CHANGING BRAINS?!?!

The effects of television and internet on the growing brain.

THE AMERICAN DREAM The dream for

most adults is that our children will have it easier than we did. We hope they will not have to work as hard, but are we making it too easy?

ARE WE TURNING KIDS BRAINS TO MUSH?

A part of the ease we have created for our children is instant access to information.

Television

INTERNET

Media

Images

PROBLEM… With increased access to television,

internet, and other modes of visual media, it seems that students’ ability to focus and retain information in class growing weaker.

Year One

Year Two

Year Three

Year Four

0

2

4

6

8

FocusRetentionVisual Media Access

RESEARCH… The University of Michigan Health

Studies department compiled studies that have linked exposure to television and internet to:Attention problems like ADDSlower cognitive developmentLower interest in reading.

JANE M. HEALY, PH.D. Dr. Jane M. Healy

is an advocate against over exposure to television due to the negative effects perceived on the brain.

Click on me to visit my

website!

LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS!

In Endangered Minds, Healy suggests that due to a society that relies increasingly on visual stimuli and technology, students’ brains are changing. Changes in the way  that they learn are “subtle but significant.” (45)

DR. HEALY SAYS… “The overall effects

of television viewing and other forms of video on the growing brain are poorly understood, but research strongly indicates that it has the potential to affect both the brain itself and learning abilities.” (216)

RESEARCH GOAL The purpose of this research is to

understand the effects of growing exposure to visual media on the growing brain.

THIS RESEARCH IS SIGNIFICANT: For who?

ParentsTeachers

Why? Informed decisionsChanging education

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PARENTS? Parents should make themselves aware

of the research before overexposing their children to television and internet.

As with any mode of visual media, they can be helpful to childhood development when used properly.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TEACHERS? Teachers need to learn how to adapt to

what Healy coined as “changing brains.” Curriculum and lessons need to be

geared towards a generation whose brains have been modified to a visual lifestyle.

Verbal Visual

CONCLUSION While there is more to learn about the

effects of over exposure to television and internet, the current research supports the theory that they are having a negative impact on developing brains.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bingham, Brent (photographer). (2010)

Jane m healy [image], March, 26, 2011, http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Jane-M-Healy-Ph-D/1463403.

Boyse, Kyla, University of michigan health system.  (2010, August). Television and children. March 26, 2011, from: http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/tv.htm

BIBLIOGRAPHY Healy, Jane M. (1990). Endangered

minds: why your children don’t think-and what we can do about it. New York: Simon and Schuster Paperbacks.

Neema (blogger). (2011). Kid and tv [jpg], March 26, 2011, from:http://www.greenparenthood.com/blog/2011/03/10/are-television-ads-making-your-child-gain-weight/kid-watching-tv/.