Cognitive enhancement or cognitive diminishing?

Abstract

Cognitive artefacts are thought to extend human cognitive capabilities. We use maps to navigate, pen and paper to organize ideas, and recently, smart applications to remind us of an appointment or check our physical conditions or finances. From a situated cognition perspective, these tools help us to overcome our cognitive limitations. Although digital technologies present remarkable positive effects on human cognition (e.g. visual representations, storing information, computing processing, etc.) some authors call for a deep reflection about the possible consequences that its pervasive use may have on human cognitive architecture (Barr, Pennycook, Stolz, & Fugelsang, 2015; Carr, 2011; Heersmink, 2017a). This is especially relevant for educational systems that in many cases have embraced digital technologies as means of innovation and progress with little discussion about the consequences on human cognition. After describing the main assumptions of situated cognition perspectives, I highlight some dimensions of technology integration in educational settings where these approaches can be applied, mainly focusing on how cognitive processes (in particular, attention, memory and thinking) are either enhanced or diminished when digital artefacts are used. In light of these reflections I suggest some ideas for instructional design and call for further theoretical developments and empirical research.