BRAIN GAIN: Technology and the Quest for Digital Wisdom [INTERVIEW]

Author Marc Prensky has a different idea. In this controversial and well-argued treatise, Prensky offers the idea that rather than stunting the mind — that most essential aspect of an individual’s intelligence and sense of self — smart technology (and smart use of technology) enhances our humanity in ways that the brain on its own never could. Through scores of fascinating examples, Prensky shows that the symbiotic combination of the human brain and technology — from marrying the brain’s strengths such as sense-making and complex reasoning abilities with technology’s strengths like storing and processing large amounts of data — has great benefits for our own cognitive functioning. How should we best combine the strengths of mind and machine for maximum benefit? Prensky’s call is for digital wisdom — a new interconnectedness between human and technology that is already enabling Homo Sapiens to begin the journey into the next stages of cognitive evolution.

Marc Prensky is an internationally acclaimed speaker, writer, educator, consultant, and game designer in the critical areas of education and learning. He is the author of Digital Game-Based Learning (McGraw-Hill, 2001), and Don’t Bother Me Mom – I’m Learning (Paragon House, 2006). Marc is the founder and CEO of Games2train, whose clients include IBM, Bank of America, Pfizer, the U.S. Department... MORE