McCallum 1

Jazmyn McCallum

Professor Thomas

UWRT 1103

10 April 2018

The feedback I received for my first and second drafts were taken into consideration as I

completed my final draft. I noticed that there was a constant battle between incorporating my

thoughts and statistics equally. A noticeable adaptation from my first draft to my final draft was

inclusion of more statistics and studies. I wanted the claims I made to be supported by evidence

so that I was not biased throughout my entire paper. I am appreciative of the commentary I

received because it helped me notice different perspectives on my paper that I would not have

noticed on my own. During the process of composing my thesis paper I realized that each of our

student learning outcomes play a key role in understanding our writing from different

perspectives as well as composing our writing so that it is presentable and engaging for the

reader.

Technology: A Benefit or Hindrance to Our

Learning?

Imagine this, you’re sitting in your literature class when suddenly your professor

announces that you have to complete a research paper about the Industrial Revolution by the end

of the week. In this situation you have no prior knowledge of this transition in history and, most

importantly, you do not have access to any technological device for assistance. Where do you

start? Maybe you decide to use books to begin your research. You choose to go to the library but

you need to figure out how to navigate through many of the endless aisles in order to find books

related to your research topic. Once you find your books, you have to check them out and carry
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them back home. As you read through the first textbook you come across certain words that you

aren’t familiar with such as “fortuitous” and “enervating.” What do you do next? You cannot use

Google. Now you must find a dictionary and hope that it has clear definitions for the words you

are unfamiliar with. Suddenly the deadline for this research paper seems like it’s approaching at

a quicker pace than before…

What is the relevance of the predicament above? Before the early 2000’s the main source

of information in most schools were books. Textbooks were constantly incorporated by teachers

in their curriculum until school officials decided to take a new transition in the methods of

instruction in the classroom environment. Now, laptops and tablets are seen in almost every

classroom in today’s society; however, the recurrent use of these devices have brought about the

concern of technology’s impact on students’ learning. Are computers negatively affecting our

work ethic? Does the constant use of technological devices hinder attention spans? Is technology

truly beneficial for students’ understanding?

Although many are supportive of the “technology-in-classrooms” idea, there are many

who hesitate at the mention of such a transition. During an interview about perspectives on

technology Lisa Baldwin, high school chemistry teacher at Great Barrington Massachusetts,

argues, “they need more skills that are different from ‘spit, spit, there’s the answer.’” Although

not all teachers think alike, many traditional style teachers complain that technology is

interfering with students’ learning because of how easy it is for them to find answers to

problems. Instead of taking the time to think and find ways that lead to a solution, like students

prior to this technological transition, students are using search engines like “Google” to find

answers to surface knowledge types of questions like the year of the Boston Tea Party. Although

I agree that technology can cause some students to use cheating to their advantage, not every
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student chooses this method to learn. There are certain sites such as Chegg and Khan Academy

that provide users with explanations of certain topics and practice sets to help students improve

their understandings of certain subjects. In addition, many schools are using different programs

to monitor if students plagiarize in their assignments such as PlagiarismCheckerX and Turnitin.

Since many school officials are aware of the concern of cheating when students write their

essays, systems like the two mentioned were created to help point out when a student may have

used the copy-and-paste option and where they got their information from. This helps the

educational environment minimize the amount of plagiarism and reinforce their student honor

code so that academic integrity can thrive.

Well, what about during class time? Many teachers complain that laptops in the

classroom provide distractions for students using the device and those around them. A 2012

study involving forty-four undergraduate students in a Canadian city showed a comparison of

learning between different groups of students: laptop users, non-laptop users and those who

were/weren’t in the line of view of their peers’ laptops. The results of the first part of the

experiment (containing only laptop users and non-laptop users) indicated that students who were

multitasking on the laptop scored 11% lower on the post-lecture comprehension test as opposed

to those who did not use the laptop. The second portion of the study resulted in participants who

were in view of their multitasking peer scoring 17% less on the post-lecture comprehension test

compared to those who were not in view of other laptop users (Sana et al.). In many of my large

classes I have witnessed students who decided that online shopping or watching videos unrelated

to the class was more important than actually paying attention to what the lecturer has to say. I

believe this all connects to what Rebecca Schuman, an adjunct instructor at the University of

Missouri, argues in her article, “In Defense of Laptops.” “Students should be old enough to
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decide for themselves whether they want to pay attention in class-and to face the consequences if

they do not,” (A.B#4). I sympathize with Schuman because too many people focus on

technology being a distraction and not how the user chooses to utilize technology. In order to

help students grow up to become successful adults, they need to learn beforehand that they will

have to make decisions on their own and face the consequences that come afterward.

In today’s society, people are more prone to exposure to technology at a young age.

