As previously discussed in the section of this website entitled “
The Internet Is Changing Our Brains,” studies by neuroscientists such as Gary Small have found that using the Internet results in greater brain activation and a higher risk for
cognitive overload. What Gary Small’s study also found, however, is that using the Internet can also improve one’s memory. Indeed, one of the areas in which Gary Small and his team of researchers found the greatest amount of brain activation was the section connected to memory and language (17). As a result, according to Small, searching and browsing the Internet is a form of exercising the brain very similar to crossword puzzles (21).
Despite Nicholas Carr’s aversion for the Internet, he too cannot deny the benefits of web use. Citing Gary Small’s study in his book, The Shallows, Carr admits “the good news here is that Web surfing, because it engages so many brain functions, may help keep older people’s minds sharp” (122). As a result, interactive learning online can be beneficial not only for students, but also adults and senior citizens. By engaging with interactive websites that promote high brain activity, adults and seniors are able to exercise their brains in a way that printed books cannot.
Indeed, one of the most popular interactive websites online,
Lumosity, is focused entirely on the improvement of adult brain functions such as memory, problem solving, and concentration through games and learning activities. Developed by neuroscientists from institutions such as UCSF and Stanford, Lumosity aims at improving the cognitive abilities of its users. According to Lumosity, their website “has helped people to remember names and faces, prepare for sports competitions, study for academic tests, and even learn new instruments and languages” (2011). The website is free to all users, although they must first create a Luminosity account. As a result, while users of interactive websites may be at risk of experiencing cognitive overload, one cannot ignore the benefits that Web use also provides such as improved memory.
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4.0 Advantages of Interactive Websites
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4.4 The Online Community
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4.6 Skills For Future Careers
Sources:
Photo: www.luminosity.com
Carr, Nicholas G. The shallows: what the Internet is doing to our brains. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.
Lumosity. Lumos Labs. 2011. Web. Accessed at http://www.lumosity.com/
Small, Gary W. iBrain: surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind. New York: Harper, 2009. Print.
