How Using The Internet Is Changing Our Brains
CC image used courtesy of Reigh LeBlanc on flickr
As with most things, the benefits from computers and technology is all about balance.
From an article in The Independent – What the web is teaching our brains, a list of activities and the benefits each provides.
- Internet research: Boosts the ability to integrate and process information as well as enhancing decision-making skills.
- General browsing: Encourages the use of continuous partial attention and multi-tasking, which can impair cognition and cause irritability
- Playing computer games: May improve multi-tasking skills, memory and peripheral vision. Can lead to antisocial behaviour.
- Building a blog or website: Building a blog or your own website improves frontal lobe function, reasoning and memory.
- Sorting email: Boosts information-processing functions in the brain’s frontal lobe. Can also cause stress.
- Using emoticons: Exercises brain centres linked to emotion and social connection; particularly beneficial to those who use computers for long periods.
- Tweeting and chatrooms: Enhances peripheral attention, helps to boost self-esteem and protects the hippocampus.
The article includes more information on the “why” or how it works, and of course some negative aspects of internet & technology usage too.
Worth reading:
- Facebook and Bebo risk ‘infantilising’ the human mind
- In Defense of Distraction
- Is Google Making Us Stupid?
- Gin, Television, and Social Surplus
- How the brain hard-wires us to love Google, Twitter, and texting. And why that’s dangerous.
Libraries and Transliteracy – the video version
I took my slideshow on transliteracy and turned it into a video. I was curious about how easy it was to turn a slideshow into a video (its super easy!) so I thought I’d try it. Most of my presentations aren’t meant to stand alone and so don’t really translate well to video. When I was putting the transliteracy one together I wanted it to be able to stand alone, so I thought I’d give it a try. A little self indulgent I know 
But anyway here it is.
Learn more about transliteracy
Libraries and Transliteracy Slideshow
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about transliteracy and how important the concept is for libraries and librarians. I’ve created a slideshow I hope conveys the message and is easy to share.
I have also added page with information on transliteracy.
Libraries need to focus on transliteracy
Libraries have focused on literacy, the ability to read, write and interact, for years. It is an important service to our patrons and our communities. People need to be literate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. Times are changing, technologies are evolving rapidly, it’s no longer enough to focus on the ability to read and write alone. If we only focus on literacy we are doing a disservice to our patrons. Just as libraries took on the task of helping to ensure all people are literate, now we need to take on the task of ensure all people are transliterate.
What is transliteracy?
Transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks. – wikipedia
Soon people will need to be transliterate in order to be involved in and contribute to society. It is already a requirement to participate in some aspects of our society and it will only become more so. Government agencies are no longer issuing print forms, you have to access them online. Your health insurance plan was a website and you have an account, when you call they will tell you to go there to get information. Banks are sending alerts and account balance information via text messages. Facebook privacy settings are complex and change frequently. The price of computers is dropping allowing more people to own one. Free WiFi access points are increasing, allowing more people internet access.
For many people all of the above are new experiences. Experiences they can have with no training, no supervision and no support.
In order to best serve our patrons we need to move from literacy to transliteracy. Add it to your strategic plan, mission, statement and goals. Commit to it. Talk with your coworkers and colleagues about it.
Read more about transliteracy.
- Transliteracy: A Trend of Amplified Organization
- Transliteracy Project
- Transliteracy: Take a Walk on the Wild Side pdf
- Transliteracy Research Group
- Transliteracy: Crossing Divides
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- What is Transliteracy?I attempt to answer some questions about transliteracy including what is it, in my Librarian by Day blog post – Defining Transliteracy I have been asked this question many times by librarians so I am way overdue for this post. Most recently I was asked “….are librarians the people best equipped to define and interpret transliteracy (as opposed [...] […]Bobbi Newman
- Digital Literacy Skills Essential to Closing Broadband Gap #knightcommThe Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy sites the Broadband Adoption and Use in America (pdf) report released by the Federal Communications Commission in Digital Literacy Skills Essential to Closing Broadband Gap when emphasising the importance and need for digital literacy The survey findings reinforce the growing body o […]Bobbi Newman
- Media Skills Integrated into Core Standards
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- Feel free to quote blog posts and link back to the site. Please do not copy my entire post on your site. Thank you
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