Digitalizing or Delete-izing Learning!
With the pace at which we are digitalizing everything, that future is not far when the generations to come will see the text books in the museums, if at all museums exist. Bots and AI (Artificial Intelligence) have intruded our workspaces, learning spaces and our homes too. Schools are already replacing textbooks with digital devices of all kinds for projects, home works or class works. The effectiveness it has brought in our lives is just unbelievable. We have so much time at our disposal. Though what we do with that time does not matter to us right now. But are we even questioning, “Is that effectiveness really good for us or are we just in a temporary ‘High’?” In an addictive state, we don’t usually realize what kind of a euphoria we are in.
Coming to some facts. Sweden, one of the Nordic countries where the education system is considered to be one of the best, has recently invested (104 million euros to start with) in text books to bring them back to the students. Sweden was few of the first countries to move to digital learning at schools since 2009. The aim was to digitalize classrooms and to transform education into interactive and accessible experience. However, the move deteriorated student learning. It was observed both by parents and schools that students had reduced focus, less memory retention and more distractions. The youth and children of any country are the seeds that would decide how well a country will flourish in future. Are we nurturing those seeds or hindering their growth altogether.
With conventional reading (of textbooks) and writing (with pen and paper) already becoming a thing of the past, are we improving learning or deleting learning altogether. Time and again every research has stated and proved that reading physical textbooks and writing with pen and paper aids in cognitive development, enhances creativity, imagination and problem solving abilities, improves mind body coordination, strengthens memory and focus. Using technology is a wise thing to do but we are now being used by technology, which is definitely insane. Parents of infants and toddlers are continuously exposing them to screens for hours. Teenagers are spending time on screen both at school and outside of it in the name of studies. As parents we are to be held responsible for ruining an entire generation. The data of children becoming victims of bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and even suicide is so alarming that urgent measures are now the need of the hour.
Australia has become the first country to take measures to ban social media for children less than 16 years of age. There’s a reason such strict measures are being taken. Those who have walked the path know the repercussions of it and that’s the reason they are trying to rectify the errors already made. Though sometimes some errors cannot be undone. Its better we wake up before its too late. We have just become products and puppets in the hands of a few tech companies. Its time now that we take our power back instead of surrendering to the offerings of a few giants. And yes this change is possible. For those who feel what to do since everyone is using or rather abusing technology, change begins with just one person taking a step back. Let that one person be you!