The Ultimate Utility of Nonutility

Summary: The author of this article, Lisa Colleta, is writing about the importance of liberal arts education in the face of its decline in popularity. It has become more and more common to view such an education as antiquated and impractical, and even should be obsolete. Colleta argues that it greatly enhances individuals ability to think critically and creatively, thus making them better workers and people as a whole.

Reaction: I am actually in a unique position to react to this article because I attended a liberal arts school for three years, and now I am attending Rowan in a program with a far more vocational, practical basis. I think you can definitely get by in life and be happy without studying classic authors, learning a foreign language, or writing thesis papers. However, expanding ones horizons can only be beneficial and a better understanding of the world as a whole and well as respect for differences is crucial to improving the conditions of our world.

As someone who was exposed to many ideas, I did adopt very liberal, accepting views regarding various schools of thought, cultures, and historical events. And though I believe I became a more “well-rounded” person, it did not prepare me very well for the challenges I would face in daily life. Yes, reading, or attempting to read Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan was intellectually beneficially, I was still rendered useless when trying to understand/deal with health insurance claims or understand human anatomy and physiology to be able to explain a medical problem to a doctor. Admittedly though, most of my peers at my previous are able to do these things.

Tie-in to Carr, Cascio

The main connection that I see here with Colleta’s article and the other two is the worth of a cultivated mind. Carr definitely recognizes that human minds are changing and is unsettled by this. He also describes how people generally, including intellectuals, are becoming highly superficial in their thinking. He laments this turn of events and fears the potential consequences of the turn. He doesn’t really put forth a detailed argument for a deeply thinking mind, but focuses more on how we are getting away from deep thought and his concern about it, thus validating the worth of reflective thinking much in the same way that Colletta does in her article.

Cascio writes that are minds are changing, but that the may ultimately change for the better. He stresses that despite being somewhat overwhelmed by our the current onslaught of information and distraction, we are only at the beginning stages of our mental transformation and will most likely adapt. He also champions the idea that having computers augment or perhaps even replace an individual’s intelligence is fantastic and that technology will be powerful enough to think for us and solve our problems. Colleta and I disagree with Cascio here because we see the value of an individual coming to his or her own conclusions about the world through deep thinking, not just operating on algorithms. A profound education is essential to making us better people and deciding how best to use the technological tools at our disposal.

Teaching the iGeneration

Summary:

Larry D. Rosen's article "Teaching the iGeneration" talks about the increasing use of media and technology with current and younger generations. It points out that there is a large difference in media/tech use, mainly separated by which generation someone was born in. Baby Boomers spend the least amount of time per day with media/tech use, while every generation after theirs seems to use media/tech anywhere from 2.5 to 3 times more hours per day. Rosen also describes young children being able to use smartphones or hook up bluetooth devices that older or unfamiliar individuals cannot, and that it seems people who grow up into technology have already integrated it into their lives. Rosen goes on saying that since technology becoming a part of everything, schools and the society need to conform to facilitate these changes.

Reaction:

I thought that this article had similar views on technology as my other source, Get Smarter by Jamais Cascio. Rosen makes some very good points about technology already having an effect on younger people and that they are already growing up into technology, as opposed to current generations that only recently saw technology's rise. Seeing very younger children being able to navigate a smartphone better than an adult helps shed some light on where the future is taking us, and that instead of fighting it, we should accept technology and find ways to counter the negative effects Carr states.

Tie-in with Carr:

Rosen and Cascio are opposites to Carr's view on technology. Having more support from either sides only helps in making a clearly decision as to what technology is really doing to us. Carr points out the negative impacts, and for the most part he may be correct. But Cascio and Rosen talk about how to cope with those detrimental effects of technology, and that rather than seeing all the mistakes and downfalls, there is opportunity. This article helped clear up and support my argument that technology doesn't have as bad a reputation as Carr says.

