Is Technology Redefning Smart?

Is Technology Redefning Smart?

Laura Shell
Western Oregon University
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
Younger and younger children can handle once thought
advanced mathematical skills Some adults are relying on com!uters
to aid in their memory "areers in #hich one$s creativity can shine are
on the rise "ould it %e that technology is redefning #hat it means to
%e smart? Thom!son &'(1)* argues that kee!ing logs o+ our memories
can hel! us recall #hat #e have %een through Relying on logs
contradicts the thought that a good memory makes one smart Ruen
&'(1'* de+ends musicians #hen he argues that ,ust %ecause #e can
get music +or +ree- doesn$t mean #e should .aking the /smart0
choice #hile do#nloading music #ould also mean making the
considerate choice Ro%inson &'(11* and 1ink &'((2* cele%rate the
+act that having +un at #ork- and taking %reaks #hen needed can hel!
create a more !roductive #ork!lace 3m!loyers are smart i+ they
encourage such #ork ha%its Rushko4 &'(1)* 5uestions #ays in #hich
!eo!le are stretching themselves too thin Working around the clock
and al#ays %eing accessi%le via e6mail can overload one$s sel+ I
%elieve that increased demands to give u! one$s time causes stress to
those #ho have to !rove he or she is smart #ith their time
management
Older Generations Have Difculty Seeing Youths Strengths
with Technology
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
It seems to %e that %eing tech savvy and 7uent in We% '( tools
is a must in today$s society 8auerlein &'((9* com!lains that youth
seem to %e re!eatedly critici:ed %y older generations #ho only see the
negative e4ects o+ such gadgets Yet- young !eo!le can e;cel at a
much +aster rate #ith these technologies I agree #ith 8auerlein- even
though older generations are critici:ing them- youth are getting
smarter in #hat today$s society demands o+ them
In my !arents$ and grand!arents generation a smart student #as
one #ho got good grades- read o+ten- had nice hand#riting and had
attaina%le goals in li+e- amongst many other 5uantifa%le
measurements I remem%er #hen I sho#ed my grandmother- then in
her 9($s- a ne#s!a!er cli!!ing o+ my middle school honor roll
announcement .y mother had highlighted my name under the )2 or
higher range .y grandmother studied the cli!!ing- turned to me and
said- /<o# come you didn$t get this one?0 She #as !ointing to the =(
section o+ honors That$s ho# it #as #ith my grandmother She #as a
kind !erson> she ,ust had high e;!ectations She had to #ork very
hard in her li+etime She had lived through The ?reat @e!ression She
had also %een a teacher +or many years- %ack in a time #here she
didn$t have a curriculum to %ase her teaching on> she had to come u!
#ith many lessons on her o#n She had to #ork hard to make a living
that derived +rom academic learning I think it #as al#ays diAcult +or
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
her to see success in the arts in the same %all!ark as success in
academics
Quirkiness can be seen as Smart
It used to %e that +or a student to %e !ortrayed as smart he or
she e;celled in math- reading- #riting- science and social studies
3;celling in music may have %een an added measurement o+
so!histication Bn adult #ho #as thought o+ as smart #ould have
+ollo#ed all o+ society$s rules In today$s age- %eing smart is !aired
#ith %eing 5uirky B s!eaker that evokes laughter +rom the audience-
and curious stares #ill most likely get the largest audience T3@ talks
are flled #ith innovative thinkers #ho can communicate #ell- and have
an out6o+6the %o; #ay o+ +acing challenges In Smarter Than You Think,
Thom!son &'(1)* interacts #ith one o+ the frst !eo!le to have a
#eara%le com!uter The man #ore a !urse6si:ed ta%let that connected
to his glasses The glasses !ro,ected his customi:ed com!uter screen
This #as essentially the frst edition o+ ?oogle ?lass <e #as a%le to
connect #ell #ith Thom!son- and retrieve ama:ing statistics that aided
in their discussion in a seamless #ay Yes- this man looked a %it goo+y
#ith his contra!tion- yet he #as interesting In a #ay- this inventor
reminded me o+ a nutty !ro+essor> +unny %y the frst o%servation- yet
res!ected as smart
Technology Hels !etain "emories
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
Thom!son &'(1)* also shared the story o+ a !ro+essor- @r Roy-
#ho #illingly set u! 11 cameras in his home to record the frst t#o
years o+ his son$s li+e <e #anted to see ho# adult interaction !layed a
role in learning to s!eak Cot many !eo!le #ould #ant their li+e
