Summary Of What's The Matter With Kids Today By Amy Goldwasser

The general thesis of this book is “How the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future,” which happens to be the subtitle of this book. In the first chapter, Knowledge Deficits, the author talks about how the teens in the 20th century have the same or even lower education level as teens 30 years ago. Bauerlein goes on and talks about how the government is spending more for education compared to 30 years ago. In the second chapter, The New Bibliophobes, the author argues that teens are reading less books and their literary skills are not improving as fast because they are more interested in digital and pop culture. In the third chapter, Screen Time, lots of studies and surveys prove that teens are spending more time playing video games and socializing with each other online than studying. In chapter four, Online Learning And Non-Learning, the author talks about how teens are abusing the technology and pretending to use it for educational purposes, but in reality, the are using it for entertainment. In chapter five, The Betrayal Of The Mentors, the author explains if all teen follow this pathway they will utterly destroy their future by not making suitable for having a degree, job and poetically family.

The advancement of technology has launched with many different ways to communicate. From sending letters by mail and having to wait weeks to get, to receiving a message instantly in just seconds by using the internet. The internet is used by everyone and has become the most effective way to communicate online and meet other people. It has grown to become its own community. The internet, not only is it used to communicate, but for multiple things. Such as news, sharing ideas, research, arguing, blogging, etc. In an article, Weblogs: Learning in Public, by Jill Walker Rettberg, a teacher at a school decides to have her students use the internet in order to put their work into the real life. Her students have to create their own personal weblogs as an assignment, where they can share and write about whatever they please. I agree with Rettberg’s decision on her assignment because it will expose young adolescence to a whole different community where it will have an effect on their knowledge making and how they define themselves.

In Michaela Cullington’s essay titled, “Does Texting Affect Writing?” the author tests the ongoing question of how today’s youth handles the effects of texting in the education system. Using successful evidence from both sides of the argument as well as participating in her own experiment, Cullington is able to fully demonstrate how texting does not interfere with today’s students and their abilities to write formally in the classroom.

The article “What’s the Matter with Kids Today?” written by Amy Goldwasser and published on Friday, March 14, 2008 is an article about how the internet influences a teenagers choices and lifestyle. Goldwasser stated that some teenagers never knew what role Adolf Hitler had in history. She also stated that teenagers have complete control over what becomes popular from mentioning it on social media. Lastly, adults in this generation should start to accept teenagers using the internet, because it is not necessarily a bad thing for them to be exposed to.

In the essay “What’s the Matter With Kids Today?,” Amy Goldwasser argues that reading and writing text online is the same, or not very different, from reading or writing text on physical paper. This premise is simply not true. Comparing reading a physical book and reading on an E-Reader or on the Internet suggests that they use the same cognitive functions. The lighting on the computer changes the cognitive focus of the brain, as well as brain activation, reading speed, comprehension, and the contextual enviornment of the source material1.

Texting has fast become the preferred form of communication for young adults; however, students need to be dissuaded from texting during class because of the result in loss of valuable class time, lack of effective communication skills, and consistent use of improper English leading to a negative impact on students’ learning.

Technology has allowed young Americans to transform the way they think and learn. According to a 2008 study by Mizuko Ito, the internet has allowed the flourishing of self-directed learning. The enormous possibilities the internet offers, allows people to delve into topics or research a variety of areas that interest them. People can now explore their curiosity endlessly. Researches have also noticed a change in literacy among the younger generation. The daily texts, tweets, and emails people send, keep them writing. According to Andrea Lunsford, all of these little writings add up and is pushing

In the September 2017 issue of The Atlantic, Jean M. Twenge factually accounts for the brisk changes in “Generation Z’s” ways of living as compared to generations before. The article, entitled Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation, propels valid evidence justifying that the release of smartphones and tablets has procured an entire generation to develop unfamiliar habits. An iPhone or Android in the hands of a child who has yet to reach the middle school level is becoming increasingly common. Twenge explains how Generation Z, or ‘iGen,’ grew up with technology and has not known about a time before the internet. With this upbringing, there have been evident “shifts in teen behaviors and emotional states,” as found through years and series of national surveys. Emerging from these changes, they are physically safer; however, tend to have higher rates of suicidal thoughts or poor mental health. Also concerning to those raising the generation, teens are less likely to strive for their own individual freedoms, such as obtaining a driver’s license, going out with friends, and finding a job. In this article, Twenge elaborates on both the benefits and disadvantages of the newest generation growing up with various technologies at their fingertips.

With such a large percentage of teenagers involved with using the internet and social media platforms, they truly do have the world at their fingertips. It is true that this generation does not depend on fetching water, nor do the majority have to walk miles to school or other daily, laborious tasks. The advancement of technology has made modern American life extremely convenient. However, while our technology is improving, other things such as education and image, haunt this developing age group in a way previous generations never

In today’s world one cannot function without the use of technology. We use technology daily to decide where to eat, what events are going on and to connect with our friends. With it becoming such a necessity one might wonder if what we’ll ever know will only revolve around a bright screen. Mark Baeuerlein an english professor argues that today’s teens are incapable of answering questions that a few generations ago would be deemed common knowledge. Baeuerlein’s opinions and information simply do not tell the whole story. I believe that technology has improved our minds as we have such easy access and make our lives not only easier but more efficient. .

Amy Goldwasser first comments on Doris Lessing's, a Nobel Prize winner in literature, take on teenagers today. Lessing states that today's kids have created a fragmented culture, and know a limited amount of information. Amy Goldwasser responds to this is a sarcastic and humorous way, mocking Lessing. "Kids today --we're telling you! -- don't read, don't write, don't care about anything… Or is it the older generation that the Internet has seduced...". Goldwasser sees the Internet as a communication tool, something that has created creative writers, reviewers, and journalists. Goldwasser also brings up the fact that 33 millions Americans take part in this act of communication. “They’re connected, they’re collaborative, they’re used to writing

Did you know that 90% of high school students text during class? It’s become a huge issue in recent years. I believe that texting in class is a bad idea.

“American children between eight and twelve say they spend an average of six hours a day using digital media, and those between thirteen and eighteen say they spend nine hours a day,” Goldsborough mentions (62). It is apparent that children and teenagers spend an abundant amount of their time on digital media. However, due to the fact that adolescents are spending an excessive amount of time on social media, more and more people are beginning to change their identity. The internet user may get so caught up in the virtual world, that they begin to lose sight of who they are in the real world. Thus causing a myriad of problems. Cyr acknowledges this fact by claiming that technology is causing people to change their identity. Another issue social

One thing I noticed about both students who did text was that they both had the same strategy of hiding their phone from the professor. The strategy in question was to hide the phone in between their legs. This reminds me of previous classes with professor Scott Walus who has openly said how cell phones can become an addiction.

Peterson, 2009). Students use texting more because it is an easier way of communicating. The downside of it being a faster and easier way to