Blog 5: Negative Effects of Technology

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- Negative Effects of Technology: 

Written by: Amanda Strom

This study was written to analyze whether or not overuse of technology can lead to negative health effects and impair student learning (Strom, 2021). As mentioned in my previous post, my colleagues both immediately responded with the fact that technology in the classroom helps students. I thought I would look into why it hurts them to see if there's anything that contradicts their thoughts.

It was interesting to see that the author discusses the fact that the review is concluded with the fact that students who are exposed to a high amount of screen time are more susceptible to experiencing health effects and learning deficits. The author also discusses downfalls of using technology in the class and suggests ways to better include technology in lessons and personal life.

Throughout reading the study, I quickly realized that it was more-so about the overall health of the students. The studies made it clear that it is unclear to determine how much technology time each day would be considered healthy. However, it is clear that those who do spend an excess amount of time on the computer screen have poorer overall health, which correlates to academic success. Students do not power off after school, so this time online just adds to their daily "screen time." 

In regards to academic, many believe that technology should improve student learning. On the contrary, Strom (2021) states, "one would think that we would start to see more drastic educational advancements now that the majority of students are 1:1 with a technology device." This is where my thought comes in as to why technology may hurt students. We may be promoting the use of research skills and creativity. However, students hand writing and grammar is being seriously sacrificed. With Google automatically correcting their grammar, the student's don't need to put in any effort to fix their own mistakes. 

The study suggests that the best way to implement technology in the classroom is through "blended learning." It's basically a mix of in-person and virtual learning. I remember reading through a different blog about Gamified Learning and keeping math as a written subject, rather than incorporating technology. I believe blended learning can be beneficial. I just wonder whether or not educators will only partially use Chromebooks when the ratio is 1:1. The study also suggests that educators need formal training on how to incorporate virtual resources. 

Has this study changed my thoughts of technology in the classroom being a benefit? No. However, it has enlightened me on how too much screen time can negatively impact the overall health of the student, considering screen time never stops. I would like to look more into Blended Learning and what that looks like in respect to different subjects. 

Question for you: After reading this study, what were your initial thoughts?


Reference

Strom, A. (2021). The negative effects of technology for students and educators. NWCommons. Retrieved July 20, 2022, from https://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1322&context=education_masters








Comments

  1. Megan ShawJuly 23, 2022 at 8:31 AM

    Hi Giulia,

    Thank you for writing this post on the negatives of technology integration in the classroom! It is always refreshing to read something that is opposed to the mainstreams opinion on education practices. The part of your entry that I connected to the most was the fact that students do not power off after school. I had several students this school year that would come to school exhausted due to the fact that they had stayed up gaming all night (This was without their parents permission). For these students, I would often take their technology away and I found that they were more productive when using pen and paper for their assignments. There are so many distractions online that can be limiting for some students also (i.e. gaming, funny videos, etc.). I do believe that technology is beneficial for student learning, but I like your suggestion of the blended model in the classroom.

    Thanks for the interesting read,

    Megan

    ReplyDelete

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