Get Smarter

Summary:

The article "Get Smarter" written by Jamais Cascio has a different opinion in contrast to Carr's article about Google. Cascio seems to be in favor of accepting technology into our lives, and believes it is not reducing people's cognitive capacity, but allowing us to think differently. He states that we are getting "smarter" in terms of becoming quicker and more efficient in terms of thinking with today's high levels of technology use. He describes people in terms of adapting to changes. For example, he uses the printing press, telegraph, and radio to describe the effect it had on people, claiming that it "increased our functional memory and our ability to share insights and knowledge across time and space." The rise of current technology and media access is analogous to the aforementioned inventions that revolutionized communication and media.

Cascio continues to elaborate on the potential technology has to offer. By embracing newer tech, solving a vast array of problems is possible. He also talks about the economic applications of embracing technology as it develops.

Reaction:

For the most part I agree with the Cascio's article. A similar article showed collected data of different generations starting back from the Baby Boomers and showed an increasing trend of media usage per day. Soon enough everyone will be using technology and that simply is the way our future is heading. Granted, there are several drawbacks and negative impacts technology reliance, but increased tech use is somewhat recent due to the fact that there is a great difference in opinions and traditional views between generations before the millennium.

Tie-in with Carr:

Cascio's article is supportive of what Carr is trying to discourage: the increased use of technology and the effect it has on people. Both articles are great material and have relevant opinions. Carr seems to be in favor of more traditional approaches and sees heavy technology use as a hindrance, slowly draining our mental abilities. While Carr does make a good point that it seems more and more people find it more difficult to sit down and just read a long article/book, Cascio points out that doing so would either be impractical, or is not needed. Cascio's article helps see both sides of the argument that involve Carr and Cascio. Knowing the benefits and risks of using technology so widely within our lives becomes clearly.

Third Source Reaction, Summary and Comparision

• This Is Your Brain On Facebook Summary:
This Is Your Brain On Facebook is an article by Rob Mitchum. It talks about how people have always worried about the latest technology ruining the minds of our society. This has went from comic books to computers. Mitchum also states how the internet is beneficial to society and counters several statements from “Is Google Making us Stupid?” It provides examples and quotes from scientists and other figures.



• Reaction
I though this article was even better then “Get Smarter” in debunking the whole internet is ruining our society idea. It references “Is Google making us stupid?” and provides a lot of professional opinions, studies and facts that disprove Carr’s statements. It went hand in hand with “Get Smarter” too.

• Comparision
“This Is Your Brain On Facebook” is less about the authors opinion and more based on facts and actual studies done. In “Get Smarter” I feel like a huge amount of it is just the author’s opinion. Also this article has much more facts and credible sources to back up its statements and it also takes the opposite view of Carr’s article.

"The Net Effect" Is life on the Internet having a disastrous effect on out children's minds?

Summary: "The Net Effect" by Juan Pablo Conti discusses the negative effect brought on by technology and the Internet focusing specifically on children. He elaborates on the fact that children are being introduced to technology at too young of an age. The child's brain is not yet developed enough to be able to handle the flashing lights and high speed of modern day technology. Parents think they are helping their children with their educational values and social status but in reality they are only causing harm. Conti also discusses how technology and the Internet could have a positive impact on children whose brains are developed enough to handle it. He says that it could improve their multitasking skills and educational values.

Reaction: I really agree with Conti and the way he went about explaining his point-of-view. I strongly believe that children are being introduced to technology and the internet at too young of an age to fully comprehend what they are seeing. I think that parents need to realize that by trying to "help" their children get a head start with their education, they are harming them by introducing it at too young of an age. Technology is also veering young children away from libraries and doing physical research because everything they need can be found on the Internet.

Tie-In: Carr's article talked about the negative and positive impacts of technology and today's society. Conti and Carr both discussed how the Internet and technology have been taking us away from doing real research and reading. Both articles discussed how our generation has turned to the Internet (i.e. google) for anything they might need. Whether you need to look something up, find a new recipe, or research a paper, you can find it all through various forms of technology. Both writers agreed that technology and the Internet are taking away from our social interactions with each other and with the world.

Student 'addiction' to technology 'similar to drug cravings', study finds

Summary: Andrew Hough discusses for a recent study fouund that students are rather addicted to technology so much so they are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms are very similar to how a drug addict would feel if they recently had quit. Many folks could admit freely that they are addicted to their modern devices. Students were unable to stop using their gadget for 24 hours.

