As the years have passed the advancement of technology has come to its peak. Where students used to read hard-copy books they now stare at screens. Though the availability of new resources and websites can benefit the students, other lingering effects might be detrimental to young children. Is it natural for these kids to rely on technology daily? Is influencing children to rely on technology at such a young age a good decision?
How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect the usage of technology?
It’s no secret that during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increase in dependence on technology. Millions of lives revolved around staring at a screen for hours. The only escape from our beds were the Zoom classes and Google Classroom assignments. It seems almost natural that this extensive usage of technology would bleed into our daily lives even years after the pandemic. This sudden surge of dependence on technology has continued to change education forever.
How do teens today feel about the advancement of technology they’ve experienced?
Today’s teenagers have seemingly grown up with technology, meaning as they have become more advanced throughout their education so has the technology around them. The majority of Gen Z began school with barely any reliance on devices, but today nearly all of them use technology daily to complete assignments on sites such as Google Classroom. BCHS Senior, Miryam Weinfurtner, shared her experience with growing technology stating, “ I grew up in a small school district where there was no technology. It was very poor and we used pencil and paper daily. In 6th grade we had one Chromebook cart, so we had 80 kids sharing one cart. It just never really worked that well because our wifi couldn’t handle it and the kids didn’t take care of them. Today I use a Chromebook daily and it’s strange to see my little sister do the same thing. I see her reading on a Chromebook and it feels so strange compared to when I was her age.” Is the increase of dependence on technology over the past decade a good thing? Only time will tell.
How do teachers feel about technology in the classroom?
Many teachers, like their students, also depend on technology throughout the day. Teachers have to use many forms of technology to create assignments, present lessons, and grade assignments. It seems that the majority of teachers enjoy using their devices to grade rather than paper. BCHS teacher Ms. Wheeler shared her opinion of how technology is beneficial for students and teachers by stating, “Technology makes my life easier. I don’t have to run to the printer every time that I need a copy of an assignment. I can simply make an assignment in Google Classroom. It’s also easier and more efficient because the Google Classroom grades can transfer straight to Infinite Campus. Also, there is a lot less waste with paper. Using technology helps save millions of trees. I think it’s important to teach students to work with technology, which is why I have my computer literacy class. ”. Though many enjoy the perks of having technology in the classroom there are still teachers who noticed one main issue that comes along with technology, cheating. Kids cheating on tests have become more likely than ever before. Just a click away is the exact answer to any test they could be given, and many teachers can do nothing to prevent it. BCHS science teacher, Mr. Hoover, uses almost entirely paper in his classroom. He gave his viewpoint on technology in the classroom stating, “The way I see it, using computers is just another way students can cheat. They can hand each other their Chromebooks or open another tab to find answers. Paper just simply works better on the accuracy aspect of teaching, which I think is the most important. ”. It seems that teachers have many different views on whether technology is beneficial in education or not, but they all are doing their best to have a beneficial classroom setup for their students.
How does technology affect the health of kids and teens?
For thousands of years, children have been taught directly by teachers and papers, but in the past few decades, technology has slowly taken over. The frequent use of these various forms of technology seems severely unnatural. Are these kids supposed to be exposed to the amount of screen time they endure at school? The answer is clear with the effect on kids’ vision that has proven to take a toll on millions of children. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia went into depth on how technology has a physical effect on kids in their article “How Too Much Screen Time Affects Kids’ Eyes: Tips to Prevent Eye Strain”. In the article, the writer explains that technology can cause “Eye Fatigue”. This is a strain on the eyes that causes children to have headaches, eye pain, and tiredness. If technology causes these physical issues should such a huge part of education?
Technology has become an increasingly important aspect of everyday life. Despite the efforts to keep things on paper, the reality is that technology has become a part of the world we live in. Technology is here to stay and seems to not be going anywhere, anytime soon.