recorded like this- es!ecially +or an audience o+ one$s o#n college
students .any must have thought he #as out o+ his mind @r Roy
#as +ascinated %y the study himsel+ <e #as a%le to ca!ture more
memories than he #ould have dreamed o+- and he +elt +ortunate +or
that Bmongst the recordings #ere his son$s frst ste!s @r Roy #as
a%le to go %ack and vie# a !recious moment that most !arents aren$t
a%le to ca!ture on video In +act- @r Roy$s #i+e #asn$t there to #itness
the event and I$m sure she a!!reciated %eing a%le to go %ack and vie#
the moment she had missed Some may think the constant flming o+
one$s li+e as invasive- yet @r Roy #as a%le to go %ack and !ick and
choose #hich videos- or memories he #ould like to vie# again B
!erson #ho is /smart0 or organi:ed #ith their +amilies$ memories no#
flms constantly then goes %ack to collect note#orthy moments rather
than haul a camera or S.BRT !hone around to record
"reating documents to hel! one remem%er and share %ig
moments o+ in li+e seems to %e +avorite !astime o+ users o+ social
media Un+ortunately- i+ someone s!ends too much o+ his or her time
recording li+e$s events it may a!!ear as though they have missed out
on living those events .anaging li+e$s events through %logging-
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
,ournaling- recording- and !hotogra!hy can %e a time consuming and
unorgani:ed !rocess I+ one does not flter- or add a!!ro!riate la%els
or tags to #hat he or she has recorded he or she #ill most likely +eel
over#helmed as I o+ten +eel #ith my thousands o+ !ictures and
hundreds o+ videos in my collection Shirky &'((9* says that it is not
in+ormation overload that has We% '( users +eeling over#helmed> it is
flter +ailure Dor a We% '( user to %e considered smart- he or she
must also %e good at fltering the in+ormation he or she receives-
records- and shares
#lay can lead to a Healthy and Hay $i%estyle
1lay takes an im!ortant role in #hat it means to %e healthy 1ink
&'((2* mentions the interesting ne# e;ercise- laughter yoga- #hich
originated in India I+ laughter is considered the %est medicine-
creators o+ laughter yoga thought it #ould only make sense to add
yoga to the mi; to have an all6around !ositive- healthy e;!erience
Laughter yoga has s!read #orld#ide 3ven though the idea seems
less than ordinary- many are e;cited to try this ne# !ositive e;ercise
Ehatchadourian &'(1(* #rites a%out Eataria- the Laughter "lu%$s ?uru
<e states that Eataria /8elieves that true mirth+ul laughter can have a
li%erating- trans+ormative e4ect F one that momentarily erases all
!ractical concerns- +ears- needs- and even notions o+ time- and
!rovides a glim!se into s!iritual enlightenment0 &! 2G* B !erson #ho
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
is considered ha!!y at his or her #ork!lace is considered smart
Ro%inson &'(11* argues that it isn$t enough to ,ust %e good at #hat one
does in their career That !erson must also %e in his or her element
Ro%inson &'(11* cele%rates the !erks that ?oogle em!loyees en,oy
#hile #orking at ?oogle <ead5uarters The movie /The Interns0
sho#cases ?oogle as a ha!!y !lace in #hich smart !eo!le #ork-
?oogle interns take the slide do#n to lo#er 7oors- take na!s in
na!!ing !ods- and gather +ree +ood +rom the endless snack %ar
<o#ever- all this /+un0 associated #ith %eing smart could have
its dra#%acks Rushko4- &'(1)* descri%es the do#n+all o+ ?oogle
<ead5uarters %eing o!en around the clock ?oogle e;!ects #orkers to
have no li+e outside o+ #ork Blong #ith the +un- game6like
atmos!here- ?oogle also !rovides sho#ers and a laundry service so
#orkers don$t +eel the need to go home %et#een shi+ts This !lays on
the notion that %eing smart also means %eing availa%le at all times I
think this contradicts the thought that healthy choices- like getting
ade5uate slee!- make you smart <igh demands +orce !rogrammers to
#ork around the clock Their em!loyers then demand the same 5uality
#ork to %e !roduced in the middle o+ the night as during the day
3m!loyee$s %ecome more stressed and get less slee! due to long
hours o+ #ork In a sense- ?oogle is almost cult6like They have
created an atmos!here in #hich outsiders #ant to %e in the /cult0
%ecause there is +ree +ood- +un- and !o!ularity Yet- once in the /cult0
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
mem%ers are !ressured into doing more and more +or the com!any all
#hile their !ersonal lives shrink do#n to nothingness &Rushko4- '(1)*
&ccessibility and 'ollaboration while &way %rom (ork
In a sense- ?oogle users are looked u!on as tech savvy and
there+ore smart Yet- utili:ing ?oogle a!!s means that you are
