"Tools That Change the Way We Think."

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)

Answer this not-so-simple question: How does extensive Internet/media/technology use change the way you think? Focus on your memory, your ability to concentrate, your sense of time and priorities, and the subjects/topics that interest you most. If you find "thinking about your thinking" difficult to assess, try the following strategies: compare yourself with older people who did most of their formal learning before smart phones and 2.0 existed; compare yourself with contemporaries who don't use those tools much today; read up on what education leaders and thinkers have to say about generational differences in thinking (and remember to cite your sources).

The extensive use of Internet/media/technology has had both a negative and positive impact on me. Although I am learning a lot of new information faster, I feel like it is actually dumbing me down. I feel lazier and more dependent on technology. When I want to figure something out or learn about a new topic I usually just go on Google and read the first few links. It takes the challenge and fun out of searching for your answer for a long time. Before all this new technology came into my life I was more concentrated and focused. It’s a lot more difficult for me to stay focused on my work because either I’m listening to my IPod, texting someone, or checking my Facebook. There is so much more distractions. Even though I have all this overwhelming information I still feel like I’m not learning much. It’s so easy to find the answers that moments after reading them, I typically forget them. They aren’t engraved into my schemata. I kind of wish we didn’t have so much technology/media for a while just to see how much more or less we would actually learn. Unfortunately, I no longer think as hard and critically as I use to.