According to long-time principal and educational administrator,
Martin Griffin, students face more distractions today than in any other
historical time. Much of this distraction stems from the technologies
that they carry on their person, such as cell phones and tablets. The
computers that are offered at school and those owned at home are also
proving to have a distracting quality. This is not to say that all
technology is bad, or will have a negative impact on the student's
ability to learn. When used properly, technology can be a great
educational resource.
Educators and administrators struggle with
how to use technology to improve education, without allowing it to
become such a distraction. Students are drawn to things that are
visually stimulating, thanks to the wiring within the brain. Ninety-nine
out of one hundred high school students would rather watch a movie
about World War I than listen to an hour long lecture on the topic.
These same students would rather watch a demonstration on chemical
changes than take notes from a book on the science of chemistry. Yet,
too much watching can lead to poor learning.
When the brain is
overstimulated, it does not take in all of the necessary information.
Martin Griffin explains that the most recent studies show that students
who are told to read a story online are less likely to learn the meaning
of the story. However, if they are given a book containing the story to
read, they are more apt to learn and remember the topic.