Reaction: I wasn't surprised when I read the article because I see how people are with their gadgets nowadays. It really has become an addiction for most. I have mentioned a few times now how people can't seem to have an one-on-one with others anymore. They are either on their phones texting or constantly checking their social networking sites. It seems rather alarming that students aren't able to stop using these devices for more 24 hours. I remember in high school I had to go on this Antioch Retreat where phones taken away, we had no computers or TVs. At first it seemed impossible but it wasn't as hard as I would have imagined. I feel the world needs to really learn how to take time away from these things and remember what is most important.

Tie-in: Both Carr and Pope alluded to the fact that technology has become our addiction even if they didn't use those words. Hough's article confirmed it among the student population. However, through reading Carr it is very clear that technology has had a really big impact on the older generation. They have a hard time concentrating on reading long articles and people aren't reading books or newspapers anymore. It just seems that there is a device for almost everything now and it is conventient but some old-fashioned things should have been left alone. Reading a book is one of my favorite passtimes and refuse to use a Kindle or Nook because it takes away from the feel of it. Pope mentioned the fact that we have become more impatient and that is evident in Hough's article if someone can't voluntarily give up technology for a lousy 24 hours.

Matt Adams Third Article: When Gadgets Get In The Way

“When Gadgets Get In the Way” is a New York Times article discussing the effects computers have on schools, particularly the way teachers are combatting the distractions of technology in the classrooms with technology of their own. The article focuses on five methods specific to teachers you have come up with genius ways to get their lectures across. While reading this article, I couldn’t help but think, “I wish I had this teacher.” The methods used are innovative and interesting, improving on methods already used, like using video games. One method involved showing the students old style film strips. The teacher, Nancy Kemp, said that the effectiveness of her method was in the newness of the medium. When students have never seen them before, they get interested watching how it works. It’s not an everyday thing because the newness wears off, but they students are like moths to the flame for the few days she does use it. Another interesting method is used by Professor Eric Hudson. He has teaching assistants walk around and observed everyone to make sure there are no cell phones or computers bringing up email, an uncomfortable but effective atmosphere. The article also mentions that high school teachers can take control over student’s computers to record just where students have been online when they have conferences with parents about their student’s grades or behavior. “When Gadgets get In the Way” does not just blame technology as the sole reason for student distractions. Distractions were around long before cellphones and computers invaded the classrooms, and teachers have always had to cope with them. This article relates to Nicholas Carr’s article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid” by not just citing a cause and effect. The widespread use of technology is creating a society where people have short attention spans and are constantly looking for multiple things to do. It also mentions multiple solutions ordinary people have come up with to combat the distractions of everyday life. Technology has made reaching out to people much easier, but reaching in much harder at the same time. People can send mail and messages instantly, but the amount of relatively useless information can flood out important notices at any time. But just like in every era in history, the most successful people are the ones who can reach out in the most creative ways. Don’t just talk about space. Show them interactive images on the Hubble Telescope. Give a self-programmed game that relates to the class and maybe they’ll miss that vibration in their pocket. Technology may have made being distracted a lot easier, but there have never been more tools to combat those distractions either. Put in a little originality and you’ll be rewarded with increased attention to the lectures and less texting under the desk.

Internet Overuse and EDS in Adolescents

Summary

For my third source, I chose this article for one of the many symptoms Internet Addiction can cause to teenagers and young adults in college. This article is mostly a study based in South Korea and focuses on college students who not only go out and party but use the Internet too much. More than half the amount of students in the study stayed on the Internet longer than they should and less than half partied too much. The study resulted in poor school performance and loss of sleep at night, causing excessive daytime sleepiness or EDS.

