杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni and Francesca Merlo

Friday morning in the Vatican saw an International Convention organized by the Centesimus Annus Foundation, entitled 鈥淪olidarity, cooperation and responsibility: the antidotes to fight injustice, inequality and exclusion鈥�.

The convention, taking place between 21 and 22 of October aims to highlight and define a path upon which to build a better world.

Professor Wolf

Among the guest speakers was Professor Maryanne Wolf, Director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice at UCLA 鈥� The University of California, Los Angeles.

One of professor Wolf鈥檚 main topics of research has been on 鈥渢he recognition that the medium upon which we read makes a different circuit in the brain鈥�.

Speaking to Linda Bordoni shortly prior to the convention, Professor Wolf explained that 鈥渨e have a reading brain circuit that's brand-new 鈥� it鈥檚 plastic - it's only several thousand years old, but when we read on different mediums, that circuit is used in different ways鈥�.

Education: from paper to screen

This is what is happening as the world faces this incredible transition, which we could describe as being, from paper to screen.

杏MAP导航 Francis is asking us to build a better post covid world and points to education as one of the tools we have in order to do that. Challenges arise when faced with this 鈥減aper to screen鈥� reality.

Professor Wolf explained that when reading on a digital medium, we are reading very differently from when reading from paper. Instead, we skim, we browse, we word-spot. 鈥淲e are not giving the same amount of time, brain-time, to very important, more sophisticated, deep reading processes, like critical analysis and empathy鈥�, she said.

This is a point that she would like to make clear, for our children and for anyone with any kind of challenge: 鈥淲hen you're reading at a skimming level, you aren't necessarily giving attention to the kind of details that will enable you to comprehend the message more easily and better鈥�.

The Covid dilemma

This is where the Covid dilemma comes in, said Professor Wolf. 鈥淒uring Covid, we are all on digital screens鈥�. This happens during school time, when children spend time on their screens rather than with their teachers.

With regard to children with disabilities, continued Professor Wolf, there are several issues. One of these is that 鈥渢hey aren鈥檛 necessarily getting the kind of personal attention from the teacher that will enable them to be more individualized in their instruction鈥�. She explained that in this way we take away any personal relationship and remove an individualisation that is 鈥渟o important for individuals with disabilities鈥�.

The positive side

It鈥檚 not all bad, continued Professor Wolf. 鈥淭he good side of it is that it can be used in, especially some of the more game-like activities on screens, it can be used to give extra practice to foundational skills and literacy, it can be engaging for children, it can give them new activities鈥�.

So the real question is: how do we use it best for all children, but especially our children with disabilities? "I鈥檓 very hopeful about this mixed story", continued Professor Wolf: 鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that we can learn from this experience in the last year and do a better job with in-person teaching and knowing how to use what is helpful in digital technology for our children with disabilities鈥�.

The teachers

Throughout this period, Professor Wolf explained that 鈥渙ur teachers have never had to work so hard鈥�. Many of them in fact, she continued, 鈥渉ave left the field because of the level of difficulty and the inability to be with children in the way they know is best for them鈥�.

For this reason, some form of formation should be done for teachers on how to use digital technology best, as well as determing when digital technology is not optimal for a particular individual; and when, on the other hand, it can be useful.

Although we are in need of further technological development, continued Professor Wolf, 鈥渋t is by no means the case that digital instructional technology is the answer that we all thought it was, or that many, many people thought it was before Covid鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis' influence

杏MAP导航 Francis has said that 鈥渆ducation is one of the most effective ways of making our world and history more human.鈥�  Professor Wolf, a member of the Academy of Sciences, says that she is very influenced by 杏MAP导航 Francis.

Another important quote close to Professor Wolf鈥檚 heart is, 鈥淓ducation is, above all, a matter of love and responsibility handed down from one generation to another鈥�.

鈥淭hese are quotes that I think teachers can live by鈥�, said Professor Wolf. She explained that teaching is not just the content of knowledge, 鈥渋t is a loving relationship to the next generation鈥�. Education is 鈥渒nowing and feeling what our children need鈥�. Professor Wolf, added that 鈥渧ery few individuals have said more important things about education than this 杏MAP导航鈥�. She noted that the 杏MAP导航 has also said that we are in a moment of crisis, and in order to tackle this crisis, 鈥渨e need better tools鈥�.

Neuroscience for understanding

Finally, Professor Wolf noted that our evolving knowledge in neuroscience has given us new tools and understanding of what is best about technology and what is missing in it, especially with regard to communication, critical analysis, and empathy. 鈥淎ll of these skills鈥�, concluded Professor Wolf, are so important for our future鈥�if we are to evoke these important skills of critical analysis, empathy, and insight鈥�.