Technology is one of the most commonly used items in our everyday lives and continues to

evolve. Instead of focusing on how technology can affect students negatively, some teachers can

use it to their advantage. James M Lang, English professor at Assumption College, informs

readers in his article “Playing with Technology” about his experiences using polling systems in

his classes. Though he was hesitant at first, he chose to incorporate one electronic polling service

called PollEverywhere in his classes and was astonished by the results. He noticed more students

were participating in discussions rather than only a few outspoken students voicing their

opinions on a topic. He used this system to ask for feedback about students’ comfort level with

certain topics to see if he should move forward on topics or remain on that topic a little longer

until more students became comfortable with it. “Done as a poll, all of the students got to express

their opinions, and could quickly see how their peers felt — something I know they found

illuminating as well,” (A.B#1). This illustrates how the use of technology can increase the

connection not only between students and their teachers but with their peers as well.

In regards to learning, sometimes a single book can’t provide the details/visuals

necessary to paint clear pictures of historical events, such as the Industrial Revolution, in the

minds of curious individuals. Technology can provide different methods of learning to assist

students with their complete understanding of certain material. “Sixty-five percent of people are
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thought to be visual learners and thirty percent are better through auditory methods,” (A.B#5).

These statistics explain why different audio-visual learning techniques have been used

throughout centuries in the educational environment. Technology has contributed to these

learning strategies by allowing students to get a visual of information (videos and pictures) and

an auditory version of information (audio files and podcasts).

While technology can have its benefits in the classroom, I am aware of the concerns of

technology’s effects on retention for learning. Different researchers have suggested that people

who read digital text retain less information as opposed to people who read printed text. “People

comprehend less when they read on a screen because screen-based reading is more physically

and mentally taxing than reading on paper,” (Jabr). This was proposed due to the process of

steadily staring at the computer screen and having to constantly scroll up and down just to find

information that you read previously. Previous studies have shown that aside from the

navigational issue of reading online documents, people feel as though they do not have a sense of

control while reading online. When reading books, the readers are able to flip through pages

instead of scrolling down a series of pages on a screen. Readers are also able to highlight

important keywords and write side notes when analyzing the printed text which gives the reader

a sense of control in understanding the text (A.B#5). Many engineers and manufacturers have

noticed this issue and are using different strategies to adapt technology so that they can meet

these needs for the user. For example, options such as the highlighter function and the “Ctrl + F”

function have been added to help readers pinpoint and navigate through the on-screen text so that

their reading experience isn’t so physically exhausting. In contrast to what some researchers say

about technology being a hindrance to comprehension of material other researchers have

suggested technology to be a benefit. “Studies have shown that technology has the ability to
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increase pupil engagement, resulting in better information retention and, therefore, greater results

accuracy in a testing environment,” (Berger). In a study published in 2015 involving 4th through

6th grade elementary Montessori students, technology was integrated in the classroom for a 6-

week period. The students were placed into two different groups: one with technology

incorporated in the lesson and the other without it. When technology was incorporated in the

classroom teachers used YouTube videos and PowerPoints to assist with the lessons. Results

from this study showed that there was a 16% increase in accuracy based on the short answer

responses for the lessons that involved technology (Tosco).While research is still going on, there

is no specific answer for whether or not technology increases or decreases retention for learning;

however, technology can still be used in ways to help students retain information and prepare for

tests. Websites like Quizlet are made to help students learn and remember vocabulary words and

questions through the use of flashcards, quizzes and games. “When you look at the front side of a

flashcard and think of the answer, you are engaging a mental faculty known as active recall,”

(Cohen). Active recall is an efficient learning technique that refers to the process of being

engaged in activities that promote analysis, synthesis and evaluation of content. The frequent

practice of active recall can help students retain information for a longer period of time and

become better prepared for tests.

Research has also shown that quizzes have been known to help students retain

information. Though some argue that the idea of constant quizzes can bring anxiety to students

and hinder their learning, studies have suggested otherwise. A 2013 study with 70 high school

students showed that students who were given weekly quizzes did significantly better on tests

compared to students who only took the midterm exam. As mentioned earlier, Quizlet provides

the user with different forms of quizzes that are made in a random order to help increase the
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user’s retention of the material. The tests made on Quizlet are not limited to multiple choice tests

but also includes fill in the blank questions. While multiple choice questions focus more on a

person’s ability to recognize a word or phrase, fill in the blank questions allows students to take

the time to think about the material that they can recall and how it relates to the question. In

addition to tests, Quizlet provides the user with games to help with remembering the material.

Unlike tests, games allow a more entertaining aspect of learning information. Instead of simply

learning the material, the user is able to have fun in the process of doing so.

