Thank you for your post. You have underlined some nice points that led me thinking: I also like the idea that technology helps us to connect with our loved ones more easily. On the other hand, the competition through which this very technology was born set the stage for our departure from our homes in the first place. Nevertheless, it is not something we can reverse. All we have left with is our creativity.

I definitely see how multitasking can get overwhelming, but I do agree that we must find a balance. In this fast pace world of higher education, graduate students must learn to adapt to research, school, peers, advisers, volunteer work, while also having a social life. Oh, and sometimes, we have to remember to eat. We all have been there! I think technology has significantly helped us with multitasking. For example, I can read for class on my phone while also listening to music and eating dinner!

I absolutely agree with your post. The internet or Google per say may be bad for our brains. Most of the semester, we had discussions on how the classroom does not require much critical thinking and that we must change that; however, having Google at our finger tips eliminates the need for us to critically think. We can simply search for the answer and then go about our day! But if you asked me, I wouldn’t trade Google for anything!

I totally agree when you say we use the internet to alleviate “feeling things like boredom and anxiety.” However, I have found that the internet has contributed to my procrastination and decreased my work ethic. Before the internet was so easily accessible, I would do productive work to curve my boredom, but now, I just sign into Facebook or surf the web endlessly. And because I am so preoccupied with the internet, I often put off my work, which leads to cramming and then increased anxiety. I guess its a lose lose situation.

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Thank you for your post. As a newbie ADHD trying to find her way in this old and new world, which is becoming crazier each day, I found a lot that resembles with which I am going through.

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I also was drawn to this post because of the mention of ADHD. Like many women, I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life since it presents much differently in females. I always attributed my ADHD to an aptitude for multitasking. Since my brain always jumped around, I figured I was just capable of doing a million things at once. Yeah….was I wrong. I may be able to do/think of a million things at once, but my ability to fully process or complete any one thought was pretty much nonexistent. This sort of propensity for not keeping my train of thought “on the tracks” does not make learning easy. Thankfully, a combination of natural intellect and highly developed organizational skills helped me succeed academically (for the most part). It raises the point that multitasking and “getting things done” is not necessarily correlated with fully engaging in an activity.

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Multitasking has become a skill necessary for survival in academia. Heck, it’s become necessary to survive period. There are just too many diversions to invest our attention in. To succeed (or attempt to) in all our endeavors, we end up dividing our efforts amongst the variety of activities that need attention. Sometimes I wish I could just sit there and 100% focus on that one thing. It seems yoga is the only time I’m able to zone out and just focus on the “here and now”.

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I also enjoyed the references you provided. In today’s day and age, our students are involved in so many things that it’s almost inevitable they will multitask during class. Heck, I know I do. I’m so busy that I try to maximize my time by multitasking. I’ll admit, I’m not always super engaged in one activity with my attention is being divided between several tasks. The same is true for our students. Honestly, I believe it’s their job to manage their multitasking and whatever attention it demands. If they are happen to not be engaged in class or the learning environment I work to create, then that’s their loss.

Thank you for your reflection. I am so like the emotional part of a learning process. It reminds me how excited I and my classmates were when we were assigned a math problem and competed to see who got the right answer first. Since the college time, the joy part of learning has tried to avoid me.

I really like your story! You are correct that the tools that are available to use make us think differently. I have a story similar to yours. I used to cook steaks in Teflon pans, but I never really got a nice sear on a steak as a cast iron pan or a grill. After a bit of investigating I discovered what sear actually does, and fundamentally mimic the different variables that are needed to get a good sear on the meat. In relation to how the internet affect the way that we think, we have to understand the underlying cause and effect of each situation. Once we have those understand we can utilize each tools to the full advantage. The ways that we use the tools changes the way that we think.