Negative Impact of Technology in the Classroom

850 Words2 Pages

Michael J. Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University and author of“Facing the Facebook” in The Chronicle of Higher Education, states that the initial purpose of having access to the Internet in the classroom was to give students the opportunity to conduct research. However, this privilege is rapidly being used as a means for students to not pay attention during class. A poll was taken at Iowa State University where 20,247 out of the 25,741 enrollees were registered on Facebook (Bugeja 1). Social networking sites such as Facebook have had some negative effects in academia such as “institutions seeking to build enrollment learn that ‘technology’ rates higher than ‘rigor’ or ‘reputation’” (2), that there has been improper use of the freedom to use technology in the classroom, that employers and parents check Facebook to see what users have been doing, and that technology is an overall distraction in the classroom.

The situation revolving around these sites is not likely to clear up any time soon; in fact, as freshmen enter higher education institutions, more activity regarding social networking will take place. Christine Rosen, “a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington” (2), said that the amount of freedom and control that technology gives us also provides a direct route for marketers to advertise products to these users. In addition, she says that college administrators use Facebook as a means of snooping around to find evidence of illegal activity of students. Many of these administrators and employers also create fake profiles in order to conduct these investigations, although, as spokesman for Facebook Chris Hughes says, creating...

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...; nonetheless, it poses to be a great distraction to students and their peers. Bugeja, in his article, believes that until the ability to use technology is reassessed, issues regarding Internet use will only increase in higher education institutions. The rapid advancement in technology has taken over the classroom in a negative aspect and will continue to do so unless measures are taken to permit internet access for educational purposes only.

WORKS CITED

Bugeja, Michael J. “Facing the Facebook.” The Chronicle of Higher Education. 23 Jan. 2006. Web. 13 Sept. 2010. http://chronicle.com/article/Facing-the-Facebook/46904

Lovett, Haley A. "Students Using Laptops in Class Do Worse on Tests." FindingDulcinea. 29 Sept. 2010. Web. 15 Sept. 2010. http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/education/2009/march/Students-Using-Laptops-in-Class-Do-Worse-on-Tests.html

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