Another concern that has risen in this debate of technology in classrooms is how

technology affects students’ health. It is safe to say that students need good health in order to

properly focus and learn the material at hand. There have been many complaints about how the

constant action of staring at a computer screen can damage one’s vision. “Depending on the

model of the device, glare, pixelation and flickers can also tire the eyes. LCDs are certainly

gentler on eyes than...cathode-ray tubes, but prolonged reading on glossy self-illuminated

screens can cause eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision,” (A.B#5). LCD stands for liquid

crystal display which is a type of screen that is used for computers, TVs, tablets, etc. Headaches

have been a common complaint from people who stare at computer screens for long periods of

time. Though I concede that the overuse of technology can cause headaches based on my own

experiences, I still insist that there are ways around this issue. Several researchers and

optometrists have offered suggestions for ways to avoid these health problems from prolonged

use of technological devices. One strategy proposed by many optometrists is the 20-20-20 rule.

“Every 20 minutes spent using a screen, you should try to look away at something 20 feet away

from you for a total of 20 seconds,”(Marcin). This allows a person’s eyes to completely relax and

gives your brain a chance to focus on something else. Other suggestions for resolving this issue
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are to clean your computer screen to reduce the glare and to sit an arm’s length away from the

screen so that you are not too close.

Aside from the internal medical issues, physical health is another concern that school

officials have had in regards to technology. The continuous act of typing has been suggested to

cause pain and repetitive stress on the fingers. Some researchers have suggested that carpal

tunnel syndrome (CTS), a painful condition of the hand due to pressed nerves, can by caused by

the continual act of typing on a keyboard. Since there are many jobs and instances where people

have to work at a computer all day, health specialists have provided suggestions for ways to help

lower the risks of getting CTS. These methods include taking breaks from the repetitive task

(typing), massaging your hands, and positioning your wrist correctly. Although constant typing

can have negative effects on physical health so can prolonged handwriting. “Physical

writing...has been correlated with causing focal hand dystonia,” (“Is Typing Healthier than

Handwriting,” 2017). Focal hand dystonia is a neurological condition that affects a muscle or

group of muscles which causes involuntary muscular contractions. This shows that both the

incessant act of handwriting or typing can have negative consequences on health. Another

physiological aspect to focus on is the back. Before laptops were common in the educational

environment, several students had to take their textbooks to and from school. “A heavy weight

carried in backpacks can distort the natural curves in the middle and lower backs, causing muscle

strain and irritation to the spine joints and the rib cage,”(Triano). To accommodate for this

complication, manufacturers have made some laptops more lightweight so that they are easier to

carry and do not cause as much strain on the back as textbooks.

After researching and analyzing my findings I have concluded that technology can be

beneficial for one’s learning, when used right. My point is not that everyone should always use
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technology in the classroom but it should be taken into consideration. Like many things,

technology has its benefits and drawbacks. Though it allows users to have access to different

sources of information, it can allow students to use cheating to their advantage. The

physiological and psychological effects of the use of technology all play a role in the decision of

whether or not technology is beneficial for the user. In the end it all comes down to how the user

learns best. Knowing what resources help you learn best is important because education is a

fundamental part of one’s life and their ability to comprehend the world around them. While

some people learn better when given books to read and paper tests, others may learn better when

given e-books and online tests. I believe the classroom setting should have a middle ground in

the amount of technology and books available so that every student’s learning is taken into

consideration.
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Work Cited

Lang, James M. “Playing With Technology.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12 Dec. 2017,

www.chronicle.com/article/Playing-With-Technology/242031. Accessed 22 Mar 2018.

Richtel, Matt. “Technology Is Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say.” nytimes.com The

New York Times, 1 Nov 2012. Web. 16 Mar 2018.

Feinberg, Robbie. “Do Laptops Help Learning? A Look At The Only Statewide School Laptop

Program.” Audio blog post. National Public Radio. Maine Public, 18 Aug. 2017. Web. 18

Mar. 2018.

Schuman, Rebecca. “In Defense of Laptops in the Classroom.” Slate. The Slate Group, 15 June

2014. Web. 24 Mar 2018.

Jabr, Ferris. “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper versus Screens.”

Scientific American, Macmillan Publishers Ltd, 11 Apr. 2013,

www.scientificamerican.com/article/reading-paper-screens/

Taylor, James. “How Technology is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus.” Psychology

Today, 4 Dec 2012,

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-prime/201212/how-technology-is-

changing-the-way-children-think-and-focus. Accessed 26 Mar 2018.

Berger, James. “The Role of Technology in Engagement, Memory, Retention & Exam Success.”

QA Education, 19 May 2017,

www.qaeducation.co.uk/content/role-technology-engagement-memory-retention-exam-su

ccess