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Carr, Nicholas. (2010). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. 

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Carr, Nicholas. (2010). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. 

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I have noticed that my screen time has doubled since joining this Cohort. Aside from the demands of preparing lessons in Google Classroom, tirelessly searching for content from the internet, and browsing through materials needed for my magical experiments (I tell my kids that Science is like magic but real), my habits have been changing too.  While the internet is feeding me with information that I need for my teaching and for my coursework at Loyola,  my brain is constantly changing and adapting to what is in front of me. I have become more efficient with multi-tasking and my use of technology has become more efficient, it has become a part of my body or shall I say an extension of my body. I 100% agree that the internet has immensely influenced me with my work and my personal life.  I see it everywhere, at work and at home.  I love this book!  I am listening to the Audiobook while following the physical book or else I will fall asleep after 3 pages of reading.  Having that "technology" element of reading the book for me tells a lot about how I learn and how technology has influenced me.

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I agree with Nicholas Carr’s philosophy about the internet and our brains. Nicolas Carr wrote, “...It was then I began worrying about my inability to pay attention to one thing for more than a couple of minutes” (p. 16).  Throughout my time with Loyola, I have always struggled to maintain focus on the assigned readings in our courses. My solution has been to buy a paper copy of the book and audio and listen and read at the same time. For our courses that had a PDF reading, I would download it to the app “Voice Aloud Reader”.  Even when doing that, I will often get distracted and check my phone every few minutes.  However, if I am immersed in doing something for Loyola such as making an infographic, I am able to be more engaged and maintain a longer focus. Later in the text, Carr shares that our brains read longer texts the same way they do as if they are scrolling (2010). I think that statement is extremely true for myself and my journey through reading things that are assigned versus pleasure reading.

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Hello Kenisha.  You are right.  As educators, we see our kids gather information from anywhere on the internet.  This instant gratification of information makes our kids gather information without really knowing if they are getting information from reputable websites.  Too much access can also lead to misinformation.  I also believe that students do not get in-depth information when they rely solely on digital information.  Just like in teaching, some of our kids love to use their hands, move and sing in learning.  digital information can be monotonous.  My question though is that tiktok and youtube can be great sources of information.  Our children must have the ability to look at the right places on the web. - Jose Eric Torregoza

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Hello Brittany.  Definitely, the Brain is a powerful part of our body.  You also said that the brain is a work in progress which is also in our readings this week where the brain is plastic and is constantly evolving.  I like how you mentioned using higher-order thinking skills with technology. From our readings this week, we get hungrier for information when information is readily available to us anytime.  I would like to know if you agree with the book that we are being shaped by technology and not us shaping technology. - Jose Eric Torregoza

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This is always my go to GIF when I am challenged or when I know that I have a chance to express whatever thoughts I have bottled up in my personal and/academic thoughts. Throughout the chapters of the book, I felt as if Carr is referring to the brain as the battery pack of the human body. It is what keeps us going and moving when we need to. Carr 2010, states The brain—and the mind to which it gives rise—-is forever a work in progress. That’s true not just for each of us as individuals. It’s true for all of us as species (p.38). I interpreted Carr meant by this was that if we know how powerful the brain is then we wouldn’t waste it spending time on the internet because it’s already so powerful. While I don’t completely agree with that statement I think it comes from what an individual considers to be wasteful. For me, I think the internet helps to channel my higher order thinking. I am always researching new things to challenge or change my perspective. When the internet is used correctly, it can be a great source!

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After reading chapters 1-3. The one GIF that stood out to me the most is the SpongeBob "We have technology" episode. The use and the influence that technology has in our lives is incredible to say the least. Carr 2010, states "it was a machine that, in subtle but unmistakable way's exerted an influence over you" (p.13). In other words, over the years technology has become our "brain" because it has developed into supporting so many different things that we do and use. There are so many things that you can learn and even teach others by using the internet so I think that depending the way it is being used it can be impactful.

