- There was a time when I believed that the faster I processed information, the better. However, my work on a book about non-reading shattered this belief. Let me explain how.
- First of all, faster reading doesn’t equate to faster thinking—or even to genuine thinking. It’s merely processing or, worse, mindlessly consuming information.
- Information, after the initial encounter, requires deliberate action. Typically, the actions prompted by information initiate changes in thought patterns, or we alter our behavior in some way. These are complex processes, which means they cannot be accomplished on the go or at the frenetic pace that digital information delivery imposes.
- Processing information is arduous not only because it is a sophisticated skill that necessitates instruction, but also because it demands the thinker to draw upon prior knowledge. This becomes particularly challenging when you’re hastily navigating streams of information or being inundated from all directions with something urgent, novel, or trending.
- Processing information involves consolidating newly acquired data, which means integrating it into the repositories of existing knowledge and making critical judgments about the accuracy and credibility of what is read, heard, or seen.
- Imagine teaching a child the concept of how light is reflected from the Moon at night. You first need to introduce the concept of light, then the concepts of the Sun, the Moon, and other celestial bodies, as well as their movements in space. Only then can you explain that light is reflected from the surface of the Moon, and that is why, at night, you can see the Moon shining.
- The child must then independently deduce what happens when only half of the Moon reflects light.
- For this, he must access his prior knowledge, forge meaningful connections, and recognize patterns. This is impossible to achieve on the go.
- ! This is crucial. I’m often asked why children need to memorize anything when they have access to an immense trove of information at their fingertips. This is why.
- ! It’s to build an internal network of knowledge, to solidify and integrate the new with the old. Relying solely on external devices and instant searches hinders this process. It’s Otto and Inga all over again.
- The ability to draw analogies is one of the most effective conceptual bridges between the known and the unknown.
- This ability must be nurtured externally. Digital gadgets do not facilitate this, or at the very least, they significantly diminish it.
- The digital environment accelerates the tempo of visual stimuli and the influx of information. This increased pace leads to a reduction in the time available for response, which translates to less time for processing, forming analogies, bridging the new and the old, and ultimately, a decline in deep thinking abilities and the erosion of critical reasoning skills.
Цифровой сад