Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Solutions for Internet users
1. Try to divide the hours you spend on the internet and step away to do something different.
2. Try brainstorming or using class notes in writing as this method can help in not using the internet to get ideas for writing on a topic. If you do not have enough information from class, call a friend to assist in whatever information you do not have on that topic.
3. When you are using the Internet for writing, stop, get up and walk away from the computer for a while to allow ideas to come into your head, and keep a pen and paper handy to jot down those ideas, so that when you go back to writing, you will have something fresh that you thought of and not the Internet giving you ideas.
4. Divert and gradually increase your time in reading which can help in rebuilding your reading level, and mental concentration, instead of skimming through the Internet for reading.
5. Use the Internet only when it is absolutely necessary for reading and writing.
6. Over using the computer and Internet not only affects the ability to read in-depth or write, but it affects the nerves in the hand causing what is known as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and over use or long term use of the internet causes strain on the eyes.
Final Note: Know that the overuse of anything is not good for anyone, so use the internet wisely, but not so much that it makes you stupid and become dependent on its use.
Summary/Reflection
According to the final results of the survey questionnaire:
69-70% of people WERE affected by the use of the Internet.
34-35% of people WERE NOT affected by the use of the Internet.
Method: My method for determining my survey results was in using a 3:1 ratio to factor the percentages.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR INTERNET USERS
What this means is we are allowing the Internet to alter the ways in which we research information, but most importantly, overuse of the Internet has certainly affected the way in which we read in-depth and write. Writer Nicholas Carr was correct in his claim saying that Google is making us stupid. What was amazing about the results of the survey is that out of almost 70% of survey takers who felt overall changes in their reading and writing habits, they felt it was a positive change for the better.We should ask ourselves, is it really for the better that human brain cells not function naturally and stimulate our innate ability to think for ourselves?
This reflects upon my research questions about, are we sacrificing ways in which our brains should function independently for efficiency in using the Internet, and have we become too dependent or not independent enough to the world of technology? The results of "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" survey was simply an aide to help individuals discover how the human brain should function which is independent of technology and not dependent to technology. In reference to the comment of the University, London that research study would have had to began while children were in their youth and gradually studied until they had reached undergraduate level, would they have considered most children are born and trained very young into technology, by what they observe in and of the world today as well as in the future.
There was further secondary information that I researched in order to get other opinions in reference to Nicholas Carr's claim. I discovered an article by writer Mat Assay in the June 9th 2008 edition of cnet News. According to Assay, "Exercising the brain to regenerate the brain to function independently is what he would do more of opposed to just processing information. He goes on discuss that ven he had noticed gradual decrease in his innate ability to think as well as in the past years. This is why he says, "He will go back to reading more" ( Mat Assay). If you want to read more of his article, you can find him online at cnet News.
We are born to be natural analytical and logical thinkers. There should be a balance in how we use technology not only the Internet, but other gadgets of technology sources that connect us to the Internet like cell phones, ipods,ipads, Kindles, Nooks. The results of this project sends us a clear message that we are not robots connected by wires in our existence, but we are functional human beings who actually function far beyond what any source of technology could ever teach us; yet, the wonders of technology are evolving.
Finally I would like to thank every one who took part in the capstone project of "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Tell me what you think and please feel free to leave any comments about what you think about the project, survey, any of the survey question, or any specific relevance to the results from this survey. Thank you for logging in to "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"
*This information was taken from males & females 17-21
69-70% of people WERE affected by the use of the Internet.
34-35% of people WERE NOT affected by the use of the Internet.
Method: My method for determining my survey results was in using a 3:1 ratio to factor the percentages.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR INTERNET USERS
What this means is we are allowing the Internet to alter the ways in which we research information, but most importantly, overuse of the Internet has certainly affected the way in which we read in-depth and write. Writer Nicholas Carr was correct in his claim saying that Google is making us stupid. What was amazing about the results of the survey is that out of almost 70% of survey takers who felt overall changes in their reading and writing habits, they felt it was a positive change for the better.We should ask ourselves, is it really for the better that human brain cells not function naturally and stimulate our innate ability to think for ourselves?