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Carr wrote "focused, undistracted, the linear mind is being pushed aside by a new kind of mind that wants and needs to take in and dole out information in short, disjointed, often overlapping bursts." Our brains are always trying to find the most efficient way to solve life's problems or dilemmas. My brain in particular searches so much throughout the day that it burns out by the end of the day. The movie Inside Out is the first thing that came to mind when thinking about the brain. The internet has somewhat minimized how our brain searches for those answers because it provides a faster and more efficient method of answer our questions and concerns. We use it for everything from medical advice to home decor ideas. That being said, it can also cause more questions than answers. Causing us to go down a rabbit hole, but it still helps us expand our understanding of the world and gives us new insights everytime we log in.

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I do think there are benefits to how our students are learning with technology, yet I find the drawbacks to be concerning. Having access to information through technology can allow students to explore different avenues of interest as well as provide a variety of methods for educators to present diverse and engaging content. However, what concerns me is the habit forming nature of technology and the development of neuroplasticity that supports these habits. Carr states, "as particular circuits in our brain strengthen through the repetition of a physical or mental activity, they begin to transform that activity into a habit" (34). When students use technology and social media for hours on end, the brain is building neuropathways that support this habit, while other pathways are left underdeveloped. If left unused, these pathways do not snap back and reform, leading to what researchers noted could be 'intellectual delay'.

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Benefits
- Kids can access information about the world around them in a matter of clicks.  Previously people may not have known anything about the world and the cultures that weren't their own. Now there are kid friendly search engines and ways to speak to people around the world.
- This generation can find people to connect with and see that they have people like them.
Drawback
- In the shallows one thing really stuck out to me was the comment on writing being almost like cheating.  It made me think of all the information that we can access now and that it may be affecting our memory.  If we can access so much information by just asking alexa why would we remember?
- Attention span, the author discusses how he notices he cannot get his brain to engage in a book the way he used to anymore.  For generation next they are used to quick results and boosts of addicting serotonin.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain focus on activities.

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I was born in 1993, so I got to enjoy a pretty tech-free childhood.  I value this a lot.  I do not envy Generation Net.  My childhood memories consist of outdoor play and using imagination to cease my own boredom.  When we got a family computer, I would only use it for the few CD video games I had at the time.  I cannot imagine what it's like to fully grow up online and not have that space for my imagination to grow without boundaries.  As the lead researcher in a nGenera study put it, "Digital information has even affected the way they absorb information" (Carr, 2010). Many of my own students, who I consider a part of Generation Net, struggle to read assigned texts in full. This non-linear thinking poses as both an advantage and disadvantage. While they do struggle on taking in the whole, they are better at completing many objectives without being overwhelmed or confused. Like O'Shea, they can find information quickly.

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Carr points out that as ,"brain science continues to advance, the evidence of plasticity strengthens" (p.26). Additionally studies at George Mason have found the adult brain is "very plastic" even "massively plastic" (p.26). I have always thought of myself as a mediocre student. I loved school but wasn't that great at it. But I love to learn and to acquire new skills and learn new things. I think that is why I like teaching it exposes my brain to new and different situations and problems everyday. I like to feel my brain stretch and bend to new situations, new challenges, and learn new skills. Carr says he has "had an uncomfortable sense that someone, or something, has been tinkering with my (his) brain" (p.5). I agree that technology has changed the way my brain works for good and bad. But like I said I like to learn new things and I feel that the internet has made acquiring and learning new things so much easier and more democratic.

