Sara's Site

PDF Mike Rough Draft

 

Mike Steminsky

ENG 110 – H6

Professor Emerson

13 October 2017

 

The benefits and deficiencies of Instant Information

Information is readily available in today’s society. Whether it is in newsstands, the internet, even social networking, the world is buzzing with information. This fairly new life experience is shaping the way a person goes about their daily life. Many argue that all these new influences in our lives actually act as distractions. I believe that if we channel the use of these extra accessories, it will benefit the individual more then hurt them. A wealth of constant information strengthens young minds because it allows growth, instant access, and the ability to create big change on a small scale.

The information and technological advances of our time have strengthened the future by reaching children at a younger age. Many elementary schoolers are getting more technology at a faster rate. Some get tablets before they’re five, others are using their parents phones earlier then that. The effect of technology is apparent in today’s society but why does this matter? The earlier a child has access to the internet the faster their brains can begin to start making connections to certain aspects and interests. For example, a child having the ability to look up anything at anytime allows them to be interested in a topic more than just school. A student can learn without being in front of a teacher or not during school hours. Plus they can achieve this by being able to research a ever expanding amount of information. The child’s brain can bounce from topic to topic and for the most part they can find information on each topic. Why children though? Why not talk about older adults? The younger individuals eventually use these skills when they become adults. For instance, in elementary schools, the children in the next generation of employees have been using computers since their first day. They use so much technology from a young age that they are already adapted to their society. As time goes on they can use this technology to improve their abilities. Therefore, the integration of this actually benefits the 20 year old population because it allows them to master their skills before they need them in the future.

Instant access allows everyone to be able to communicate with each other and get information. People can use this in business or just general texting. Some argue that this cause more distraction for people and this can be true if they let it occur. If an individual has enough control to stop themselves from talking in a situation then the distraction can be handled or avoided. For example, the argument that many present of kids being on their phone can be attributed to their choice of always being on it. There can be many factors that alter this claim but at the end of the day it’s their choice to go on their phones. If individuals choose not to be on their phones then they can still enjoy the benefits of having communication without the distraction. The instant communication revolutionizes our society. It creates a modern world where mail or long waiting is no longer needed. This results in better and faster relations in the business and personal world.

Thomas King’s story itself shows the power of mass media. King spreads awareness of his cause by using social media. By doing this he is able to spread awareness to a mass group of people. Social media and mass media also shows this through many products. Advertisements are used exactly for this purpose. Advertisers know that by sending a tweet out, creating a commercial, or sending a mass text out, they can reach their target audience and sell more of their good. These business can reach their demographics much easier and therefore this can benefit young minds that need this type of reaching out. Also, a person’s message can be sent out very easily. A charity event or pledge, such as JJ Watt and the houston tragedy can blow up over social media. An individual’s message can be seen and everyone can respond to it a lot faster then any other way. For young individuals who want to create a significant change in the world like Thomas King, having a way of reaching a mass populations very easily

A wealth of information actually strengthens minds rather than hurts them as long as the information is being used in the right way. The information can be a lot for some people but as long as the user is able to specify their requests, they’ll be fine. The instant information can also help young minds by getting them ready earlier in schooling to use their skills. Children can research more at a younger age and develop their research school at a young aged compared to using it at an older time. The ability of people being able to use instant information to help spread their message and give them a voice also has the positive potential use of every individual. The foundation is put in place to give any individual a way to talk to a mass group of people very easily, allowing them the opportunity of spreading a message or cause.

 

PDF Prompt 2 First Draft (Sammi)