Reaction

When I read this article, I could not believe so many students using the Internet. South Korea does have a smaller population so in the United States, the amount would be much larger in the study. As Choi said, this social phenomenon needs to be analyzed in psychiatric or psychological terms. Not only poor school performance, but the feelings of loneliness just from using the Internet too long is outrageous. I wish that would never happen to me. My roommate seems to think that being on Facebook all night and sleeping all day is a good thing to do at college. While I am trying to sleep she's on the computer and when I am up all day she sleeps. I now know she has an addiction to the Internet and mostly Facebook. I have also noticed that her health is becoming more sickly as she has bottles and boxes of medicine and tissues all over her desk. It is a sin that she cannot stay off the Internet. I know understand since reading the articles what it means to be "Internet Dependent."

Tie-in with Carr/Pope

Choi makes the point of saying that this "phenomenon" should be analyzed by psychiatrists. I believe to an extent that one could be addicted. Carr believes that this is getting out of hand as well and will never stop. Pope believes that it can be moderated and I'm sure that with help by doctors it could be. Choi's article says that Internet overuse is strongly associated with sleep problems and probably concentration as well, as in Carr's article he says that he loses concentration very easily and needs to move on to something else. Pope says that technology is clearly affecting students' lives and according to Choi, that is a fact. Students' lives are changing dramatically from the addiction and their health is becoming the problem.

Signature Essay Third Source

Jeffrey McQuillen wrote “The Influence of Technology on the Initiation of Interpersonal Relationships” and discussed how technology is negatively affecting relationships today. He focused a lot on on-line relationships and how they allow people to present a false identity which misleads the person on the other side of the message. This is something that people are becoming much more comfortable doing and are relying on. One in three relationships is developed through the internet, and it seems that soon all relationships will be built this way. I agree with everything the McQuillen says in this article. I personally am very against online dating websites because I feel as if there are more cons than pros. The mere idea that someone can pretend to be someone they are not is scary in itself. In person someone may exaggerate about a job or income, but everything else is yours to see. You are not just taking someone’s word for it. Online they can be a 60 year old man and pretend to be a 23 year old woman. It may be that I watch too many crime shows to believe that people are who they are and trust to meet them alone. I know someone that started an account with one of these websites, found a match, went out to finally meet this person that the website said she was very compatible with, and came to find that her match was actually her brother. That is why they were compatible and had many of the same ideas and likings. This story, along with the many horror stories of meeting strangers alone, will forever keep me away from online databases. I believe that McQuillen does a good job of convincing his reader of the negative impacts of online dating. McQuillen and Carr have the same basis belief within their essays. Carr discusses how technology, specifically internet, has affected everyone’s brains. He says that whether it may be for the good or the bad, our brains are altered which therefor alters our actions as a whole. People are adapting to the overcoming of technology and becoming comfortable with the outcomes. This is seen in McQuillen’s essay because he thinks that people are becoming too comfortable finding a partner online. They are changing who they are to make themselves appear better then they truly are. People are than allowed to change their personalities to do this all of the time. This is how our brains are being biologically changed to adapt to the changes in society. Technology has made each generation change slightly, so the next generation is already adapted to this change and then adapts to a new change. All from technology. It is clear that although Carr and McQuillen spoke of different things in their essays, they have the same underlining concept that technology is in fact changing our world today.

My Kingdom for Contentment

Summary

This article describes the writer’s short stay in Bhutan, a hereditary monarchy that is slowly incorporating some democratic measures. The country is unique in that its policies are guided by attempting to maximize the Gross National Happiness (GNH). The GNH is basically the highest level of wellbeing for the greatest number of people and promotes equitable land distribution, free medical care, and maintaining extended families.


Reaction

I’ve been to places similar to Bhutan and found myself, as well as others to be quite happy in these places. This article definitely emphasizes how simplicity and lack of material goods can lead to just as satisfying a life as one full of the latest technologies. Conversely, I also know in places that lack resources there is a yearning for something more. They realize that new technologies and goods exist and that they don’t have them. Externally, they seem so jovial, but there may be an underlying dissatisfaction cloaked by cultural mores. This makes me think of the “grass is always greener” phenomenon because there are many caught up in fast-paced, cluttered lives who pine for greater freedom and tranquility.

One somewhat disturbing aspect of the story was only mentioned briefly. There is a mandatory dress in Bhutan in which all men were identical clothing as do the women and freedom of speech is restricted. While the lifestyle there seems idealic in so many ways, lack of freedom is a fairly heavy price.