This reflects upon my research questions about, are we sacrificing ways in which our brains should function independently for efficiency in using the Internet, and have we become too dependent or not independent enough to the world of technology? The results of "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" survey was simply an aide to help individuals discover how the human brain should function which is independent of technology and not dependent to technology. In reference to the comment of the University, London that research study would have had to began while children were in their youth and gradually studied until they had reached undergraduate level, would they have considered most children are born and trained very young into technology, by what they observe in and of the world today as well as in the future.
There was further secondary information that I researched in order to get other opinions in reference to Nicholas Carr's claim. I discovered an article by writer Mat Assay in the June 9th 2008 edition of cnet News. According to Assay, "Exercising the brain to regenerate the brain to function independently is what he would do more of opposed to just processing information. He goes on discuss that ven he had noticed gradual decrease in his innate ability to think as well as in the past years. This is why he says, "He will go back to reading more" ( Mat Assay). If you want to read more of his article, you can find him online at cnet News.
We are born to be natural analytical and logical thinkers. There should be a balance in how we use technology not only the Internet, but other gadgets of technology sources that connect us to the Internet like cell phones, ipods,ipads, Kindles, Nooks. The results of this project sends us a clear message that we are not robots connected by wires in our existence, but we are functional human beings who actually function far beyond what any source of technology could ever teach us; yet, the wonders of technology are evolving.
Finally I would like to thank every one who took part in the capstone project of "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Tell me what you think and please feel free to leave any comments about what you think about the project, survey, any of the survey question, or any specific relevance to the results from this survey. Thank you for logging in to "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"
*This information was taken from males & females 17-21
Information about Survey Questionnaire/Criteria/Considerations
Before I began to develop a survey questionnaire, I considered who my audience of survey takers would be. I decided that they would consist of people of all nationalities, college and high school students, males, females, college professors, high school teachers, people who were required to use computers as a part of their job, people who were unemployed, older people, and people who did not use the Internet at all. I had only six weeks to carry out this entire project. I decided to use 300 people who would volunteer to take surveys.
I divided 300 hundred people in groups of three ranging in ages from 17-21, 22-28, and ages 30 plus which made 100 people for each group. No names were needed for this survey because the survey and its results would not be published. The required time for participating in the survey would take ten minutes. I had two other individuals that assisted me with surveys outside of the GSU campus.
My purpose for choosing these particular questions are simple; they would allow me to observe and study how active each individual were in their using the Internet as well as their purpose for using the Internet. It also allowed me to study their methods for reading and writing and study habits if they were students. It allowed me to know if they were using their minds independent of the Internet and finally, it allowed me to observe if these same individuals felt as if the Internet had changed the way they read and write effectively. Comments and explanations will be use in the results of this survey as they are as important as the yes ans no answers. They serve as the voices of the people and are as pertinent to the results from the entire surveys. Below as follows are the survey questions that I developed for this project:
Survey Questions
1. Age__ Sex: Males __ Females__ Student: Yes__ No__
2. Are you employed? Yes__ No__
3. Do you use Internet to summarize a story that you have not read? Y_ N_ Explain in 2-3 sentences.
4. Do you read in-depth on the Internet or do you skip and skim to find what catches your eye?
5. When you use the Internet, are you looking for quick fixed answers? Y_ N_ or are you looking to learn more by spending time reading? Y__ N__
6. Do you twitter? Y_ N_ or Do you text? Y_ N_
7. What is your purpose for using the Internet? Work__ School__ Leisure___ Shopping___ Other__
8. Do you feel you are creative enough to write without getting information from the Internet? Y__N__
9. When was the last time you read a book, novel? 1 to 3 mos __, 3 to 6 mos__, last week__?
10. Did you finish and how long did it take you to finish it? More than a week or month? Less than a week or a month? Why?______________ explain in less than 2-3 sentences.
