Is educational technology shortening attention spans?

I don’t think educational technology is shortening attention spans. At worst, it’s a response to shortening attention spans due to other, bigger influences on the child’s development. At best, it’s the logical adaptation of teaching techniques as a result of increased knowledge of how humans learn. These kids are not spending enough of their total technology time at school. The dominant viewing time is happening outside the classroom, so any possible side effects will be largely from voluntary activities.

I find it impossible to believe that seeing a simulation of a flower blooming would keep a child from wanting to monitor a real one as it grows. Quite the opposite, I think the simulation would give the child a framework for observations of gradual changes in the real flower.

I agree with John Son that students seem to have a new ability to receive information through technology, which probably wasn’t there in previous generations (Marcovitz & Son, 2008). We would be irresponsible not to use that ability to provide learning. There are undoubtedly some negative effects of educational technology, but I doubt we’ll see them unless we go too far. Moderation in all good things has proven to protect against unintended consequences. I don’t want to see schools with no libraries, and no teacher interactions.

Bibliography
Marcovitz, D. M., & Son, J. D. (2008). Is Educational Technology Shortening Student Attention Spans? Learning and Leading with Technology .