Forcing Focus
What if we strap devices to your heads to monitor how focused you are, and share the data for all the students in the class with all parents? Is this an Orwellian nightmare, or the best way to keep the class clown from depriving others of their education?
This Wall Street Journal story (5:43) looks at using EEG (electroencephalography) technology with students at an elementary school near Shanghai, China. I should note that “electroencephalography” is the only 22-letter word I’ve used today.
What kind of device that reads your brain would be useful to you? Would you become better at focusing on something if you knew that the record of your focus would be seen by others?
For many students who get distracted easily (I’m such a person!), the important move is to know what helps you focus. Is it using a fidget spinner, or taking notes in a certain way, perhaps? There may be school counsellors or other people around you who have ideas that could help.
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video: How China Is Using Artificial Intelligence in Classrooms, posted by the Wall Street Journal to YouTube
The NV IV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts. For more information about how to use the variety of materials on our free site, feel free to contact us.