Sammi Roche

ENG 110 H6

10/15/17

Prompt 2 First Draft

        In a world where there is so much going on constantly, it is no surprise that everyone gets distracted so easily. For instance, while writing this, I’m watching a show on Netflix while texting my friends. With all these options to distract ourselves, it is not a surprise that people have so much trouble with getting things done when they need to. At the same time, these distractions are sometimes necessary and helpful. Technology, while an amazing advancement in our human history, has become one of the easiest tool of distraction. It connects us all to each other so easily and allows us to reach out to those that we have might not have ever met otherwise. Not only are we able to communicate with other people, but we are able to hear news earlier and keep up-to-date with most everything going on in the world. But with this, comes the possibility of negative effects on the individuals. If it is affecting them emotionally, wouldn’t it also affect them biologically? People get so into finding out as much as they can about whatever it is they want, that they forget so of the basic things they need to do to survive. At the same time, their brains can run faster and process learned information so much better. With our brains working in this new way and with technology being as advanced as it is, people are becoming more curious and there are more options about what can be learned. With everything being so easily in reach, the need to learn and remember is lessened because anyone can just look something up when they need to. Technology as a distraction is a very powerful thing and it has a big part in a lot of people’s lives. But it isn’t problem. There are good things about technology and what it can do, but there are also some bad things. It is a balanced neutral and not to be worried about.

When people have the urge not to do something that they really don’t want to do, then almost anything can become a huge distraction. With something as powerful as technology, it is no surprise that it has somehow become one of the most distracting things out there. It’s easy access for so many people and there is so much to figure out with it. A notification pops up and all of the sudden, 20 minutes go by because answering a text led to checking Facebook which reminded you of a video that you wanted to send to someone and then talk about with. When there is an assignment or project that needs to be done, going on your phone or computer sounds like a much better option then actually doing what you need to. Procrastination is honestly an awful thing because for a lot of people, it leads to constant late nights to get everything done because the time when it should have been done, was wasted by watching videos on the internet. But sometimes that distraction is a good thing. You may be stuck on an assignment because you can’t come up with an idea, so taking a break to check messages and scroll through social media may give your brain the break it needs or even spark an idea about what you should do. That pretty picture on Instagram has led you to write about how much you want to hike every mountain in America (random, sorry). Sometimes, you get distracted from what you need to be doing but on the flip side, everyone needs a break and that break can lead to break-throughs.

        Friends are important, right? Or have I been taught wrong? With technology and social media, the access to the entire world is unimaginable. Through technology, I’m able to talk to one of my best friends who lives in California and another who is in Pennsylvania. When it was finally time to separate and all go in our different directions, we weren’t worried that we would never see each other again because we always have the internet and technology to connect us. It wouldn’t take weeks for me to get a letter and then weeks for them to get a response. Instead, I’m able to pull out my phone, click on an app, and talk to them over Skype with only the smallest amount of lag. But I have friends here too, who I could talk to face-to-face, but a text message is so much easier than going to find them and ask something. If I want to share something, it’s easier to mass-share it then to send it to some people and then show the rest. The worst part, is why would I want to spend time, face-to-face, with my friends when I have been messaging them all day? While it’s incredibly cool that people have the ability to talk to each other from anywhere in the world, it has had some effect on face-to-face interactions with those that are around us.

        With the possibility of knowing anything that we could wonder about, it isn’t a surprise that there has been some effect on our happiness and how we view ourselves. It’s incredibly pleasing to be able to talk to someone about something going on in the news, and to actually know what you are talking about. Or being the person who knows stuff about something that someone else doesn’t know, which allows you to teach them. Humans seem to have this feature about them that makes it so they enjoy being in everyone’s business and aren’t left out of anything going on. But sometimes this can have a huge backlash. Information is released that people don’t want out and it can hurt someone it shouldn’t. Things on the news, even though they might not directly affect you, can have a negative effect on your mood. A common problem involving technology and social media, is the comparing that people do between themselves and the incredibly airbrushed and photoshopped models that seem to constantly pop-up everywhere you look. We put ourselves next to these people that are “ideal” but incredibly inaccurate to what reality is, then try to force ourselves to look like that. This may bring on bad hygiene or health habits that no one should do. Technology makes it easier to be up-to-date on everything around us but what we learn and see can have an awful backlash on each individual.

