6