Is Technology a Distraction?

I was raised in a family that had minimal access to technology, growing up I have always been restricted of using technological devices as it was considered a distraction to my education. As it states in Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction “computers and cellphones, and the constant stream of stimuli they offer, pose a profound new challenge to focusing and learning.” (Richtel, 2010) My parents believed that technology can only be used as a form of entertainment and leisure hence, if children are handed devices in schools they will tend to be more distracted and lose focus in learning knowledge. My families’ norms lie in education being taught in the old fashion methods. In other words, studying by paper books instead of e-books was considered the right way of learning. It was not only my family, but also the school environment I was raised in that did not allow for much technological access. From K-4 I was not exposed to any devices that would help me learn better, it was not until grade 5 that I first came across a computer. In school, we were given class period to visit the computer lab and work on projects developing our computer skills. Though I was exposed to computers in school, I was not able to effectively develop skills as my parents did not allow computer usage at that age. Further in grade 6 I came across a Projector; I began noticing that almost all teachers were using a Projector to teach students the material. Though students were not given an opportunity to work with the Projector, yet I was intrigued by the idea of the device being a tool for learning rather than a distraction. From grade 8-12, students were given homework that needed to be completed on a technological device, hence my parents were forced to purchase a computer and allow me to develop my skills.

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As I enrolled in University I noticed that there was a lot more usage of laptops, smart boards, overheard projectors and cell-phone devices in classrooms than there was in schools. I purchased a laptop and realized how useful it was for my learning. All the classroom notes were assessable and my notes were made on Microsoft Word rather than on paper. Although lectures were constructed in a technology friendly environment, I always wondered why technology was banned when it came to exams and tests. In Ofqual head: End paper exams for digital generation it states that it is crucial for “students to be assessed in the same way that they learn” (Nisbet, 2011). I believe that in the coming generation, it should be made possible to assess standardized tests in a technology friendly manner, as they are learning and developing skills through the medium of technology. It not only reduces the risk of exams becoming invalid, as some examiners are not able to read the students writing, but also allows examiners to fairly mark each student work.

Since I was not exposed to technology in early childhood, it was difficult for me to adapt to the University level requirement. In first year, I was told to work with various software’s I had never heard of or been in contact with. I believe that it is necessary for students to be introduced to programming, Excel, PowerPoint, Word etc. from the very beginning. The technological shift from grade 12 to University was stressful, I struggled to learn computer skills while keeping up with course content. Though currently I consider myself to be tech savvy, I believe that I could have enhanced my skills a lot earlier if I was exposed to instructional technology at an early age. Students will grow and work for companies that will require them to be technologically advanced, so why is it then that students are not being taught such skills in early childhood? As a community, we need to adapt to the concept of technology being a tool for success and development in the real world. In Instructional Technology in Early Childhood “Technologies that have the potential to support children’s learning in instructional settings are of particular importance to early childhood education professionals” (Howard P. Parette, Jr and Craig Blum, 2013). Technology is not a distraction, rather it is a medium of creating global village. The faster students become aware and use multiple technological devices in terms of learning, the bigger and better our economy will become.

Word Count: 750

References

Howard P. Parette, Jr., Ed.D and Craig Blum, Ph.D (2013) Instructional Technology in Early Childhood. Retrieved January 28th, 2018, from http://archive.brookespublishing.com/documents/instructional-technology.pdf

Ofqual head: End paper exams for digital generation. (2011, February 25). Retrieved January 28, 2018, from http://www.bbc.com/news/education-12566122

Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction. (2010, November 21). Retrieved January 28, 2018, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/technology/21brain.html?pagewanted=all