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There is a correlation between internet use and our brains and attention spans because we can access things with a click of button. This may impact our patience if we aren't self-aware. During my learning experience at Loyola, I access all of my work via the internet and read many sources from online articles and journals. Just now, I have been able to access knowledge through handbooks. I noticed the hours I spend using the internet, which has been very time-consuming. Being an educator who communicates and teaches digitally has brought on a lot of screen fatigue and anxiety. After noticing this about myself through work, school, and entertainment, I decided to take a break. Therefore I set boundaries with the internet on my mobile device and found pleasure in napping, exercising, talking with family, etc. I also agree that there is a correlation because I have found myself impatient in seeking answers to questions about school work or personal wonderings. Finding ways to create shortcuts to get the job done by internet searching was more conducive to what I needed to know now. It has become easier to search the web for something I need quickly instead of critically thinking about the answer. It also takes on finding something to do when I get bored. It is easy to roll over a scroll in bed when I could be resting and disconnecting to browse the internet rather than use my imagination to create a world that comes from my brain's creativity. I know this now and have become more self-aware. The correlation between the two is apparent in my experience at Loyola and work and life balance. The internet has become a crutch in many aspects, so I agree with the state there is a correlation between the internet use of our brains and their attention spans (Nicolas Carr, 2010).

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Having chosen a hybrid degree for the purpose of reaping the benefits of online & in-person education, I was under the impression I would be too distracted to pay attention in a purely online platform. As this degree shifted to fully online, I was worried that I would not be able to hold focus or accountability to complete mostly asynchronous activities in my home. I can say easily that I become distracted constantly when I am completing asynchronous work and reading the required books for class. With so many tabs open at once (I am sure most of my fellow educators here can empathize with that) I am very quick to shift from my google docs note-taking onto Amazon, Facebook, or Wikipedia. I cannot keep myself focused for a few minutes before thinking about something on my phone or laptop, especially relating to work. As Carr says "Now my concentration starts to shift after a page or two" (Carr, p.5). He goes onto add that the computer is "a machine that, in subtle but unmistakable ways, exerted an influence over you" (p.13). I unfortunately agree. However, this type of thinking is far too easy for me forgo during the daily grind, since we use our technology so frequently and seamlessly throughout the day. It is terrifying to think how much time we devote our time to technology daily that can be measured in the hours for most people per day.

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So, my selected image was the above or the meme of Squidward opening up his head, taking out his brain, and dropping it in the trash can. I settled on the above as it approximates the contents of my brain these days.
As one of the older members of this cohort, my experience with technology is not that of a digital native. In fact, I very much identify with Carr's (2020) description of his early use of his Mac Plus. "At first I found it impossible to edit anything on-screen. I'd print out a document, mark it up with a pencil, and type the revisions back into the digital version...But at some point - and abruptly - my editing routine changed. I found I could no longer write or revise anything on paper" (p.13). I started my Master's in Library Science in 2004 writing out papers long hand on legal pads, then typing the draft on my Dell, and revising as Carr describes above. I think that process ended and I commenced composing and editing at the Dell keyboard by the end of my first semester. That was a function of time and efficiency; I was in grad school and had 2 small children. I used the laptop and its word processing capabilities to do my academic work more quickly.
When Carr addresses neuroplasticity in chapter 2, I found it fascinating that he asserts "Experiments show that just as the brain can build new or stronger circuits through physical or mental practice, these circuits can weaken or dissolve with neglect...The possibility of intellectual decay is inherent in the malleability of our brains" (p.35). Proof of that in my life is that years and years of studying French (fairly successfully) have yielded very little conversational French, as I was last able to go to Europe before my children, now 28 and 25, were born. I am certain that, given the time and practice, I could pick up French again, although Spanish might be more useful for a librarian working at a Title 1 school in Gaithersburg. The same malleability that allowed me to lose French may very well help me learn Spanish.
Finally, Carr enumerates several intellectual technologies: the typewriter, the abacus, the slide rule, the sextant, the globe, the book, the newspaper, the school, the library, the computer, and the Internet (p.44). His conclusion that "...it is our intellectual technologies that have the greatest and most lasting power over what and how we think" (p.45). It is vital to recognize that the computer and the Internet are not the first world changing intellectual technologies, nor will they be the last.

