A Vision of Students Today

College students today are surrounded by technology, but is that technology helping them or harming them?

http://mediatedcultures.net/ksudigg/?p=119

Often times, technology in college can be extremely helpful: word processors, search engines, online research programs, instant information through the Internet, the ability to communicate quickly and effectively, etc. However, a student's education can also be simultaneously harmed by the abundant use of technology: excessive distractions from school work, constant communication with many people, an overwhelming amount of information to dig through to find what you need, and so on.

There are so many times in most of my classes that students are going through Facebook when the professor is speaking. And there similarly many times when professors think that a PowerPoint presentation is effective teaching. While technology is helpful, it seems to be underutilized in the classroom. Students use it - but mostly for entertainment. Educators use it sometimes - but mostly for PowerPoint lectures that could be just as effective, if not more effective, if done without. When a classroom makes the most of the technology that is available - and when it is used by both the teachers and the students - then it will be useful in the classroom. In my college career, I have experienced this rarely.