Tie-in to Carr, Cascio

The tie-in to the other two articles is a bit loose. What I mostly saw was the juxtaposition of the serene climate of Bhutan with our hectic, technology-laiden lives and the toll it seems to be taking as described by Carr. Carr is arguing that our minds are being rewired and not in a good way.

In Cascio’s article, he agrees with Carr that our minds are changing, but he says the changes are only in their incipient stages and that it’s too quick to judge the changes as either good or bad. He writes that it’s just another step in human evolution and touts the quixotic possibilities that man and ever increasingly powerful machines can create. Cascio paints a Utopian future ushered in by technology, but as Trey Popp describes in My Kingdom for Contentment, such Utopia’s can exist in today’s world and in much simpler forms. Rather than always trying to faster and better via technology, perhaps Bhutan has the right idea in seeking the highest Gross National Happiness.

"Kids Really are Different These Days"

Summary:
Dianna Coyl discusses in "Kids Really are Different These days" how over time and especially recently that kids have changed. She goes on to talk about how kids have changed with physical development, media and technology, self understanding, and emotional competence. However, i mostly will speak about how media and technology has changed kids today by altering the way they may think and do things.

Reflection:
The meaning behind this article is that over time kids have changed. Specifically, media and technology have been a big part of this rapid change among kids because according to the article, with increased importance of technology in a kid's life impacts social and communicative development. Today, nearly 82 % of kids are online by the 7th grade. Also have approximately 6.5 hours of media exposure every day. To me that is remarkable how all these kids not only have access but are allowed to spend a ridiculous amount of time on the internet. This also has a direct impact on the physically development of kids in my opinion. I say this because the more time kids are inside on the internet, playing video games, watching TV, or just sitting there texting, is less time that they are outside doing something. Any type of physical activity whether its baseball, soccer, tag, etc. would be better. Also the article goes on to explain how the brain isn't capable of multitasking, like a lot of people thought. I agree with that because i find it very hard to focus one more than one thing. When you try to do more than one thing at time you actually aren't saving time you are losing time.

Tie In:
This article ties in with the other two in that they all speak to how media and technology are altering the way people think, act, and or develop. In this article it speaks to how technology affects social and communicative development. Moreover, how multitasking actually slows you down and increases you chance of errors. Like Kord Campbell in "Attached to Technology and Paying A Price," when he didn't even notice an email about an offer that eventually made him a millionaire for 12 days because he was so distracted with all of his technology. Due to his multitasking he nearly cost himself all that money. Then of course in "Is Google making us Stupid," Carr talks about how technology is changing the way people do things. More specifically how they read. In order to be able to process all of the information available to us now, our brains have been altered to only skim through articles instead of reading them thoroughly. Then in Coyl's article she talks about how media multitasking forces the brain to perform sequential processing. Rather it is like skim reading in order to get through all of the information. Through all of this, technology is changing the way people think and act.

"Internet Addiction"

Summary
My third source is “Internet Addiction,” which was published in CNS Drugs by Martha Shaw and Donald W. Black. This article establishes the classification, symptoms, and effects of an Internet addiction. This article defines Internet addiction as an uncontrollable urge in relation to computer use that can cause in problematic effects. There is no medicines or official cures, but like any addiction, self-help books and therapy are proven as effective, and rehabilitation centers for Internet addiction have been created.

Reaction
I found this article very helpful when it came to understanding the true classification of an Internet addiction. This article explains how an Internet addiction can develop, and now I understand how easily one can develop an addiction. One major symptom was staying online for longer than intended. I don’t think there is one person who hasn’t experienced that. Most students take a break from homework to go on Facebook, and only realize how much time they’ve wasted when they look at the clock an hour later. The Internet is addicting; there is so many different sites and so much to do. There are so many ways to get lost in the Internet and waste your entire day on the computer. This is a major problem for students, because they neglect their school work and friends to stay online. As easy as it is to develop an Internet addiction, I think it would be pretty hard to kick it the habit. Technology is almost like a basic need in the modern way; it’s an important way to communicate with others. So if you have a past with an Internet addiction and you need to check your e-mail for a message from your boss, you’re going to be very tempted to stay on for a while.

