This is might be a familiar scene to you: You’re walking down the street and see someone heading toward you, not looking up, face firmly transfixed on the small screen of a smartphone or tablet. What does all that time spent attending to devices do to our personal interactions, conversations and learning? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger look at the personal and educational implications. Social media and digital technology are great in many ways. They connect us quickly and easily, and allow us to access information in seconds. But what does time spent communicating and learning that way do to our personal interactions? Ed and Jennifer discuss the possible impacts, as well as the role of education in helping us navigate and balance the availability of so much communication and information. Listen on for their conversation and for the answer to a puzzler about a row of radio hosts.

This episode was recorded on Jan. 19, 2017.

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