complacency, gaps, patterns in learning with tech

✉️ thoughts from a medical student in nyc

Technology has, in some ways, made me more complacent. With information readily available at my fingertips, I often find myself constantly referencing external sources rather than engaging deeply with concepts as I used to. In the past, I would sit, ponder, and wrestle with ideas internally, often arriving at solutions through personal reflection. Now, I rely more heavily on external prompts and reminders, and I’m less mindful of tasks at hand, relying on technology to guide me through next steps. This shift has diminished my active role in identifying my own knowledge gaps and learning needs, a stark contrast to how I approached challenges before technology's pervasive influence. I also wonder to what extent this reliance on tech has contributed to creating echo chambers now that majority of prompting comes from AI and less from internal struggles or reflections.

On the positive side, technology has been incredibly powerful in detecting patterns that are lost to me—whether it’s my study habits, recurring mistakes, or gaps in my understanding. However, while it highlights these areas, it doesn’t always offer insight into why they exist or how I can address them effectively.

Technology has also greatly facilitated collaboration. Sharing work, contributing to discussion posts, and editing in real time has made teamwork more seamless and efficient for me. Also the ability to embed different websites and connect many resources in one place has created a smoother flow in our work routine.

Technology has also had the unintended effect of muting individual competencies and engagement styles. I’ve noticed some friends withdrawing from certain tasks or sessions based on their comfort with the technology being used.

On a larger scale, this reflects a generational gap and a decline in the quality of education when expectations and approaches of the educators dont align with those of the learners. For instance, a professor treaching with an outdated boring ppt, disappointing eager learners or on the contrary struggling with a newer presentation platform leading to frustrations for all involved can hamper the learning process. Few educators are fully integrating dynamic, tech-driven teaching methods into their lessons, and this raises important questions about the incentives within our education systems and curricular building to embrace technology more fully and how to address hesitations or barriers to its adoption.