Dive Summary:

• Two surveys of teachers released this week by the Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media show a widespread belief among teachers that constantly using digital technology has a negative impact on students' attention spans and problem solving skills.
• The Pew survey shows that 90% of 2,642 teachers feel that constant exposure to digital technologies is leading to easily distracted students with short attention spans, while 71% of 685 teachers in the Common Sense Media survey felt technology negatively affected attention spans "somewhat" or "a lot," with many also saying it hinders writing skills, face-to-face communication skills, and critical thinking.
• No long-term studies have been done that show how and if digital technology use really does affect student attention span, but mounting indirect evidence does show that the heavy stimulation and rapid shifts in attention can affect behavior in developing brains.

From the article:

There is a widespread belief among teachers that students’ constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks, according to two surveys of teachers being released on Thursday. The researchers note that their findings represent the subjective views of teachers and should not be seen as definitive proof that widespread use of computers, phones and video games affects students’ capability to focus. ...