According to Statistic Brain over 80 percent of teachers believe technology should be utilized in the classroom, 64 percent of high school seniors have said that tablets helped them study, and almost 100 percent of classrooms have at least laptop, but how does East feel about technology in school.
With technology advancing at the rate it is today, it’s becoming more easily accessible and more prominent in everyday life, so how should it be used in school? Or should it not be used at all?
“The whole concept of cell phones, the idea to keep a device in your pocket that holds an incredible amount of information is amazing, unfortunately they’re used for the wrong reasons, they can be very distracting,” East Teacher Don Heese said.
Heese has taught at East since 1999 and says that teenagers started carrying cell phones several years ago, but it was rare at first, since then it has become significantly more common for teens to have a cell phone. Heese wishes phones would come with rules of etiquette so that cell phones can be used for the right reasons.
“Honestly, you can say technology extends learning, but no matter what, there’s going to be students that will not use it for learning,” Junior Devin York said.
Some students and teachers share concerns with how we can ensure that students are actually using their devices for educational purposes. York explains that technology has the potential to help students with learning, but some students if not most students will be distracted by their phones.
“Cell phones allows to have an entire world of information and knowledge at our fingertips we can use,” Junior Jordan Jack said.
Even though there are concerns with if students are using the technology properly, it seems to be agreed that technology has a lot of potential for improving education.
“All classrooms have computers and smart boards, and it’s had a positive influence, but some kids seem to be more interested in their Snapchat rather than their school work,” East Vice Principal Elizabeth Ahrens said.
The consensus at East is clear, technology is a valuable tool for education, however many students are easily distracted by their devices because of social media and other forms of entertainment. It seems teachers would like to use technology in the classroom, but they need a way to prevent students from being distracted by their devices first.