Attention Spans Comparable to Goldfish

Canadians now have shorter attention span than goldfish thanks to portable devices: Microsoft study

 (AP Photo/Peter Ponzio) 

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadians-now-have-shorter-attention-span-than-goldfish-thanks-to-portable-devices-microsoft-study

1)  What evidence is convincing in this article?  What might be the limits to surveying different populations?    

2)  Why might a Canadian view this differently than a Moldovan?  In what ways would a CEO and a worker have similar views on this issue?    

3)  How is this connected to the school day?  In what ways is this a science issue rather than a moral?
4)  In what ways would this study be different with a smaller sample size?  What if t was sponsored by Apple?  By the National Education Association?  By Wal Mart?  

5)  What is the significance of this study on new parents?  For future generations?

Extension Activities:

1)  Students can create a time log of their online and mobile activities.  Students can analyze their collected data and develop a plan of action associated with their attention and multi-tasking goals.  

2)  Students can study the Stanford Marshmallow Test and identify the characteristics they feel are necessary for improvement in this area on a personal or societal level.