What is the Internet Doing to our Brains?
Dr. Paul Howard Jones shared his views and findings in the video.
Is Google rewiring our brains?
Is it true that the more time we spend on internet, the less time we spend in real life socialising?
In the highlights of Recent Social Network Site Research
– SNS’s generally stimulate teenage social connectedness and psychological well-being
– It is about how the technology is used: Benefits if supporting existing friendships
Is the internet bad for us?
Paul compares technology of fire-making
– GOOD for warmth and toasting muffins
– BAD: if used carelessly – No panic headlines: “Fire may destroy us”
– we understand dangers and precautions.
It’s about how we use technology – when, how much, what for…
So, it is the affordance of technology that makes the difference, based on what and how technology is used in situations.
Would the use of internet lead people to do more or less physical exercise? Research findings on this were divided – with some indicating that people exercised more whilst others indicating that people exercised less with the use of internet.
Are games (and internet games in particular) good teachers?
In Paul’s views games could be good teacher.
Action video games improve:
– Performance on many visuomotor tasks
– Switching of visual attention
– Suppression of distracting visual influences
– Inference of an action’s probable outcome
– Contrast sensitivity (primary factor limiting sight)
What are people doing on internet?
– Adults – pornography & illicit relationship
– Young people – gaming
This is an interesting finding. I think it depends on what sort of games people are involved in. There are World of Warcraft, educational games etc.
In the virtual World such as SecondLife, there are lots of people immersed in it, for socialising, communicating and sharing, education, or dating etc. There are huge potential of the use SecondLife in Medical and Health Education, SecondLife in distance education.
Another reason why games could simulate learning is based on the premises that : We love uncertain rewards. This is especially true for those of us who like to overcome the obstacles, and to achieve certain outcomes, like advancement of achievement levels and engagement and interaction with others to accomplish team, network, or community (or COPs) goals – that’s the reward that most of us like. These may relate to the use of gamification to engage people (students in particular), so they would interact with the games, people and those involved in the system.
What else have you found, with internet and games in particular, on our brain?
To explore further:
How about the impact of internet on teaching and learning? Your views….
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