Today, very large amounts and varieties of data are instantly available to any budding scientist or clinician, more and more so even on mobile devices. While this can sometimes be overwhelming and as I mentioned in my previous blog, too much knowledge can be counterproductive for creativity, there is an upside to this “information overload” that represents an educational opportunity.
With so much data so readily available, the training of new professionals can now emphasize “understanding” the concepts and the inner structure of the field of study, learning how to look at the information critically, and learning how to think. Also, a very good knowledge on how to use the new technology is crucial.
While too much information bombarding our minds is not fertile ground for creativity, if we learn to use the technology properly, it allows our brains to be more creative and even more efficient. This could be a big step forward in how well we learn. I think our educational system should adapt to this new change.
Adolfo Cotter, MD
Aug 03/2011
