I read the following and just HAD to share it:

Constant access to information, communication, and technology has become such a big issue, experts say, that its implications go beyond a lack of productivity and focus at work. eMail and information overload also eats into the quality of relationships both at school and at home.

“Attention is the bedrock to learning, memory, social connection, and happiness,” Jackson says.

And yet, at many schools and businesses, a culture is developing that rewards immediacy over focus, so that attending to what’s new at any given moment takes precedence over long-term goals. The result? A series of interruptions, such as eMail, that get in the way of the big-picture goals. – eSchool News

While I think we all worry about the effects of things like video games on our kids’ attention spans, we rarely consider the adverse effect of interruptions such as email. I’d love to hear from parents who may want to weigh in on whether these great technological advances have encouraged reactivity and urgency to the moment in the home over long term family and personal goals. As I write this, I am frustrated that I cannot deliver my learning modules to parents more quickly. However, I always keep up with my work-related email. Am I trading in a long term (and to me, very important) goal for immediate reaction to a myriad issues that are not as important?

Heather