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Technology
Is Doing More
Harm Than Good
In Our Schools
amount of information.
Now, yes, we are the first generation to be exposed to this
overwhelming access to information made available by computers.
But, it is damaging our capacity to learn. Due to this overload, we
seem to have lost our capacity to retain our focus on one particular
task. In fact, a study conducted by psychologist Dr Larry Rosen,
observed that students, when told to study something important,
lost focus after a solid three minutes. After all, contrary to previous
belief, studying is nowadays defined by watching tv, social
networking and eating with an open textbook nearby.
Dr David Meyer, psychology professor, University of Michigan,
urges that “under most conditions the brain simply cannot do two
complex tasks at the same time.” The prefrontal cortex of our brain,
responsible for higher order thinking and complex cognitive
processes, is placed under enormous pressure when one is both
studying and distracted by technology. Technology is impairing
some of our most basic human functions. By providing our students
with a distractive outlet, a computer, we are diminishing their ability
to retain and recall information, when it comes to being tested.
Us, Australian students are said to be spending around seven
and a half hours, the length of an entire school day, everyday of the
week on devices. It is no wonder that, the Finnish cohort, with only
around a quarter of them using computers more than once a week,
are out-performing us.
Whilst our technology enables us to reach others at the touch of
a button, it is threatening our interactions and emotional responses.
Eating us from the inside, causing anxiety, stress, and uncontrollable
sweating.
24% percent of teenagers admit that they are suffering from a
fatal condition known as
FOMO
. Fear of missing out. Facebook,
Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, the list goes on. We are too
preoccupied with our screens, obsessively comparing ourselves to
other people’s lives and achievements, an overwhelming percentage
of us feel bad when posted selfies don’t get enough likes. Is this
what have become? Why are we letting these networks dictate how
we feel? Furthermore, why are we letting the screens dominate our
lives? Recess, lunchtimes from the beginning. Prep to 6, it was Club
Penguin, Year 7 it was Slenderman, Year 8, Icy Towers, Year 9, 2048,
Year 10, Tetris, Year 11, Slithero.
What will it be in Year 12, our last year, possibly the very last
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