The rise in technology is initiating change among schools and among students’ abilities to learn.
Technology is creating a larger presence online. Tests, such as the ACT, are being moved online along with a number of classroom resources. When students want to use a resource for their work they choose online resources over the teacher a majority of the time. While technology has its benefits, it should not be the main source for education.
A disadvantage to tests being moved online is cheating might be easier for students. Many students don’t like to do their own work and depending on the class, it might be easier to work together to finish a task. Tests are supposed to show the ability of what a student is capable of doing; however, this makes it simpler for students to cheat.
Many students don’t learn as well online as they do on pencil and paper. Senior Maddie Murphy doesn’t like the idea of technology rising in schools. “I get both headaches and migraines incredibly easily, but the greatest facilitator of these in school is the use of technology,” she said.
Since classes are starting to incorporate online tests into the course, this can affect students like Murphy. Murphy dreads testing online. “My eyes hurt and my vision can become blurred. Sometimes I get bad auras from looking at a screen for too long,” she said.
Technology serves as a distraction as well. While teachers are talking during class, students will be distracted by their phones and continuously use it, which prevents them from learning. This defeats the purpose of being in school. Students should be going to school to succeed, not to be distracted by technology.
Some teachers give free time in class to work on homework or ask questions, but most students take that time to use their cellphones. Miranda Thomsen has noticed this in her classes. “I realized that when students have nothing to do in class they utilize that time towards technology,” she said.
The administration has tried to control the use of technology by making students put their phones in slots at the beginning of class, but this still has not changed much. As technology gets more advanced every day, the use seems to be increasing as well.