11. Are you relaxed while reading? Y__ N__. After forty minutes are you still relaxed or do you fidget? Y__ N__ Explain in 2-3 sentences__________.
12. Do you have access to the Internet? Y__ N__
13. how much in terms of of the amount of hours within a day would you estimate you spend on the Internet? 2to 4 hrs.__, 4 to 8 hrs.__, 8 to 12hrs.__, 12 or more hrs.__
14. When using Google search engines, do you click on the first thing you see or do you search a few more sites to skim through? Y__N__ Explain in 2 to 3 sentences__________.
15. Do you enjoy Reading? Y__ N__ or Writing? Y__ N__
16. Overall, do you think or feel that the Internet has altered the way in which you normally read and write?
Note: After the surveys were taken, I will gather my results from the surveys and graph them according to each age in groups of three.
I divided 300 hundred people in groups of three ranging in ages from 17-21, 22-28, and ages 30 plus which made 100 people for each group. No names were needed for this survey because the survey and its results would not be published. The required time for participating in the survey would take ten minutes. I had two other individuals that assisted me with surveys outside of the GSU campus.
My purpose for choosing these particular questions are simple; they would allow me to observe and study how active each individual were in their using the Internet as well as their purpose for using the Internet. It also allowed me to study their methods for reading and writing and study habits if they were students. It allowed me to know if they were using their minds independent of the Internet and finally, it allowed me to observe if these same individuals felt as if the Internet had changed the way they read and write effectively. Comments and explanations will be use in the results of this survey as they are as important as the yes ans no answers. They serve as the voices of the people and are as pertinent to the results from the entire surveys. Below as follows are the survey questions that I developed for this project:
Survey Questions
1. Age__ Sex: Males __ Females__ Student: Yes__ No__
2. Are you employed? Yes__ No__
3. Do you use Internet to summarize a story that you have not read? Y_ N_ Explain in 2-3 sentences.
4. Do you read in-depth on the Internet or do you skip and skim to find what catches your eye?
5. When you use the Internet, are you looking for quick fixed answers? Y_ N_ or are you looking to learn more by spending time reading? Y__ N__
6. Do you twitter? Y_ N_ or Do you text? Y_ N_
7. What is your purpose for using the Internet? Work__ School__ Leisure___ Shopping___ Other__
8. Do you feel you are creative enough to write without getting information from the Internet? Y__N__
9. When was the last time you read a book, novel? 1 to 3 mos __, 3 to 6 mos__, last week__?
10. Did you finish and how long did it take you to finish it? More than a week or month? Less than a week or a month? Why?______________ explain in less than 2-3 sentences.
11. Are you relaxed while reading? Y__ N__. After forty minutes are you still relaxed or do you fidget? Y__ N__ Explain in 2-3 sentences__________.
12. Do you have access to the Internet? Y__ N__
13. how much in terms of of the amount of hours within a day would you estimate you spend on the Internet? 2to 4 hrs.__, 4 to 8 hrs.__, 8 to 12hrs.__, 12 or more hrs.__
14. When using Google search engines, do you click on the first thing you see or do you search a few more sites to skim through? Y__N__ Explain in 2 to 3 sentences__________.
15. Do you enjoy Reading? Y__ N__ or Writing? Y__ N__
16. Overall, do you think or feel that the Internet has altered the way in which you normally read and write?
Note: After the surveys were taken, I will gather my results from the surveys and graph them according to each age in groups of three.