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DQ2:
In Ch. 3, Tools of the Mind, Carr refers to sociologist Thorstein Veblen's concept of "technological determinism". Essentially he posits that the development of more complex technologies is inevitable and outside of our control. It is human nature to invent tools to make our lives more efficient, and we always become dependent on these tools. We lived for over a hundred thousand years without indoor plumbing. Technically we can still survive as a species without it. There are still people that live without indoor plumbing. However, most of us consider indoor plumbing to be a necessity of life. We depend on it. Our economy doesn't work without it. On the individual level we can choose to live more analog lives. We can make personal choices to be less dependent on technology. However, on the collective level most people are going to choose to use tools that make our lives more efficient and safe. From this viewpoint, it doesn't matter what the benefits and drawbacks of the internet are for students. They are inevitable. As Carr quotes Emmerson, "Things are in the saddle/ And ride mankind."
Carr references Nietzche's adoption of the typewriter throughout this book. Nietzche was also famous for his concept of eternal recurrence. The philosophical concept essentially posits that time is a flat circle - everything that is happening has already happened and will continue to happen forever. We invent a tool. We become dependent on the tool. We fret over our dependence on the tool. Then we invent another tool, and we stop worrying about the benefits and drawbacks of the old tool, and just accept as a necessity of life.

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I often visualize a representation of my brain and thinking as a browser window with many tabs open. Carr (2010) quotes a 1994 article by Gary Wolfe in Wired describing a graphical browsing experience as "traveling the online world along paths of whims and intuition" (p. 15), which is an oddly accurate description of my thought processes. Research on people with ADHD has shown that we have an interest-based nervous system compared to the neurotypical importance-based nervous system (Dodson, 2013). Rather than prioritizing tasks by importance or engaging my motivation with rewards, I gain motivation by tasks that engage my interests, challenge me, are new to me, or have become urgent. I cycle through my "tab groups" based on my needs at the moment and there is a high chance that my brain is going to link to new thoughts and open up a new tab on a whim. Given Carr's (2010) thoughts on how technologies have influenced our brains, I do find it interesting that I picture my mind using references from my experience with the internet. I was born in 1986 and was a teenager when I started using the internet at home and school, but it opened a lot of doors in how I  could embrace my own way of thinking rather than trying to conform to the thought patterns in the neurotypical handbook.

References
Carr, N. (2010). The shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Dodson, W. (2013). Secrets of your ADHD brain.  Additude. https://www.additudemag.com/secrets-of-the-adhd-brain/

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I was admitted to Loyola's grad. program shortly after virtual learning. In addition to time spent in isolation during the pandemic, the amount of time spent staring at screens became an issue. I noticed that it was incredibly hard to sustain attention when reading a lengthy text on a screen. Bookmarked tabs like Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook, tabs became more alluring and hard to ignore. Due to prolonged periods of screen time, I have found that the constant bombardment of stimuli makes it much harder to not only sustain attention, but also harder for me to sit still. I noticed that I began to stare at my phone with the tv on in the background much more often. When it is time to read lengthy texts for different courses, I found that it helped immensely to print out articles rather than read them on my screen. Having a tangible text became sorely missed and being able to read physical copies of text is highly undervalued.

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It is very interesting to see how students are learning today in schools compared to how I did; when technology was just being introduced to students. There are both positives and negatives to this. Now, there are so many different ways for students to learn and to get different information quicker than there was before. However, that means that sometimes they expect things at an instant and it cannot always be given at that time (when they ask teachers a question). A drawback is that students are now attached to that instant knowledge and then do not know what to do when that information/technology is not ready or available to them when they want it. One piece from this chapter that stuck with me was when one professor said " I can't get my students to read whole books anymore" (pg. 9). During COVID times, students were reading books on their computers and now even with in person teacher, students would rather listen to stories on the I-pad than read with me. They don't want to work on sounding out words or would rather hear someone read it with a funny voice. However, sometimes I am like this as well...when reading books this summer, I would sometimes read a few chapters and as a reward give myself a scroll break, or stop because I heard a text message come in. It is not just in the classroom now, but all over.

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Three

Yes, printed articles helped me immensely during my learning process at Loyola.

I loved your wording about physical copies being highly undervalued; I agree with this wholeheartedly.

I, too, was admitted into the program shortly after teaching virtually.

