Tag: computers

Recent Posts

Is the American Academy of Pediatrics Copping Out on Kids’ Screen Time?

According to a recent article titled, “Pediatricians to tweak ‘outdated’ screen time recommendations for kids,” the American Academy of Pediatrics, that esteemed organization charged with protecting the health and well-being of children, has decided that their recommendations of limited screen time—basically no screen time for children under 2 years old and only two hours a […]

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Is Coding Camp a Good Thing? Answer: Not to Me

One of the booming trends in the ‘youth-achievement-industrial complex’ is computer coding camps (and after-school coding programs). Here is an article in which I was interviewed that discusses this new, and to me, troubling development. I think this trend is driven by two unhealthy forces. First, economic uncertainty that has created immense anxiety in parents for their children’s futures. […]

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The Digital World is Full of Possibility and Worry

The Huffington Post recently asked me to write a blog post on the influence of technology on the lives of children, parents, and families in connection with the new film Men, Women and Children. The request inspired me to put my ideas on (digital) paper wearing both my professional and personal hats. I come to […]

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Technology is Making Us Dumber

Very much in line with my own views on the overuse of technology, this article describes 8 Ways Technology Makes Us Stupid. I’m quite sure that the majority of us can relate to each of the eight.  

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A Father’s Day Gift

This video should remind us all what’s really important in our lives and how we should spend our time. Happy Father’s Day!!

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Handwriting is Better Than Keyboarding for Children

A fascinating article about the impact of handwriting vs. typing on a keyboard. The research seems clear that handwriting has important benefits over keyboarding (yes, it is a verb now!). This despite the fact that increasing numbers of schools have stopped teaching handwriting after second grade and no longer teach cursive writing.

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A Must-See Video of the Impact of Technology on Our Lives

In my recent post, I argue that opportunity costs (time spent doing one thing is time not spent doing other things) may be the greatest threat from technology. A friend just sent me this video titled Look Up that powerfully demonstrates what we miss–life, love, beauty, opportunity!–when we immerse excessively in technology. Here are a few great lines […]

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Are Opportunity Costs Children’s Real Problem with Technology?

There are a lot of “techno-evangelists” out there spreading the gospel of technology as the cure for all of our ills. For this group, technology can do no wrong. At the same time, there are plenty of Chicken Littles running around saying that our cultural, social, and educational sky is falling. For this group, technology is the ill that needs to be cured.

I place myself firmly in the middle of these two camps. Think of me as the Paul Revere of the 21st century—“The techies are coming!” I believe that technology is inherently neither good nor bad. But neutral does not mean it is benign. As with most things in life, technology is healthy or harmful depending on how it is used.

One challenge for us is technology enters our lives before we can know what effect it will actually have on us. The speed at which technology is becoming deeply woven into the very fabric of our lives is breathtaking; as if we’re holding onto the railing of a caboose of a runaway train. Innovations are launched and become a part of our culture so quickly that there isn’t time to step back and consider the implications of new technology on us. It is only in the rearview mirror that we can see whether a technological advancement has been beneficial or damaging. And by then it’s too late to go back; the new technology is already irreversibly embedded in our individual and societal psyches.

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Disconnect from Your Tech

Here’s a great article about a school that took a three-day break from technology. Be sure to watch the video that goes along with it. Could you not use technology for even a day? That’s my challenge to you!

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Focus is the Gateway to Business Success

Focus doesn’t get the respect it deserves in the business world. We hear a lot about motivation, stress, emotions, leadership, and team culture, but not much attention is paid to the role that focus plays in your ability to be productive. Well, I’m here to change all that.

Let’s first start with what focus is. Simply put, focus involves the ability to pay attention to things that will help and avoid distractions that will hurt your work efforts. For example, to finish a report, you need to focus on the relevant information and analyses that will comprise the report. You must also avoid typical distractions such as emails, being hungry or tired, or the people around you.

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