Executive Summary
Hello Rhetoricians,
My name is Katrina Jackson and welcome to my capstone project blog "Is Google Making us Stupid?" which was created from a survey that I developed. The reason I chose this topic was largely due to a class discussion from an article we were assigned to read in my Senior Seminar class. The article was about "Is Google Making us Stupid?" It was published in the July/August 2008 edition of Atlantic Magazine by writer Nicholas Carr who felt that the human brains are beginning to function like robots. According to Carr, the brain simply filters through information in much of the same ways people rely on the efficiency of the Internet. Carr’s theory is based on his personal experience as well as his friends. His friends were discussing how they were all noticing some changes in their writing abilities, and reading habits.
There were no statistics to prove the credibility to Carr's claim; furthermore, he sought another opinion from the University, London, who indicated that in order to find any statistics, research had to have began with children at the time of their youth, and gradually studied over time as they had reach undergraduate level, and again, this did not solidify Carr's theory sufficiently.
My research questions are, are we sacrificing ways in which our brains should function independently for Internet efficiency, and have we become too dependent or not independent enough to the world of technology?
As everyone individually voiced their opinions on the topic in class, my instructor made a comment that she thought it would make for an interesting capstone project. I thought it would be a good project as well, but some how I wanted to challenge Carr's claim. I really had a desire to develop something that would possibly prove Carr’s claim to either be credible or not credible, or even as much as not being able to determine his claim at all. I decided to develop a survey questionnaire about how people use technology and how it may or may not affect their reading and writing skills.
My purpose for this type project is to challenge Carr's claim and attempt to determine if the long term use of the Internet is depleting individual’s innate abilities to read in-depth, and brainstorm ideas to write instead of using the Internet to think for them. As you numerically follow each blog, each one will explain the research results from the survey.
While you review results, you may ask yourself if you feel you are someone affected by high efficiency of technology engagement; on the other hand, you might wonder why some people were not tapped into other levels of technology and communication through Internet. What steps would you take to change the way you use the Internet? I found the results during the course of the survey to be quite interesting, and I hope that you will discover revelations of your own while viewing the survey questions, comments, and survey results of this blog.
My name is Katrina Jackson and welcome to my capstone project blog "Is Google Making us Stupid?" which was created from a survey that I developed. The reason I chose this topic was largely due to a class discussion from an article we were assigned to read in my Senior Seminar class. The article was about "Is Google Making us Stupid?" It was published in the July/August 2008 edition of Atlantic Magazine by writer Nicholas Carr who felt that the human brains are beginning to function like robots. According to Carr, the brain simply filters through information in much of the same ways people rely on the efficiency of the Internet. Carr’s theory is based on his personal experience as well as his friends. His friends were discussing how they were all noticing some changes in their writing abilities, and reading habits.
There were no statistics to prove the credibility to Carr's claim; furthermore, he sought another opinion from the University, London, who indicated that in order to find any statistics, research had to have began with children at the time of their youth, and gradually studied over time as they had reach undergraduate level, and again, this did not solidify Carr's theory sufficiently.
My research questions are, are we sacrificing ways in which our brains should function independently for Internet efficiency, and have we become too dependent or not independent enough to the world of technology?
As everyone individually voiced their opinions on the topic in class, my instructor made a comment that she thought it would make for an interesting capstone project. I thought it would be a good project as well, but some how I wanted to challenge Carr's claim. I really had a desire to develop something that would possibly prove Carr’s claim to either be credible or not credible, or even as much as not being able to determine his claim at all. I decided to develop a survey questionnaire about how people use technology and how it may or may not affect their reading and writing skills.
My purpose for this type project is to challenge Carr's claim and attempt to determine if the long term use of the Internet is depleting individual’s innate abilities to read in-depth, and brainstorm ideas to write instead of using the Internet to think for them. As you numerically follow each blog, each one will explain the research results from the survey.
While you review results, you may ask yourself if you feel you are someone affected by high efficiency of technology engagement; on the other hand, you might wonder why some people were not tapped into other levels of technology and communication through Internet. What steps would you take to change the way you use the Internet? I found the results during the course of the survey to be quite interesting, and I hope that you will discover revelations of your own while viewing the survey questions, comments, and survey results of this blog.
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