Two

Isolated times, with screen fatigue (it's like we had to do it to be connected in some form or fashion)

Multitasking with multiple devices (unhinged)

One

What information have you gained from the program that could have benefited your virtual teaching experience, especially regarding screen fatigue?

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For my image I chose something a little more literal, a GIF of a "synapse." One part of chapter 2 that I found specifically interesting and actually a little hopeful was the part where Carr describes how the brain can be trained to function stronger . Carr explains that our brains commutate with us through chemical reactions between synapses. Carr explains, " As the same experience is repeated, the synaptic links between neurons grow stronger and more plentiful (P.27)." In other words, if you practice a a task then your brain uses the same synapses repeatedly thus strengthening our brain and training it. This same process can occur the other way as well. If a Brain does not use as synaptic channel then it can grow weaker in using that connective path. I feel that I often experience the lack of attention that Carr describes in this book and I found this part to be reassuring. I feel like trough practice I can strengthen some of the synaptic channels that I haven used due to my use of technology.

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My attention span has gone down since the invention of the smart phone. In fact, in the last three years, I went through ADHD testing to see if I qualified. (I don't). The more I read this book, the more I realize my brain is acting more mechanical and like a robot in gathering information. And, it's not helping me function better.

At Loyola, this became glaring to me when I was writing my summer research paper. I decided that I wanted to be like the "modern day" students who took notes and organized my essay entirely online. The problem was that "highlighting" my notes did not equate to learning or remembering the information. I participated in the activity of "taking notes", but it didn't sink in. Eventually, I printed out my notes, put them on notecards, and reorganized my cards into an outline. (AKA, I went "old school"). What I realize now is that my online note taking was consistently interrupted by other online tasks (checking email, etc). I never achieved deep concentration for real learning to occur because my attention was diverted.

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As educators, we have a first-hand view of how technology is playing a part in the education of our youth. As Carr described in chapter one, the internet has given this generation of students a wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. They can locate information in an instant. But this is also the problem. They have too much access. The students have a lack of interest in learning that requires time and extra effort. They want answers that are quick and fast and they want learning that requires the least amount of concentration. It's very hard to impart knowledge when your competition is tik tok and youtube.

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Conner McIntyre Responding to Jae (I am having trouble seeing the posts)

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Conner McIntyre Responding to Jae (I am having trouble seeing the posts)

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Hey Jae, I also joined this cohort just after virtual learning. I think that our cohort is special for this reason; we get to now look back retrospectively on how technology really does affect learning. I also have been having trouble with overstimulating myself with technology. Printing out our readings is a great strategy for staying focused. I connected with not being able to sit still and just staring blankly at your phone. I have tried to have a "one screen at a time" rule. A question I have- do you think there are any positives you experienced from increased isolation and screen time during COVID?

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I agree the there is a correlation between internet uses and attention spans. I think the more we consume digital media we weaken our capacity to hold our attention span. For myself, I have found this to impact my reading abilities within my courses at Loyola. When I compare my reading capacity form now and during undergrad, I noticed I struggle read books for long period of time (30 minutes) without having to check my phone or some digital device.

There is something about the internet that grants us the abilities to gain information faster. However, at least for me, I feel it has come at the price of actually learning how to learn. going through the process pushing our brains to focus on something meaningful for al long period of time so we can reach the desired ratification that finding an answer brings us.

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While I agree with Carr's (2010) observation that there is a correlation between the internet use and our brains and their attention spans, Carr does not specify if this correlation is negative or positive. We (at least I) assume that Carr is saying the more we use the Internet, the shorter our attention spans become; I agree with this idea. When we are exposed to so much content simultaneously or even through interruptions such as an advertisement interrupting a Youtube video, our attention is becoming divided and we internalize the primary content less than we could, and I feel this negatively affects our comprehension of the content we attempt to consume as well as the free mental space "the linear mind" (P.10) possesses for reflection purposes. "Calm, focused, undistracted, the linear mind is being pushed aside by a new kind of mind that wants and needs to take in and dole out information in short, disjointed, often overlapping bursts-the faster, the better." (P.10) Our attention spans are becoming shortened by our distractedness that we display when using technology. Essentially, we become overstimulated but we don't mind, nor do we realize the full cognitive effects of our technology use.