considered ready to #ork and availa%le anytime you have access to
#if or )? Salaried em!loyees !ro%a%ly have it the #orst ?oogle$s
/cult like0 tendencies seem to %e taking over the education system
1u%lic schools and universities are s#itching to ?mail and ?oogle @ocs
more and more ra!idly Schoolteachers are e;!ected to colla%orate in
!ro+essional learning committees and are encouraged to share ideas
via 1interest and Teacher$s 1ay Teachers
Bs a third grade teacher mysel+- I can admit that sometimes it
+eels good to get credit +or an idea that #as mine- and not the team$s
In my e;!erience- +orced team#ork does not al#ays !roduce the %est
results When seasoned teachers have to %end +rom their com+ort
level to accommodate the need o+ the team- meetings can 5uickly turn
into venting sessions in #hich some team mem%ers re+use to
colla%orate I+ the loudest- most in7uential mem%er o+ the team has a
negative or stu%%orn attitude- a team can hit a standstill and not get
much accom!lished Lencioni &'(('* suggests there are o%stacles
teams must overcome in order to %e success+ul <e argues that a
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
!yramid diagram in #hich the dys+unctions- as he calls them- range
+rom the %iggest im!act- at the %ase o+ the !yramid- to the smallest
im!act- at the to! o+ the !yramid The dys+unctions list +rom the
%ottom to the to! as a%sence o+ trust- +ear o+ con7ict- lack o+
commitment- avoidance o+ accounta%ility- and inattention to results I
%elieve that all o+ these dys+unctions can a4ect a team o+ teachers at
di4erent times B smart #orker is also one #ho shares his or her ideas
#ith their team
Teachers at my school no# have to decide much o+ #hat they do
as a team Teachers- ,ust like students- o+ten have to #ork in grou!s in
#hich one teacher carries most o+ the #eight This #ill hel! students
5uantitatively- yet the 5uality o+ instruction is lost at times Teachers
#ho have to take time to !re!are +or !ro+essional learning committees
aren$t given e;tra time to then !re!are +or their o#n class Teachers
o+ten get %urnt out on this notion- and +eel like they have an additional
#orkload B !ro+essional learning committee that runs correctly can
eliminate this negative e4ect Teachers o+ten +eel !ressure to go #ith
#hat the loudest mem%er o+ the team #ants to do- leading to a +ear o+
con7ict &Lencioni- '(('* Their confdence is le+t shaken- and the
5uality o+ their instruction can %e a4ected in a negative #ay This
%rings another ne# defnition and !ressure o+ %eing smartI smart is not
sim!ly e;celling in teaching %y onesel+ Co# one must e;cel in his or
her o#n teaching #hile hel!ing a grou! o+ other teachers e;cel
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
'reativity is )ey
<o#ever stress+ul this notion o+ sharing all ideas can %e-
teachers should not lose sight o+ %eing creative 8eing creative gets
someone closer to %eing in his or her element Ro%inson &'(11* states
that it is through creativity that one can fnd onesel+ in their element
It is not enough to sim!ly e;cel at #hat you do I o+ten #ent %ack and
+orth as to #hether teaching #as the right career !ath +or me I have
many ho%%ies and I o+ten thought that a career in dance or
!hotogra!hy #ould kee! me content +or many years I have yet to get
%ored #ith teaching It is a career in #hich I have the !o#er to %e
creative I can come u! #ith my o#n #ays to teach a lesson 3very
day is di4erent- and every school year changes that much more I am
thank+ul that I have +ound a career in #hich I cannot only ins!ire
creativity in my students- %ut I can teach using creative thinking as
#ell Society seems to sho#case those #ho have +ound ,oy in #hat
they do These !eo!le are considered smart in that they are
ins!irational
The Healthy 'hoice is the Smart 'hoice
Society no# recogni:es that healthy li+estyles come +rom making
smart choices The media can sometimes e;!loit this notion %y
sho#ing ads that sho#case a +alse sense o+ healthiness and %eing
smart Dor instance- a .c@onald$s commercial may sho# healthy
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
looking- attractive models devouring a 8ig .ac This gives vie#ers the
notion that i+ they eat a 8ig .ac +rom .c@onalds they #ill %e
considered attractive- and there+ore #ould have made a /smart0
choice The media can %e shameless in the #ay it tricks vie#ers into
thinking they are making smart choices B!!le commercials are
sim!le- and so!histicated- making consumers +eel like they are smart
+or !urchasing the latest /I0 !roduct In +act- this may %e the very
