iPods, iPhones, texting, emailing, instant messages, Facebook, Skype- These are just a few of the technological forms of communication that students of this generation use on an everyday basis. Students today do not want to miss anything at the risk of missing many things. “They do homework while listening to iPods, sending instant messages, or watching movies on the computer” (Sprenger, 2009, p.34). As a result, the students have become experts at skimming and scanning, yet they are losing their ability to affectively concentrate to their fullest potential. Why do students do this? “The main goal behind multitasking is not so much to be productive as to be connected to someone” (Sprenger, 2009, p.36). A healthy balance is needed between technology and connecting with real people. Sprenger suggests seven different strategies to help students stay connected with real people using technology. Those strategies are, one: provide reflection time. Reflection allows different areas of the brain to be used allowing the parts that have been overworked time to rest. Two: Disarm them. Force students to set aside their gadgets and make them actively listen to their peers. This can be done as a classroom activity. Three: Let them teach. Allow students to use their technological skills in the classroom to teach mini lessons to a live audience. Four: Use interactive white boards. The interactive white boards allow the students to view the large screen; then they can physically move as necessary to utilize the board and the information shown. Five: Build emotional literacy. Students need to be able to recognize other’s emotions. This helps the students make decisions needed to cooperate and understand others, as well as themselves, better. Six: Teach mindfulness. Sprenger (2009) defines mindfulness as “a deliberate inner awareness of what one is thinking, feeling and experiencing” (p. 38). Allow the student to have a personal time of reflection. According to Sprenger, after this reflective time, students claim they feel more energized and attentive. Seven: Encourage storytelling. When a story is told, students can connect to it emotionally and have a better understanding of concepts. Students must learn to create a healthy balance between technology and connecting with real people.

Sprenger, M. (2009). Focusing the digital brain. Educational Leadership, 67(1), 34-39.