Thursday, October 26, 2006

Can computers change our brains?

Recently, I’ve read an article that postulated that computers are changing the way we think. They train us to become more sequential as we program or use software such as Microsoft Excel, but at the same time they expect us to be simultaneous as they present us with the opportunity to write a document while checking emails and browsing the web for the latest research results.

Still, can computers really change our biological learning styles? Can they make us more sedentary even if we have a preference for mobile or kinesthetic learning? Can the log hours of surfing the net change us into night owls and loners? What do you think? Please take a moment to drop us a comment below. Are computers really changing our lives?

In case you’re wondering what the whole sequential/simultaneous discussion (also known as the left/right brain dominance) is all about, please have a look at http://www.creativelearningcentre.com/learningstyles.asp?page=learningstyles.

But, you may argue, what does it matter whether your brain is sequential, simultaneous or both?

Replies Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age: “Until recently, the abilities that led to success in school, work, and business were characteristic of the left hemisphere (sequential). They were the sorts of linear, logical, analytical talents measured by traditional tests. Today, those capabilities are still necessary. But they're no longer sufficient. In a world upended by outsourcing, deluged with data, and choked with choices, the abilities that matter most are now closer in spirit to the specialties of the right hemisphere (simultaneous) - artistry, empathy, seeing the big picture, and pursuing the transcendent.”

To check your own learning style, visit us on http://www.creativelearningcentre.com.

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