International Teacher Education Conference 2014 1

International Teacher Education Conference 2014
Table 3 An Overview of Attention Span and Internet Browzing Statistics [22]
We now have instantaneous information available on our smart phones and tablets that make it less necessary to
think in old ways. We now have software to translate for us by just typing in a text. We have long had electronic
spellers and grammar checkers to check for our mistakes. There is software in phones that can automatically
translate from one language to another just by speaking into them. By pointing smartphones with the most up-todate
applications at an unknown sign or text you can have it translated back via Google. Communication has also
been simplified. Understandable text messages with familiar abbreviations can be sent without punctuation or
with a smiley to convey the tone of what we mean or how we are feeling. Nevertheless, as various neurological
studies have shown there are more evident accompanying chemical changes (in the levels of oxytocin, adrenaline
and dopamine) that also take place when using digital media [2]. In Figure 6 you can see specialized MRI brain
scans showing multiple structural changes in the brain´s activity as new neural connections are formed when
people are in repeated contact with electronic devices [12].
Figure 6 Brain Scans comparing the active areas of the brain when reading text or using the net. [14]
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