The Age of Distraction: The Professor or the Processor? [Third Source for signature assignment]

Michael Bugeja writes about how people are coming to rely on mediated communication (or communication based on call phones and computers) rather than face-to-face communication. The technologies that keep us constantly connected with everyone are keeping us constantly distracted. These digital distractions are keeping us from dealing with the real issues of everyday life. He believes that the standards of higher education have been lowered, because of new information and technology. Universities are investing in “online virtual worlds.” Soon people will be relying on the processor instead of the professor. These digital distractions affect both students and workers. Everyone use digital devices in some way, whether it being to send a memo or a text message. He asks the question, what can be done? and answers it by saying that all incoming college students should be informed of digital distractions to help them adapt. Students can also monitor their use throughout the term and see how it effects their behaviors. Finally, he states that we must remind ourselves that the issue of digital distractions pivots on student attitudes and distractions. Critical thinking is important to our life, especially in the classroom. We must deprogram ourselves from technology to remember the beauty and benefits of the community that surrounds us.

It is true that we are relying too much on media to communicate with others. It is rare that I can talk to someone without them texting someone else or being distracted by some other form of technology such as the television. School also has a tendency to reinforce the dependency on technology. How many times do teachers assign their students to go online to look something up or to watch a certain program? This happens all the time. The teacher does not realize that they are reinforcing the issue of technology. However, they are. Students start to use technology more and more because they are becoming used to having to use it. It then becomes a distraction when they aren’t supposed to be using it in the classroom. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with.

Carr discusses that the internet has altered his mental habits. For example, he can no longer sit down and read a long novel. This ties in with Bugeja’s idea that people are relying too much on technology, especially in the class room. Teachers are now expecting their students to go online and search for an article instead of getting an actual book. Thus the students run a Google search, print the first article they find and continue with their social networking. No longer do they go to the library, look up a book and sit down and read it. People are losing the mental capacity to sit down and read because they no longer have to. Like Carr said, the internet alters people’s habits.