Relation to Carr
In relation to Carr, this article explains some of Carr’s symptoms. Carr discusses some of the problems people face from being dependent on the article, while this article elaborates on the effects. For example, Carr says that he can no longer focus on longer pieces of writing. If someone has an Internet addiction, they cannot focus on anything while off the Internet. Carr may not be addicted completely to the Internet, but he is experiencing lesser symptoms. Both articles are aimed toward the common theme that the Internet may do more harm than good. People don’t look at the consequences of spending hours online. People may not think that spending 4 hours online a few days a week is bad, but if they go away for a week and have no access, they almost go through withdrawal. Poor concentration is definitely an effect of excessive Internet usage. Who wants to sit down a read an entire book when you could go online and get a summary of the book, which is a lot shorter? Most people cannot even concentrate while reading because the Internet and technology is on their mind. I often take breaks from reading a book to check my Facebook or text. And some people only plan on taking a break for five minutes, until they get lost in Facebook. Most people cannot even go a class period without texting or going on Facebook. People in my classes post statuses on Facebook about the class before it is even over.

"The Brain, the Biology Classroom and Kids with Video Games"

Summary:
MacKenzie admits that our brains are changing. She discusses how our brains continuily evolve and has been doing so for centuries. She discusses the change our brain went through when music, art and tool making were first introduced. She admits that kids today have completely different brains than kids used to have. She discusses the positive impact that video games contribute to this change. She backs up her ideas with research that shows that students who play video games can problem solve, recognize patterns, and think more strategically than children who do not play video games. She then discusses how incorporating videogames in the classroom, specifically the Biology classroom, can help students learn easier.

Reaction:
I agree with MacKenzie because I see it first hand everyday. I grew up in the eighties when video games did not exist and technology over all was primitive, specially growing up in Panama. I have two sons, a four and a six year old. They have only known the world as it is right now, the internet, video games, and so on. I could not do a third of what my children do at their age. I can't even do some of it at my age. I try to sit down and play video games with them and get frustrated because they are too complicated for me. Not just the technology part of it (good luck turning it on!), but the problem solving, decision making and the memorization skills that they require are far more complex than my brain could have handled at age six. Kids brains now have to be more complex because everything around them is more extensive than it used to be.

Tie in:
MacKenzie like Cascio and Carr all discuss the brain changing. MacKenzie and Cascio discuss evolution and both agree that the brain has been changing for decades and it is something necessary and beneficial

Online Flow Experiences, Problematic Internet Use and Internet Procrastination

Summary

For my third source, I decided to research the overuse or addiction of the internet. Using academic search premier, I found this article for Science Direct. This talks about the distinction between online flow, problematic internet use, and internet procrastination. People get so addicted to the internet that it can result in withdrawal symptoms. Its a huge distraction in the workplace and companies have to monitor their employees to make sure they are doing work-related activities.

Related to Carr's

This article relates clearly to Nicholas Carr's "Is google making us stupid?"because it shares how all this technology that is supposed to be helpful and advancing society is actually slowing us down. We spend hours on the internet trying to do one task, then become distracted because something else come up and we multitask. In the workplace, this is extremely common to do because internet flow occurs and hours will go by without even realizing it. Also, instead of researching for a work presentation, the group could easily just look up something on Google and be done in minutes. We also have a tough time concentrating on long pieces of information. This is bad for reading long papers at work and then being easily distracted to result in the work not being done. The real issue is that no one can do anything about this addiction. People continue to use the internet and read small pieces of writing so they are not able to change back to old ways. The New York Times has shortened their articles so this can appeal to more readers due to that fact that people will not read multiple pages of an article. This is a popular epidemic.