        Adaptation. It’s an amazing concept that we change ourselves to fit in with the current situation going on around us. Having such an influential and popular thing, like technology, it’s no surprise that it has had an effect on people’s biology and their bodies. People, as a society, are very connected to things like our phone or laptop. So much so that, sometimes, they end up following us to bed. I am a victim of this because I put my phone next to my pillow at night. What started as me just using it as an alarm to make sure I actually get up, led to me sitting up at night, flicking through all of my social media handles to see if there is anything that I haven’t seen yet. Instead of falling asleep when I get into bed, I spends hours on my phone which emits a light that causes our brains to wake up. Once it finally comes time for us to put our phone down, our brains are too wired to actually fall asleep. Waking up in the morning is quite the event when you’ve only had a few hours of sleep. On the flip-side, look at how fast we can process information now. When so much is being thrown at someone at once, it’s no surprise that the brain will adapt to be able to handle and process everything quicker. Now we think faster and come up with new ideas easier than before. We take the information we are given, process it, and can sometimes put it back out better and with more information than before. So while technology can make us more tired, it can also help us to run our brains faster and more efficient.

        If technology can make our brains run faster, why can’t it have an effect on our intelligence? Through technology, there are so many outlets for learning. There are apps, websites, videos, etc. that make it possible to learn anything that anyone could want to. For some people, a classroom is not a good place for them to learn something and a test isn’t a good way to judge their abilities. Through technology, things can be learned at each individuals pace instead of matching a curriculum, and they are able to pick the most effective way for them to learn. This is more beneficial to them because they are getting the most out of what they are doing instead of just trying to pass a test. With all these outlets though, the need to actually learn and remember something, is less of a necessity than it was before. Now if anyone needs any information about anything, they can just quickly Google it instead of putting the effort in to learn about it. Technology can make for better learning environments for those who actually want to learn, but makes it easier for people to just look things up instead of putting any effort in.

        What is there to fix? Are we just going to take away all technology? Throw away all the advancements that we have made in this lifetime? It’s too late for that. Technology is so imbedded in our world that removing it all would leave use stranded and confused. But most importantly, why is technology being distracting a problem? Everything that possibly exist, can be a distraction. Focusing in itself, is a distraction (Anderson). Technology as a distraction has no significant effect on society. There are good aspects and there are bad aspects but they all balance each other so the scale stays level. If there is no huge, impending problem, then what are we so concerned about fixing?

           

 

I believe emerging adulthood can be related back to the distractions caused by the digital world and technology. Both have been showing an increase in the more recent years: more and more young adults are falling to emerging adulthood, where they are taking longer to grow up and get into the real “adult world”. Similarly, the use of social media and technology is advancing and increasing more than ever. It is very safe to say that these distractions are what could be causing such a setback in young adults being able to grow up and find themselves. Constantly being distracted on the internet is having an effect on young adults that brings no benefit to them. Anderson and Restak recognize the problems of distractions caused by the digital world. They also believe there can be some benefits with these distractions, such as gaining the ability to multitask. When one multitasks, however, they are not putting in as much effort into their work as they would be it each assignment had their full attention.

I am a freshman here at UNE studying marine biology. I chose this major because I have always loved animals and the ocean, since I was a little kid. Some of my favorite childhood memories include going to the beach, especially the beaches on the Massachusetts north shore, and Cape Cod. I live north of Boston, so these local beaches have always been my favorite. Every summer I go to Dennisport, found on the Cape, with my cousin. This is something I get to look forward to every year. Growing up, I have also always been interested in aquariums, and my favorite marine animal is a se turtle. I am now interested in helping marine mammals and other animals that are sick or injured recover to be released back into the ocean, as well as beach preservation. When picking a college, I wanted a campus in New England and near the beach. Studying marine bio at UNE was the perfect path for me! My love for the ocean inspired my first tattoo, an outline of ocean waves on my ankle.

Outside of school, I like to dance, ski, and attend concerts. I danced for ten years, and have been skiing for about 9. I hope to go skiing this winter up here in Maine!

ePortfolio definitely proved to be confusing at first for me. I spent endless time looking around the layout of the website and searching google on how to do the simple tasks on here. Now that I am more familiar with how the website works, I am starting to see the learning potentials that this website has. It creates an easy way to share and upload our work. This website is a great way for us to interact with our classmates and review each others work. It is also good because we can reach each other without having to be in the classroom, which is only two times a week.

I am drawn to this platform because of the various uses of technology have experienced in prior classrooms. With technology being apart of our generation growing up, students find ease and comfort with using it as a part of their education. I always enjoy doing online projects and assignments because of the organization it provides. Instead of having scattered papers that easily get lost, everything can be found in one place.

Welcome to UNEPortfolios. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!