Our Brains on Technology, take two

This time it was NPR in their story Digital Overload who provided more information on the impact our technological world has on our minds. And of course that would mean our students' minds as well. Ironically, I found out about this not from the radio, but on my Facebook newsfeed which provided me a handy link to the article. And of course, you can subscribe to NPR's podcasts on technology or for Fresh Air, should you miss the broadcast on the radio because you were probably busy doing about a million other things. (Like, I don't know, planning lessons,revamping/ maintaining your class website, finding a school appropriate lunchbox. Oh wait, that looks like my to-do list. So why was I on Facebook anyway? And now, on the blog? Uhhh...)

With back-to school on my mind, I seized upon the section where the author discussed the dopamine "squirt" video game players get or how people become conditioned to check their email and other devices constantly. It's addictive, and when you don't have that option, like ostensibly in a classroom during History class, say -- which to some kids unfortunately is so, well, yesterday-- you, or they the students in this case, can get bored.  Trust me, I have seen this in real life.

Yes, I know it is my job as the teacher to keep students' attention and make History relative and interesting. But when students' neurological pathways are being set up in a certain way that find them free-falling into a dopamine crash, we educators need to keep creating ways to counteract the challenge.The latest trends include, again ironically, using technology. And other pedagogical practices, I will say, including changing the activities during a class period or increasing student participation by appealing to their social interest in one another, just to mention a couple. Humor helps, too, even if all of History itself wasn't really a laugh riot century in and century out. Part of my "summer off" was spent in three different classes in which ways to deal with this was approached, studied, practiced, discussed and generally kicked around in a professional way, actually. If you are a teacher, of course you know of what I speak; I know that.

It's great the research is out there supporting what we know to be true in the classroom. Hello? Hello? Are you still listening? Is there an app for that?