Reaction

I agree with these articles and I have been affected by these new forms of reading. I cannot sit for long periods of time reading one article on the internet. I also am not a big reader of any books and cannot remember the last time that I have read a book. I hate that I cannot complete a simple task such as writing a paper for a class or writing an email without being somewhat tempted to go on facebook or some other distracting site. Years ago this was not the issue for me but no everything is a difficult task. I also cannot function without my phone for a day and hate when people have a tough time having face to face interaction without checking their phone. I think that all these social networks are a big issue and going to be worst in the future. I do not think I have an addiction but it is definitely a distraction issue. As a student, it only affects how fast I get my schoolwork done but when I go to get a job in the business world, it will be a challenge to stay focus on task. We need to stop this before it is too late.

“Reading on the Internet: Link Between Literacy and Technology”

My third source for the signature essay is called “Reading on the Internet: Link Between Literacy and Technology” an article that talks about the new found skills it takes to be able to find certain subjects. As well as find good information and filter out the bad, to read through articles quickly but sufficiently, and finally about strategies for Internet reading comprehension.

The article is very interesting and shows how people can learn to use the knowledge that they already know to find certain subjects on the Internet. Also, the article breaks down ways that we can comprehend certain massive amounts of information on the Internet. The author makes a list of steps that must be taken to truly understand the texts on the Internet, there is such an extensive set of vocabulary out there that you may not be able to understand a lot of what is being said. Furthermore, the article talks about the link between literacy and technology, how they converge when children read on the Internet while searching for a subject for a paper or just for the information. Finally the reading talks about the connections with reading print text and applying them to reading Internet text.

The articles main tie in with Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stupid” would have to be that they both talk about the new reading techniques there are to reading on the Internet. Initially it can be very difficult to use a search engine and to read through tons of information that is constantly taking you to more places, either getting you closer or further to your goal. To be able to read on the Internet is much more difficult, what I like about the article is it basically answers Carr’s question of why he cannot read certain long articles or how to avoid those situations.

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.

Signature Essay (Third Source

My 3rd and final article for the Signature Essay is by the Vice President of google. It is titled 'The Disruptive Power of Networks.' The vice president starts off by saying how incredibly disruptive the internet is to the old way of doing things. The author then lists several things the internet has already changed. After he states that this is only 1% of the things the internet is capable of, then continues to list the things the internet will be able to eventually do, whether for better or worse.
My personal response to this article is shock. The fact that somebody has made there entire fortune of the internet and still considers several negative effects of it, and is willing to list them in an article is just unbelievable. I mean, that's kinda like a teacher making a full article about the negative effects of organized schooling. Hell, even most drug dealers don't tell people about how drugs are, even though everyone knows how bad they are. When the people closest to a controversial subject are talking about how bad it is, then that's when you should know something's not right. I've found a trend as well on these articles about how everyone seems to take the side of the negative, but also tries to throw some positive effects in their as well. Another thing that shocked me was what he was saying the internet is capable of. Some of the ideas he has for the future, someone with the intelligence and the means to make them happen, are quite startling.
How I plan to tie this article in with my other sources is quite simple. It takes the same approach as the other two. The fact that the vice president of google is talking about how bad the internet is, is a convincing enough piece of evidence, but also it ties in greatly with the main message of my paper. One of the biggest points I plan on pushing is that technology is limitless, it's only been what, 10 years since the internet has been popular? Has it even been 10? And, look at all of the changes we've seen in our psychi, what are those kids growing up now going to be like when they grow up not know life before the internet world. What are their kids going to be like, when they grow up never knowing what life is like before robots, smart toasters, and all of the other shenanigans this guy talks about in his article. Sure, the good may outway the bad, until the whole system comes crashing down, overrides or something bad happens.

Third Source for Signature Essay

The Mobile Family Gallery? Gender, Memory and the Cameraphone: Anna Reading


Summary

The article by Anna Reading, The Mobile Family Gallery, talked about how we were using mobile devices as personal diaries and galleries for the storage of memories and future endeavors. In her article, she compares camera phones to diaries, since we take countless photographs day after day of random items and faces, and forward them to a community of friends. The friends that receive the messages are creating memories along with the photographer, and are contributing to the power of technology. She compares the use of mobile devices as a diary- it contains all of the personal information of an individual, such as birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, pictures, and notes to oneself that if this device were to be lost, it would be comparable to amnesia: a total loss of their memory.


