With Netbooks being distributed to freshmen for the past two years and iPads being given to sixth graders at Lincoln Hall, I am left with one question: has school become too revolved around technology?
When I walk down the halls of West I see electronics everywhere. From freshmen and sophomores walking with their Netbooks open, headphones plugged in, to juniors and seniors looking down at their phones, only glancing up every couple of seconds. By next year, the seniors will be the only class of students without Netbooks. This means that school is only going to become more technology oriented; pretty soon the classic pen and pencil will be forever replaced by a keyboard and computer monitor.
Up until this year, I wasn’t on the computer much for school. The only reasons I had to be on the computer was to check my grades or to write papers. Now, I find myself constantly checking my e-mail for updates from my teachers. If I’m not checking my e-mail, I’m checking my teachers’ web pages to find out my homework or to find out when things are due. In some ways, this makes things much easier for the students that are plagued with disorganization. For the organized students like me, being on the computer is something that we’re all going to have to get used to; they aren’t going away any time soon.
When asked about the increase in computer usage for school, junior Abigail Wolf answered, “I have mixed feelings about it. I sometimes find myself getting distracted when I’m on the computer, but it helps me get things done so much faster.”
Freshman Kelly O’ Connor said, “I don’t know what high school is like without a Netbook. Sometimes the internet is slow because of all the people using it, other than that I have no complaints. I have everything all in one place and that works perfectly fine for me.”
With all the advancements in technology, being on the computer is something we all have to embrace. It makes student’s lives a lot easier and saves some trees in the process.
irunlikeapenguinbecauseyolo • Apr 13, 2012 at 4:40 PM
I concur. There is way too much technology these days, and although it’s mostly helpful, there are times when I wish I were Amish.
There are good and bad things about technology in general. One of the upsides to having such sophisticated technology is the fact that the major advancements have helped save lives in hospitals and have also somewhat simplified our lives.
And with that comes the downsides. Technology, in my case, has ruined my eyesight from staying up all night on social media sites such as YouTube and tumblr. There’s also the fact that sometimes SmartPhones are quite the opposite. Just yesterday, a certain NWN sports editor wanted directions to the nearest Chipotle (because Niles West is obsessed with Chipotle) and he asked Siri. Of course, Siri didn’t understand the Spanish that the editor used, so it frustrated him. He then went on to curse out his phone and ended up finding the Chipotle after a few more minutes of walking.
To answer your previously-noted question, yes, I think school has become too revolved around technology. From using GoogleDocs to giving freshmen netbooks, I think we need to tone it down just a bit. I understand that there’s the whole idea of going paperless, but with that comes the fact that we’re depending too much on computers and smartphones. We used to have to call each other if we needed homework help, but now we just text or facebook message one other.
It’s a love-hate relationship, I guess.
Ms. Chandarana • Apr 10, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Like many of the powerful tools that come along, technology is one that goes hand in hand with responsibility. When used wisely, it can be a benefit. When used without care, it can be a detriment. What a great way to practice and learn self-discipline.