The more technology advances, the more it is implemented into everyday life. Every industry now uses technology as a means to cut costs and make production easier. And for the most part, the increase in technological use is a good thing, and has allowed for our society to advance in numerous ways. However, there is a line where the abundant use of technology becomes dangerous, and that line is exceeded by miles when schools use technology. The over reliance on technology does not aid students in the classroom. Rather, it is extremely detrimental to them.
One might argue that since our society has become dependent on technology, and nearly every possible career a student could pursue uses some form of technology, that students should be taught how to use technology. This is unnecessary. The American teen spends hours and hours daily mindlessly scrolling Tik Tok or Instagram. They know how to operate technology – and they know a lot. Expecting schools to teach them more than they already know is foolish. In fact, in the majority of scenarios, the students are more knowledgeable than the teachers.
Giving students a device which has access to the limitless possibilities which is the internet, and expecting them to use it solely for academic purposes, is wishful thinking. If students can find some way to drone out their teacher’s lecture – they will do it. In most classrooms teachers are trying to instruct their students while they all have their eyes glued to their iPad or laptop. While, yes, there are those students who use the technology to their benefit and actually learn with it, but they are few in numbers. And are vastly outnumbered by those who use it purely as a means of distraction.
Not only is technology a huge distraction in the classroom, it is also not a good substitute for the traditional pen and paper. When a student writes something down in a notebook, they are far more likely to recall that something than if they had typed it into their iPad. It’s also far easier for students to think and have a steady flow of conscience when they do not have all the distractions that come with using technology right in their face.
Perhaps the most detrimental part of technology in school is it strips students of the need to be creative and think for themself. When a student is faced with a dilemma, nine times out of ten, their first action will be to look up a solution online. This teaches students that they do not need to be problem solvers – the answer is always a key-stroke away. If technology was absent in schools, students would be forced to find their own solutions – giving them a sense of independence and creativity.
Unfortunately, technology will likely never be removed from the classroom. Students will continue to become less and less proficient – eventually becoming fully dependent on the use of technology to resolve all of the issues that arise in their life.