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I agree that internet usage can impact how our brain functions, as well as, our attention spans. We use our short-term memory and do not retain information the way we did growing up in the 80s or 90s. Now, this generation of students want an instant answer and they may not critically think to solve problems. In this era, we feed artificial intelligence and in turn, it guides, as well as, controls us. During this course, I noticed how my attention span has become extremely short. I am often distracted from reading with cell phone notifications or my ongoing to-do-list. Distractions could be my personal or work emails, social media, or searching for information online. Coincidently, during the evening, when it is quiet and I’m reading for class, my thoughts interrupt my progress with anything my brain can think of that is either related to the book or unrelated. Thoughts I did not get a chance to contemplate when I was multitasking at work begin to surface as soon as I see over 500 words in front of me. That is why I took the time to watch YouTube videos or listen to the podcasts of Sherry Turkle so I could hear her perspective and receive most of the knowledge or concepts that were covered in the book. It was my remedial class.

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The benefits for students are having access to information, immediate feedback on assessments, and learning organizational skills with technology. The drawbacks can be - being tempted to plagiarize, automated teaching/learning with less human interaction, and being distracted with cell phones or the need to be entertained online. Generation Next are easily bored, yet I have noticed technology promotes lazy behavior too. If Generation Next spends most of their time in virtual reality, they will not realize what opportunities they are giving up in real life. Generation Next will lose their sense of direction because they will spend most of their days being directed by technology, resulting in losing a sense of time. Carr (2010) states that time can be a point of reference for both action and thought. Being conscious of time can influence us to be more goal-oriented, aware of decisions, and making efforts to control our destinies. Now many students’ actions and thoughts are controlled by a smart phone. Several Generation Next students focus on what the next trends are on Tik Tok and ironically have no high regard for time or productivity. This is why many educators are using social media platforms to engage learners through “edutainment” and promoting students to become content creators using technology.

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Although this image reflects on how multitasking links with having multiple tabs open on your computer screen, it also can illustrate how our brains adapt in different situations. Carr further explains that, "Our environment, experiences, and behavior constantly change our brains." (p.31) I believe the tabs represent how we rewire or use our brains in different instances. Each tab requires your brain to function, respond, or use a skill in a different way.

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1.  Internet provides students with knowledge at their fingertips, according to the text.
2. You stated that the problem is that students have too much access and I think that can cause students to become distracted and unclear on what sources they should use.
3. Students have a lack of interest in the type of learning that requires time and extra effort.

I connected with your quote, "It's very hard to impart knowledge when your competition is Tik Tok and YouTube." Social media can be our competition and collaborators. It will require more intentional lesson planning, but should be worth it in the long run.  In addition, I agree with your quote, "they want learning that requires the least amount of concentration."  My high school student prefer easy busy work. Some students do the bare minimum and do not embrace originality or trying to exceed my expectations. I have to encourage some of my students to put forth more effort and have more pride in their work.

Can meditation assist our students with their attention spans? This may not work with my students because they may end up taking a nap instead.

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Discussion Question 2: Our current student population is named ‘Generation Next’ (kids who have grown up using the web). What are the benefits and drawbacks to how these students are learning? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. 

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Discussion Question 2: Our current student population is named ‘Generation Next’ (kids who have grown up using the web). What are the benefits and drawbacks to how these students are learning? Use evidence from the text to support your answer. 

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It is great that students have the chance to utilize technological advances such as the internet. It is has not only allow students to access knowledge quicker, but also extended the ways in which learning can be conducted.

However, some of the drawbacks to this is that is the accessibility of information leaves students unable to develop particular critical think skills. Carr speaks on this on page 34 as he shares who neuropathways are formed when we develop habits.  As great as technology is it can leave students undeveloped in different critical things skills.