I’ve been having an ongoing discussion with colleagues about the use of multimedia in the learning experience. I am a big proponent of the use of visuals and multimedia within the learning experience, as I feel it helps to augment the understanding. I am always looking for new ways to communicate visually.

However, playing Devil’s advocate: Just last night I had a continuation of this household’s ongoing discussion–the topic of homework– which I have been having for years now, with my daughter Xernay [who just turned 16].  I always argue how much easier it is to be a high schooler these days–writing and doing research & homework–because of the internet and access to all the information, visuals, and multimedia out there.  Then I go into the long blah, blah, about how I had to write out notes, use actual books [gasp], go to the public library, type on a typewriter [with an eraser]…….you get my gist.

And The Girl [one of her many nicknames] is in her bedroom, laying on the floor, peering into her open MacBook, video chatting with some dude named Jack, and they are in this full-blown discussion about Algebra 2 problems. Yeah, it’s true, they really were discussing Algebra 2, ‘cause The Girl’s bedroom is right off the kitchen and I was making dinner while eavesdropping and thinking about how when I was her age, I only dreamt about having the ability to video chat and being able to see and talk to Dr. Spock or Captain Kirk……..Oh, I mean do my homework with my friends.  My friends, who in order for me to ask Algebra 2 homework questions to; I had to run out the door [heavy Algebra 2 book in tow], dash down the street, knock on their door, politely say hello to their mom [sometimes their dad too], go upstairs, lay on their bedroom floor, spread out all the equation papers and THEN discuss the math.

But you get the picture….humm no, wait a minute, that was all done with text…26 letters….no images, no pictures, no multimedia…….

Next saga: Do high schoolers, these days, have more distractions, due to multimedia and information overload in general?