Continuous Partial Attention: Linda Stone

Final Lesson for Unit 5 Consult the experts: Linda Stone and Danah Boyd

1. Linda Stone Continuous Partial Attention by Linda Stone

Click on the above link and read the article by Linda Stone, then answer the following questions:

Describe what our mother’s multitasking was. When we multi-task, we are motivated by a desire to be more productive and more efficient. We’re often doing things that are automatic, that require very little cognitive processing. We give the same priority to much of what we do when we multi-task — Mothers would fold the laundry, while they talked on the phone — we get as many things done at one time as we possibly can in order to make more time for ourselves and in order to be more efficient and more productive.

What is Continuous Partial Attention?

What is the impact of Continuous Partial Attention? We pay continuous partial attention in an effort NOT TO MISS ANYTHING. It is an always-on, anywhere, anytime, any place behavior that involves an artificial sense of constant crisis. We are always in high alert when we pay continuous partial attention. This artificial sense of constant crisis is more typical of continuous partial attention than it is of multi-tasking.

What is Email Apnea?

Stone said many times people either breathe shallowly or completely hold their breath while checking the messages. And it can take a toll on your health. Like sleep apnea, email apnea puts people at risk for a variety of illnesses, such as stroke, heart attack and diabetes, expert believe.

2. Danah Boyd It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens: by Danah Boyd.

Either watch the you tube video of Danah talking about the book, The Social Lives of Networked Teens. By Danah Boyd

Or read the PDF file review of her book. http://www.danah.org/books/ItsComplicated.pdf

According to Boyd, why has social media become so important for teens. What has been the social changes in society that have pushed young people to embrace social media. - During WWII when moms worked and dads were at war or also working the phenomenon of Latch key kid began. Latchkey kids were kids who were arriving home alone with their house keys in hand and this unsupervised time became

worrisome for parents and the general public in later decades.

- In response to the concern over latchkey kids, there was a push by some governments to make it illegal to leave kids alone under a certain age.

- Now there was a push to provide more activities to have kids enrolled in those activities from the time school was done basically until bed time. Kids now were finding that all of their time was filled, with activities, chores then homework, then bedtime. There was no time for the socializing with friends that kids had always done in previous decades, outside on the playgrounds, on their bikes, in the back yards etc.

Note: Here is a link to an interesting article, 10 differences between the kids of the 1970s and the kids of today. Marco Torres is a research specialist, writer and consumer advocate for healthy lifestyles. He holds degrees in Public Health and Environmental Science and is a professional speaker on topics such as disease prevention, environmental toxins and health policy.

- Also the increasing urbanization of our culture has made the idea of biking to a friend’s house too dangerous. - So digital technologies have allowed kids to socialize , to just hand out with their peer groups just as all generations had done previously. It is a natural part of teenage and preteen development.