The belief that we are at the limits of human evolution restrains our potential. Connie Yowell with the MacArthur Foundation is funding ethnographic studies of children’s use of technology to determine if new ways of thinking or being are developing. At least according to my understanding of what John Bransford mentioned from a trip they were both on to Singapore.
I can imagine one possible scenario where young children engage in a behavior that is unique to their generation. I recall tutoring at student who had to stop around eight simultaneous IM conversations he was engaged in at the same time. Was there something more occurring rather than just time sharing between verticle conversations? Was there a horizontal presence of community that existed within the students mind and co-constructed with their peers that could not be done live with a group of people. I recall meetings where adults simultaneously listen to what is being said as well as research knowledge regarding the conversation, send emails, and participate in the conversation (I am guilty? of this myself). But I think that something much more substantive may be occurring that with my experience I can’t grasp. It would interesting to think about what research would be necessary to demonstrate a qualitative difference in what young people engaged in their highly parallel IMs and what I or say a teacher does in our typical multi-tasking experiences.
And if there is something different, then how do we identify the productive nature of that activity (if there is) and in turn develop learning experiences that value that skill and encourage its development?
