Students and Technology

        

Staff Writer: Sarah Morris

“The most technologically efficient machine that man has ever invented is the book,” 

says influential literary critic Northrop Frye. 

But in today’s ever growing age of technology, is the book really the most efficient way of obtaining information? Important, yes. Useful and influential, definitely. But the most efficient? Today information can be obtained in so many new ways. We can brush our fingers across a handheld screen, and there it is. And that goes for any kind of information. If you can dream it up, the internet will give you an answer. Instantly. So here’s what I wanted to know: how does this accessibility of information affect today’s students? It’s definitely a topic worth talking about. In what ways does this constant stream of information help us, and can it ever hurt us? I considered the ways high school students most commonly use the internet to access information that helps them in school. The first source that came to my mind was the ever popular Sparknotes. Clearly it’s an easy way to do less work, you can read a summary instead of a book. And is this really allowing students to learn? All of the students who I talked to- all who pointed out they’ve used sources like Sparknotes instead of a book- agreed that doing so definitely cuts back on what you’re actually learning. On the other side though, they also all agreed that being able to look up different types of analysis is more helpful than harmful. High school work can get really difficult, and having the ability to search for information easily allows students to have answers they would not be able to come up with otherwise. It can build confidence in students, because they are finding information that they would not have if they couldn't find it so easily. One of the students I spoke with discussed enjoying going to a library for information personally, but acknowledged that that is not always the easiest way. Having instant access to information certainly means that students will be looking for more of it. And how can one argue that’s bad? Students are actively trying to learn more, and are fortunate enough to have tools on hand that let them. While there can be some drawbacks, over all, the fact that students can always find what they’re looking for is helping them to find more.