Jazmyn McCallum

Professor Thomas

UWRT 1103

10 April 2018

In my second draft, I chose to condense the paragraph that follows the introduction. I was told

by a peer that it seemed like it was "dragging out" the point that the readers already understood:

"this paper will go over the pros and cons of using technology in the educational environment." I

received more feedback from others that were simple suggestions such as elaborating more and

using more of my voice in the paper. Surprisingly, I was so focused on including facts in my

paper that I did not think much about incorporating my own voice in it. I received a lot of

positive feedback about the introduction of my thesis which was very encouraging. I learned that

the SLO knowledge of conventions, is crucial in the reader’s understanding of the material in my

paper. In order for my paper to be presentable I needed to make sure I fixed different

grammatical errors and used citations properly. The composing process is also a continuous

cycle and a reminder that your paper can always be improved in some aspect. My question for

my readers is “how can I keep my paper engaging?”

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

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… Commented [1]: I like this introduction

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 too distracting? 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

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 improve students’

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

monitor if students plagiarize 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 and non-laptop users (those who

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

experiment 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 decide for themselves whether they

want to pay attention in class-and to face the consequences if they do not,” (A.B#4). 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 constant exposure to technology at a young

age. Technology is one of the most commonly used items in our everyday lives and it still

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 between not only students and their teachers but 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

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

staring at the computer screen and having to constantly scroll down a page to read instead of

flipping through pages of a book. Previous studies have shown that aside from the navigation

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

when 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 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 6th grade elementary

Montessori students, technology was integrated in the classroom for a 6-week period. Results Commented [2]: how or what kind of technology was
integrated?
from this study showed that there was a 16% increase in accuracy based on the short answer

responses for the lessons that involve technology. 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 class content. The

constant 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 shown 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

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.

One example of this is the game called Gravity which involves the user typing in the vocabulary

word whenever they see a definition. They must complete each challenge before time runs out

which causes them to start over. 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. 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, pixilation 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. However, many

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 are to clean your computer screen to reduce the glare and to sit an arm’s

length away from the computer 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 constant act of typing has been suggested to

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

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

constant 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”). 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 constant 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. 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. While some people learn better

when given books to read and paper tests others may learn better when given e-books and online

tests. The classroom setting should have a middle ground in the amount of technology and books

that are available to the students. Commented [3]: Overall it was a good thesis, my only
suggestion is that you maybe go back and add a little
more of your "I say" throughout.