For centuries people have made use of their opposable thumbs by communicating information and art with pencil and paper (or sharp rocks on trees and cave walls). Now modern technology has brought us to the next level of thumb-use evolution. With the swipe of a single digit on a screen we have access to a plethora of activities. But does technology actually make studying more efficient for students? Here are a few things to consider when deciding between using a paper-pad and a virtual-pad.
Notes
When it comes to hand-written notes a student is engaged in the activity of writing. That means that they are an “active learner” participating in the process. One drawback of digitized notes is that it removes the hands-on factor. A student is reduced to a passive observer. If the material is not engaging they will easily get bored and gain nothing from their notes. On the other hand, today’s students can often take notes much more quickly through typing than through writing. They can also highlight important information by changing the format of the text (bold, underline, italicized) with the click of a button.
Assignments
Technology is also changing the face of presentations done by students. Poster boards are being replaced by PowerPoint. Some might argue that this robs a child of their creativity. How can they use their imagination without using scissors, construction paper, and pipe cleaners? Well, creativity comes in many forms. Many teachers are now requiring students to present their material by making group videos/short films. This allows average every-day students to become directors, producers, actors, and writers—something that was rare in the olden-days. This gives students the ability to make a presentation in front of the class without the embarrassment or fear that often accompanies public speaking. It’s a win-win situation.
Focus
When it comes to creating distractions, technology has paper beat hands-down. In years past a bored student had no other option but to doodle on their paper during class. And once class was over they could entertain themselves by interacting family and friends in the real world. Today, students can take advantage of the thousands of games and social media outlets their cell phones and tablets provide them with. They can appear to be taking notes or studying all through the night when in actuality they are playing hours of Angry Birds or “liking” every comment posted on Facebook.
In the end, technology is a powerful tool that has opened up brand new horizons for students to learn and apply their knowledge in creative and innovated ways. Though it has its obvious disadvantages, there’s no arguing with the fact that it’s here to stay. That being said, let’s try to make the most of it!
Tags: active learner, assigments, class technology, learner, students, studying, writing
