The Internet & our Brain - Monday Musing

Something to think about on a Monday morning - Is Google (and FaceBook, Twitter and all the rest) making us stupid? Is the Internet changing our brains? How many of us can remember information any more? Or is it just that there is SO much information available that we cannot process it as we used to? 

And, are we all becoming trapped in a filter bubble of our own making? Some experts have been warning about this for at  least the last 10 years or so, and with all the talk about Fake News, it does seem more topical than ever. 

Maybe the real question is - does it really matter? This is the reality that our students live in so can we change it? Do we need to? 

When you have some spare time, maybe check out the websites below and see what you think. 

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/aug/15/internet-brain-neuroscience-debate

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/problem-social-media-reinforcement-bubbles-what-you-can-do-about-ncna1063896\

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s   TED Talk on Filter Bubbles  - Eli Pariser

Few thoughts on the 'Age of Information'

So ...  my offering for today.  Some things to mull over and discuss ....

Check out the YouTube link below on 'What the Internet is doing to our Brains'.  Take a quick look - it's a total of 4 minutes.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKaWJ72x1rI

And for those interested - it could be worth reading the book 'Filter Bubble' by Eli Pariser.  This term was coined by the author and refers to what happens when a website algorithm selectively guesses what information a user would like to see based on previous searches.  The theory is that users get less exposure to conflicting viewpoints and then can become isolated intellectually within their own little 'informational bubble'.  I have previously mentioned this title:
http://barklycollegelibraries.blogspot.com.au/2015/

The 'personalisation tools' that Google and other information sources use increase  the chance that people are more likely to continue to be offered information that often helps to reinforce their world views.   This then goes some way towards negating other points of view - and can therefore have an impact by limiting empathy and understanding of other peoples thoughts and feelings.

Maybe take a few minutes to watch the TED talk by the author:
https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles

I'm not advocating barring Google, YouTube and so on - I doubt that I would survive in this job today without them!  There is often a perception (Filter Bubble again) that Libraries and the Internet are in some sort of competition as sources of information but in fact, truth is - we need each other in today's Age of Information and serving clients needs! 

Have an awesome day folks!

Reasons for Reading

My offering for today is a list of websites with reasons as to why we should be reading everyday - and why it is SO important.  For most of us, the benefits are self -evident, but it is always an issue to convince student's as to the value of reading. 

By this I mean REAL reading, rather than what they do on a computer.  There are various different types of reading and all are valid - but to be able to read well and with understanding, from a computer screen, you do need to have reading skills to start to start with.  

Apparently,  the Silicon Valley people who design computers, quite often won't have their kids in a school that uses the things!  Whether this is actually true or not is debatable - but I can appreciate the reasons why.  

Their reasoning is that learning to use computers is about as complicated as learning to use toothpaste - so they want their kids to have the opportunity to gain a variety of skills and to be able to think outside the square. People that have this ability are very much in demand in almost any workplace.

These are not skills that can be gained from computers or TV - but are absorbed through books - the old fashioned print and pages style - which leads on to a better development and strengthening of their neural pathways.

Anyway, enough of my soapbox.  Take a few minutes and have a look - then be sure to make time for 'strengthening your neural pathways" this weekend.   Or just grab a good coffee and a good book and take some time for yourself. Either way it works.  

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-reading-why-you-should-read-everyday.html

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201401/reading-fiction-improves-brain-connectivity-and-function

https://selfhelpfix.com/benefits-of-reading.php

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-reading-reasons-reluctant-readers-rebecca-alber
http://www.inspirationboost.com/8-reasons-why-reading-is-so-important

Mindshift Weblinks

Below are a few articles gleaned from the MindShift web site - which is all about teaching ideas, strategies, technology and so on.  It covers a huge range of ideas - and even though it is American, there may still be food for thought in some of the articles.  Please see the link to the main website below if you would like to browse the ideas and the site is also part of my  blog list on the main page of our blog itself.

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/

The links below are one that caught my attention enough to share with you - most of them are things that have cropped up in discussions in various places recently - especially the ones about Google, internet searching and taking notes - and how our brain appears to work with these tasks.  

Personally, I still write notes out longhand - mainly because I find that I tend to remember more.  And I find it harder to memorise things anywhere near as well as I used to - and I don't believe it is because I am getting old.  I think it is because our brain is no longer being hard wired to perform that task - Google and technology do that for us.  

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/02/08/how-has-google-affected-the-way-students-learn/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/08/18/taking-notes-is-the-pen-still-mightier-than-the-keyboard/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/04/03/internet-searches-may-make-you-think-youre-smarter-than-you-are/

 http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/07/01/what-sports-teaches-kids-about-bigger-roles-in-life/

Enjoy your weekend - and be sure to include lots of reading.  Most research indicates that it relaxes your mind and lowers blood pressure.  Include a good cup of coffee in that prescription as well, and lots of time away from devices.