Technology is an extraordinary creation, it has allowed us to create devices such as activity trackers during cancer treatment, coagulation testing to allow people to self-test how fast their blood clots, and many more life changing products that have enhanced the medical world. So why are there so many claims that say technology is making us stupid?
In the article 8 Ways Technology Makes You stupid they claim that technology is nothing but bad news because it makes us more distracted, more forgetful, and unable to navigate without a GPS but is it the technologies fault or our own?
It’s not the fault of technology that people get more distracted than they used to. Technology plays a factor in it but it’s mainly because a lot of people weren’t taught how to properly use it. For example, an article done by the U.S. News - Health Section shows that technology can be used for children with ADHD to help better their focus. “Tech is not a cause of ADHD.” said Randy Kulman a licensed clinical child psychologist. He also suggests that since “Technology isn’t going away, it should be used as an opportunity to assist children with ADHD and other academic and learning challenges to more effectively process information and enhance processing speeds.” Technology enhances learning in many more areas such as people with speech impediments, and other learning disabilities, and so being a very useful creation that actually helps us remember better.
Technology does not make us more forgetful as the article suggest, I would argue that it helps us remember certain events better because it gives us reminders. The main reason people become forgetful and too dependent on technology is because a lot of people weren’t taught how to properly use it. An article in the CNN explains what the safe amount of screen time kids should get while growing up are. 18 months and younger should have absolutely no screen time, even watching TV while nursing or with it on in the background will still distract the baby. The baby can become deprived of the attention they need, which may lead to behavioural issues in the future. 2 to 5 years should be getting only one hour a day of screen time. The type of media they’re exposed to is crucial, it should only be shows like PBS because they don’t have commercials, commercials tend to over stimulate children. And 6 years and older is up to the parent to set screen time limits. Scientists suggest that an average healthy day for a kid includes school, homework time, at least one hour of physical activity, social contact and sleep, which is anywhere from 8 to 12 hours, whatever is left over can be for screen time. Dr. Radesky stated, “what’s important is that parents be their child’s ‘media mentor’. That means teaching them how to use it as a tool to create, connect and learn.” Therefore, since our society is changing parents have to learn to educate children on how to properly use technology instead of taking it for granted.
The article 8 Ways Technology Makes Us Stupid mentions how people now are stupid because we use GPS’ to navigate. I don’t know about you but I think that’s the opposite of being stupid, having a piece of technology that allows us to travel anywhere we want just by the click of a button instead of getting ourselves lost using a paper map is amazing. GPS’ benefit us more than paper maps because in this day-in-age if you’re driving alone you can’t look at a paper map while driving because it would be considered a distraction and against the law. Also, GPS’ help us plan our time better by telling us how long it will take to get from point A to point B, and they help us plan how much gas it will take by showing kilometers/speed.
There’s a good and bad to every situation and with technology sure there are a some negatives, but there are so many more positives. Technology is a world of creations and if we are taught how to use it properly the extent to which we can learn is endless.
In the article 8 Ways Technology Makes You stupid they claim that technology is nothing but bad news because it makes us more distracted, more forgetful, and unable to navigate without a GPS but is it the technologies fault or our own?
It’s not the fault of technology that people get more distracted than they used to. Technology plays a factor in it but it’s mainly because a lot of people weren’t taught how to properly use it. For example, an article done by the U.S. News - Health Section shows that technology can be used for children with ADHD to help better their focus. “Tech is not a cause of ADHD.” said Randy Kulman a licensed clinical child psychologist. He also suggests that since “Technology isn’t going away, it should be used as an opportunity to assist children with ADHD and other academic and learning challenges to more effectively process information and enhance processing speeds.” Technology enhances learning in many more areas such as people with speech impediments, and other learning disabilities, and so being a very useful creation that actually helps us remember better.
Technology does not make us more forgetful as the article suggest, I would argue that it helps us remember certain events better because it gives us reminders. The main reason people become forgetful and too dependent on technology is because a lot of people weren’t taught how to properly use it. An article in the CNN explains what the safe amount of screen time kids should get while growing up are. 18 months and younger should have absolutely no screen time, even watching TV while nursing or with it on in the background will still distract the baby. The baby can become deprived of the attention they need, which may lead to behavioural issues in the future. 2 to 5 years should be getting only one hour a day of screen time. The type of media they’re exposed to is crucial, it should only be shows like PBS because they don’t have commercials, commercials tend to over stimulate children. And 6 years and older is up to the parent to set screen time limits. Scientists suggest that an average healthy day for a kid includes school, homework time, at least one hour of physical activity, social contact and sleep, which is anywhere from 8 to 12 hours, whatever is left over can be for screen time. Dr. Radesky stated, “what’s important is that parents be their child’s ‘media mentor’. That means teaching them how to use it as a tool to create, connect and learn.” Therefore, since our society is changing parents have to learn to educate children on how to properly use technology instead of taking it for granted.
The article 8 Ways Technology Makes Us Stupid mentions how people now are stupid because we use GPS’ to navigate. I don’t know about you but I think that’s the opposite of being stupid, having a piece of technology that allows us to travel anywhere we want just by the click of a button instead of getting ourselves lost using a paper map is amazing. GPS’ benefit us more than paper maps because in this day-in-age if you’re driving alone you can’t look at a paper map while driving because it would be considered a distraction and against the law. Also, GPS’ help us plan our time better by telling us how long it will take to get from point A to point B, and they help us plan how much gas it will take by showing kilometers/speed.
There’s a good and bad to every situation and with technology sure there are a some negatives, but there are so many more positives. Technology is a world of creations and if we are taught how to use it properly the extent to which we can learn is endless.