reason the smart !hone got its name Smart is no# as im!ortant as
attractive- and success+ul While %eing smart and success+ul used to
al#ays go hand6in6hand- no# smart and attractive seem to %e +orming
a marriage- or at least media #ants consumers to %elieve this
!erce!tion
(eb*+ased 'ommunication $eads to "ore (riting
Thom!son &'(1)* descri%es many instances o+ %loggers #riting
enough online to fll u! a novel This idea o+ten shocks %loggers-
%ecause they are used to #riting small %its at a time Writing +or an
audience makes the #riters !ut more heart into their #riting %ecause
they #ant the a!!roval o+ others- or they #ant to hel! their readers
out 1ink &'((2* discusses the art o+ storytelling <e states that
storytelling can %e done digitally through !hotos- 1hotosho!- videos-
and even art+ully cra+ted !lay lists %urned to a "@ I had a co#orker
#ho #as es!ecially skilled in the art o+ storytelling via /mi;ed ta!es0
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
#ith a dramatic rise and +all throughout their duration The "@s
consisted o+ music recorded %y inde!endent musicians> a !ractice that
Ruen &'(1'* may have deemed as less than ideal even though my
co#orker #as not attaining a monetary gain +rom these "@s <e #ould
o+ten title his creations- causing listeners to hear the songs as a story
One such treasure #as named- /The S!ace 8et#een a 8link and a
Tear0 Bn emotional /story0 #as certainly derived +rom those songs I
#ould la%el this co#orker %oth an artist and a storyteller <e used
di4erent tools than the average #riter- yet he le+t an im!act on those
#ho heard his /stories0 The a%ility to convey a message through
storytelling is one #ay o+ %eing smart
Storytelling can ca!tivate an audience <amilton and Weiss
&'((2* %elieve that storytelling motivates students They claim that
storytelling is an ancient tool #ith enduring !o#er We store
in+ormation in our %rains via stories <umans need to have
connections #ith #hat #e learn a%out in order to have #hat #e learn
stick in our memory This is #hy emotional moments +rom our !ast
o+ten stick in our memory Rushko4 &'(1)* descri%es ho# he relived a
car accident #ith a virtual reality !sychologist This #as healing to
Rushko4 %ecause he could have someone relive the !ain+ul memory
#ith him <e +elt understood <e #as a%le to tell his story in a more
com!lete #ay I+ storytelling can hel! listeners understand- and store
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
learned in+ormation- then e;celling in the gi+t o+ storytelling can make
one smart
I %elieve the ne# defnition o+ %eing smart is not to have all the
ans#ers- %ut to %e a%le to access and organi:e resources all #hile
%alancing time and remaining ha!!y "ommunication is the key to
%eing smart B highly intelligent !erson may not gain the la%el o+
%eing smart i+ he or she is introverted and does not share his or her
ideas Society$s ne# defnition o+ smart is aligned #ith %eing a%le to
make an im!act on society I+ a !erson can colla%orate #ell #ith
others- tell memora%le stories- thrive on %eing di4erent- %e healthy-
and !roduce high 5uality #ork all #hile %eing in his or her element-
that !erson is one very /smart0 individual This is a lo+ty defnition- yet
overall- it #ill cause society to thrive
References
8auerlein- . &'((9* The dumbest generation: How the digital age
stupefes young Americans and eopardi!es our future" Ce# York- CYI
TarcherK1enguin
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Is Technology Redefning Smart?
<amilton- .- L Weiss- . &'((2* #hildren tell stories: Teaching and
using storytelling in the classroom" Eatonah- CYI Richard " O#en
1u%lishers- Inc
Ehatchadourian- R &'(1(* The laughing guru: $adan %ataria&s
prescription for total well'being" The Ce# Yorker- Bugust- )( ! 2G
Lencioni- 1&'(('* The f(e dysfunctions of a teamI A leadership fable
San Drancisco- "ali+orniaI Mossey 8ass
O$Reilly Inc and TechWe% &1roducer* &'((9* We% '( 3;!o CYI "lay
Shirky it$s not in+ormation overload it$s flter +ailure" Retrieved +rom
htt!IKK%oing%oingnetK'(1(K(1K)1Kclay6shirky6on6in+orhtml
1ink- @ &'((2* A Whole new mind. New York, NY: Penguin.
Robinson, K., Sir. (2011). Out of our minds: Learning to be creative. West Sussex,
United Kingdo: !"#stone Pub$is%ing &td.
Ruen, !. (2012). Freeloading. New York: 'R (ooks.
Rushko4- @ &'(1)* )resent Shock: *hen e(erything happens now
Ce# York- CYI 1enguin ?rou!
Thom!son- " &'(1)* Smarter Than You Think: How technology is
changing our minds for the better" Ce# York- Ce# YorkI 1enguin
?rou!
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