By: Sophia Oppenheim

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Technology has changed classrooms drastically over the past decades. The advancements in various products, applications, websites, and other online resources have revolutionized the way we learn as students and the way professors teach. 

The presence of technology during my schooling career starting from my kindgarten years to now being in my second year of college has impacted me in various ways. The effects of AI, the absence and presence of technology in classrooms and test taking, has changed who I am as a student.

In elementary school I remember having “Computer Lab” where the whole class would sit in a classroom filled with desktop computers. We would use applications like Kid Pix, Lexia and Symphony Math. Memories of my learning on those applications have stuck with me throughout childhood and now into my college life. I loved “Computer Lab” because in the actual classroom, we did not use electronics, so I thought it was a fun change. As years went by those fun learning tools turned to Quizlet, Khan Academy, and Kahoot. These applications also provided me with fun engaging learning experiences, through the usage of technology. As time went on and classes became more difficult, technology as a tool for engagement has diminished.Now I long for the days where online learning was fun.

Now, I use my computer to write countless essays, take online tests, and read hundreds upon hundreds of pages from various online textbooks. The fun that technology had brought me in childhood is now gone, and I feel it is more negatively impacting me. If a professor allows me to have my computer open, prompting us to take notes, there is a 100% chance that I will get distracted and do something other than take notes. It’s not even that I am bored, or I get distracted, it’s the fact that I have access to so much at my fingertips, I feel like I have to be multitasking and doing something else since I have the opportunity to do so. 

The realization that maybe technology isn’t all that great in a classroom was discussed by my philosophy professor who banned any electronic usage in his classroom. On the first day he said we must take paper notes, and that we would have points deducted from our grade if we used technology. At first I was hesitant, because I haven’t taken handwritten notes for a class in a while. However, after time went on I found myself paying attention in class for the entire hour and 15 minutes, which I hadn’t done in another class for a while. I appreciated the fact that by this small change of writing my notes by hand that I was so much more engaged and interested in the discussion. 

Another drawback I found with technology this year is how codependent certain classes are with computers, and school work in general. I completely understand the simplicity of having everything online, however, after my computer decided to crash one day and not turn on, I was left paralyzed. I immediately made an appointment with Apple, who said my motherboard was malfunctioning and they had to take it for 3 – 5 business days. I did not receive the laptop back until a week later, and that week was torturous. 

I never realized how dearly I needed my laptop to do any work at all. I was left begging my friends to use their laptops or iPads for certain classes, I had to go to Gelman Library first floor computer space to do any online work after classes, and I could no longer do work from my room. While I usually go to the library to do work, not having quick access to my computer and being unable to see what needs to  get done, was detrimental. 

I had not been that stressed about getting work done in a really long time, and I realized how dependent we are as students and professors on technology. For the 5 days I had classes without my computer, I felt like I was lost and behind in every single class. I wished during that time that we weren’t so reliant on technology, because that week without it was horrible.  

Finally, this year was my first time using Respondus Lockdown Browser, for those who don’t know, Respondus locks down your entire computer, allowing no access to anything except for the test that’s being administered. This program allows professors to assign online tests for a certain period of time without it being in person. Respondus also records you throughout the entire test. My first issue with this is that I would rather have a paper exam. For me, it is easier for me to take an exam with a pen and paper. The only time I prefer a computer for taking tests is when it’s for essay writing/open response questions. So, I already did not like Respondus, however, what really made it difficult for me was the fact that it was recording me. I am already a stressed test taker, and knowing I was being recorded made me paranoid. I wasn’t cheating, but I was worried that if I moved, or got up to blow my nose, or if I stretched for a second it would look like I was cheating. The whole time all I could think about was looking like I wasn’t cheating, rather than the material. It adds an added stress that is completely unnecessary.

While I completely understand the importance of technology in classrooms, especially during my early youth, and how it makes everything easier and more accessible. I think that there should at least be less dependability on technology in classrooms. We already stare at screens an absurd amount of hours a day, so I appreciate the professors that are trying to make their classroom a place where learning is happening without the interference of technology.