Effects of Technology

Are we using technology as a lifestyle rather than a tool?

I will be the first to admit that I love technology and the many gadgets which have developed from innovations in technology. My concern is the influence technology is having on individuals. An example is texting. Students are so used to texting that it has affected their writing skills without them even realizing it. I had a student tell me that he failed an English paper because he wrote like he was texting. When he received his grade he could not understand what the problem was. The teacher had to explain to him that using texting abbreviations was incorrect grammar, spelling, and absolutely inacceptable when writing a paper. The student stated that he was shocked at this explanation, and I was shocked that a student would write an English paper and include texting abbreviations in it. I also worry that technology is changing our ability to communicate face-to-face with each other. I often observe students at lunch sitting outside on a bench and there is no conversation taking place between the students because each student is either talking on their cell phone or texting someone. What happened to talking face-to-face with friends? I still like to see the smiles of my family and friends and if the smile is not there I know something is wrong. Non-verbal communication is so important and is becoming extinct with the use of todays technology. It seems to me that we are not using technology as a tool, but rather we live for technology. Can you imagine the reaction if cell phone service and Internet service were interrupted for a long period of time? I think the younger generation would definitely panic. We would probably be surprised how dependant we have all become.

Karen Hughes

Posted at 09:56PM Sep 19, 2008 by Karen Hughes in General  |  Comments[8]