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Re: wearables in teaching (a WARNING)

Well, I'll try this one more time, then I'll leave it to some cognitive
psychologists to discover:

I'm not only (or primarily) talking about memory (and Jessica, you may
have some sort of problem; perhaps you should see if a memory training
course can help). I'm talking about COGNITION.

An immersive (my term) wearable system (rather than one used for
reference) will interfere with everything else we do in exactly the same
way -- but to a far greater extent -- that cellular phones are currently
interfering with drivers' ability to control a car.

There's an actual limit to our cognitive abilities, and we weren't
really designed to handle the i/o demands of interpersonal interaction
PLUS any immersive computer system -- at least not at the current level
of GUI and OS (and the current level of our evolution as a species). I
can cook and talk at the same time (some can't); I can't play chess
(decently) and talk at the same time! Okay?

Now playing chess (online) uses a relatively simple and limited
immersive system, and the "talk" I referred to is chat on that same
interface. Interacting in the world (as in teaching, or doctor and
patient) is even more of a challenge than chess; and using an immersive
system that's taking notes, presenting slide notes, displaying face
recognition results is much harder than chatting.

Cheers --
Carol Stein


> 
> I know this thrad is drifting off-topic, but it's something I MUST comment
> on...
> 
> On Sat, 6 Jul 2002, Carol () wrote:
> > But will it be okay not to "remember" the birthdays of family members,
> > the address of a friend you see every day, or the content of the
> > material you're teaching?
> 
> Hmm. The most advanced electronic aid I had growing up was a pocket
> calculator I got after I started highschool, at the age of 13. It was
> another 5 years before I got a computer.
> (and for reference I never got to play arcade games, either)
> 
> Despite this aparent void of technology for my age group (I'm 26 now), I
> managed to learn less than half my times tables, have a hard time
> remembering more than a couple of my immediate family's birthdays, have no
> idea what the actual street addresses of my friends are, and when at uni
> relied heavily on course handouts. It takes me ages when I need to learn
> a new PIN number for something.
> 
> To be sure, I'm no dimwit. I am very good at grasping and applying
> concepts, processes, formulae... I just have very little actual 
> memory. And I can't blame this in any way on technology because I am an
> 'edge case' that suffers exactly the same ills you describe.
> 
> I got my first ever PDA last month. It's been a godsend. :)
> 
> 
> Please remember that in any analasis you need a CLEAN control group,
> untainted by the ills you presume. A few unusual cases in isolation do not
> prove a statistic.
> (I'm just unusual the other way, perhaps, but it illustrates my point)
> 
> -- Jessica Mayo.
> (Everything with a Grin :)
> 
> 
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> 
> 

Cheers 

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