Reaction
I agree with Reading completely. Many people do not commit any specific dates to memory, but yet store every ounce of information into their phones, or PDAs. Their phones are their lifelines. Our memories are being changed into conceptual ideas, where our memories are more than just a thought; they are committed to actual things within our technological accessories. If these were lost, we would lose ourselves, a sense of time and feel lost.


Relationship

This article relates to Carr’s Is Google Making Us Stupid? because both authors discuss the changes that are occurring to our brains and our ways of thinking. Each author discusses how we are altering what we used to know, believe and the way we remember and are replacing it with new, more inventive and controlling technology. With this technology we are becoming engrossed and entranced, we are refusing to commit specific ideas and experiences to memory- we conceptualize dates, information and numbers.

Attached to Technology and Paying a Price

“Attached to Technology and Paying a Price” is about the relationship of multi-tasking people and the technology around them. It often uses the Campbell family as an example of the many Americans who constantly check on their e-mail and social networking sites. However more than the family it focuses on, the important message is in the issues it presents. Many people believe that the ability to multi-task technology provides us with makes us more productive, but the reality is that, while we can monitor multiple streams of information at a time, our ability to focus on those streams diminishes. We miss important information and easily get distracted from what we are supposed to be doing. I am not one of these multi-taskers. I get distracted easily enough without adding multiple media sources to the mix. However, because I find holding my attention to any one thing at a time difficult, I can relate to the people who believe they have to constantly divide their attention between their facebook, phone, and whatever else they may be doing at the time, at least in certain respects. People who find they are constantly switching between what they’re doing actually waste time while they refocus from task to task. They have to reanalyze to figure out where they left off and what they were going to do next. Also, switching between tasks constantly means that you are not giving your full and undivided attention to anything. You may be looking at one screen; it may be the only thing you have up on your computer screen, but multi-tasking tendencies are habits and persist from your work to your personal life and vice-versa. The mind wanders and strays looking for something else to do. You may think that you are giving your full and undivided attention to the project at hand, but really, your mind is always looking for the next thing and you may not even realize it. Both “Is Google Making Us Stupid” and “Attached to Technology and Paying a Price” focus on the diminishing attention spans of the people who frequently use technology and, to an extent, the effects it has on their social lives. Both articles notice that more Americans are constantly spending their free time online, whether it is for research or to check e-mail. They both mention from studies that a lot of people find websites, but don’t read the entire thing through and that people are constantly looking for something else to occupy their attention when they are trying to concentrate on a single task put in front of them. The articles also both blame the increase in daily internet use as the source for the mass attention deficit. The differences are in the effects the two articles see happening. “Attached to Technology and Paying a Price” sees a disconnection away from the family and what is happening away from the computer screen. When they are disconnected from the internet, they are constantly looking for the next chance to get online. “Is Google Making Us Stupid” sees a massive reprogramming of the brain. The massive amount of information is reworking the way we think to better handle the larger loads at once.

getting smarter

Summary:

In this article, Get Smarter by Jamais Casio, he talks about the many ways that humans have evolved and "gotten smarter" over time because of challenges we've gone through. He says that instead of waiting for evolutionary changes to come, we can make them happen. For example, the issue of global warming is very prevalent in the world today. Instead of waiting for evolution to take over to help us survive, we can do it ourselves. With the use of technological advancements in medicine and the internet, it is proof that we have become smarter as a human race.

Reflection:

Jamais Casio does an excellent job in showing how technology is actually proof that as a whole, we have become smarter. He talks about medicine and different forms of technological advancements throughout the article. He also uses examples from the past to make his point. I agree with what he is saying. How could technology make us stupid if we're the ones that created it? The way we evolve is by adapting to our environment and through his article, he explains that the advancement of technology is just the way we have adapted.

Tie in With Carr:

This article was in direct response to Carr's "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" He refutes all of Carr's points about how technology makes us lazy and neglect things we used to do. He says that this is just a way we're changing as people and using technology just makes things we used to do easier. He says that its impossible to get rid of technology now that it's here so it's better to embrace what we have made and the people we have become. There is no way to call technology a bad thing since it has become a part of our everyday lives.