Throughout this course, we have explored a variety of alternative texts that not only influence youth, but the classroom and school setting as a whole. We started the course looking at Nicholas Carr’s article “Is Google Making us Stupid?” in which he examined the possible implications, attributes, and downsides of this rising world of the digital and its effects on young people:
Positive Aspects:
- Research can be done in minutes through internet searches (Carr, 2008, p. 57).
- The incredible access to up-to-date information, in which anything you think of can be searched (and answered) immediately (Carr, 2008, p. 57).
- It is very easy to communicate with anyone, anywhere.
- Information can be displayed in a multitude of ways (articles, blogs, podcasts, videos, etc.)
- The perfect recall of silicon memory, which can be an enormous boon to thinking (Carr, 2008, 57).
Negative Aspects:
- Because of the way that the internet displays content (short snippets of information surrounded by blinking ads), it has scattered our attention and diffused concentration (Carr, 2008, p. 60).
- Thinking has taken on a “staccato” quality (Carr, 2007, p.58).
- It is weakening our capacity for the kind of deep reading that emerged with the printing press (Carr, 2008, p.58).
- Information has become a commodity to companies such as Google (Carr, 2008, p. 62).
Changes:
- Since we take information in at such a rapid pace, research suggests that our brains are becoming re-wired to do just that (Carr, 2008, p.57)
- The “staccato” quality of thinking is making people only read shortened amounts of information rather than engaging with one text for a sustained period of time (Carr, 2008, p.58).
- People are exhibiting a form of skimming when they visit websites (Carr, 2008, p. 57).
- There is the potential to increase the productivity of thinking at this new level (Carr, 2008, p. 62)
In terms of the alternative forms of texts we were introduced to this semester, I was most intrigued by the mass popularity/sick fascination that we seem to hold for Jersey Shore. The negative aspects of this show are simple to list: it promotes ethnic/gender stereotypes, displays a skewed view of the good life, has no plot, or any redeeming qualities for that matter. As for positive aspects, I suppose you could argue that it appeals to the aesthetic response- and it isn’t really there to be understood in any logical way; it is simply there for mindless entertainment, and whether we admit it or not- that is something many of us crave once in a while. If I look at Jersey Shore and its mass popularity, I tend to lose a bit of faith in the impending generation of minds. However, as a teenager I watched Jackass and I turned out as a well-rounded individual capable of critical thought- so who am I to judge that the adolescents who watch these shows won’t end up the same?
In my decision as to whether or not these alternative forms of texts are making us dumber, I am actually torn when thinking back at some of the examples we have seen and discussed in our presentations. When I look at something like graphic novels, classroom blogs, or documentaries, I see the enormous potential these forms of texts have to offer for students. They can become knowledgeable on a number of levels, and express their ideas in a multitude of ways. However, if we look something like the Miss Bimbo website, it is clear that we have to clarify that it doesn't actually reflect reality. We need to ensure that these forms of texts are taught alongside the skills of critical thought, as adolescents must understand that not everything can be taken at face value. If they have those skills taught and put into the correct context, students can go forth into the digital age and create. Google can make us stupid if we don’t have the necessary tools to understand the contexts, implications, and reality surrounding them- so it is imperative that critical thought is always the framework of any text.
References
Carr, N. (2008). Is Google Making us Stupid?. The Atlantic, July/Aug, 56-63.
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