On Grey Matter

Still thinking about this quote from iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind. Gary Small writes, “The current explosion of digital technology not only is changing the way we live and communicate but is rapidly and profoundly altering our brains. Daily exposure to high technology–computers, smart phones, video games, search engines like Google and Yahoo–stimulates brain cell alteration and neurotransmitter release, gradually strengthening new neural pathways in our brains while weakening old ones. Because of the current technological revolution, our brains are evolving right now–at a speed like never before.”

We often note that rapid technological advances are changing the way we live our lives, the shape of our days, the way we read, the way we learn. Generally, we describe this process as a social change. I’m fascinated by this excerpt from Small’s book, because it suggests that we are changing in a far more profound way, at a cellular level. The neurons in our brains are literally rewiring themselves in order to create pathways to accommodate our increasing interaction with computers and digital technology.

Some questions: Does taking or teaching an online class require that we first rewire our brains? Have our brains already been permanently rewired? How is the experience of an online class different for a so-called "digital native" vs. a so-called "digital immigrant"? Does our experience with online classes (as a student or teacher) change the way we approach other more traditional classroom-based classes?