“Collectively, technology has made us smarter, more capable, and more productive” (The Conversation).

   It is no surprise that we have become so reliant on technology. The past year especially, as we did online school. It can be argued that technology has made us “dumber”, but the truth is, it has helped students in many ways and continues to do so.

   Technology is used everyday in different job fields. In the medical field, there are many machines used to help doctors, nurses, scientists, and more. In businesses, technology is used to cut down the time to do tasks that will take longer without them.  Furthermore,students use technology for a variety of reasons. Some use it to search for different explanations or examples, while others use it to access different resources and platforms, and also to communicate with their classmates or teachers. Not to mention how accessible technology is when you want to study on the bus or even while switching classes. Here’s a few different perspectives on this topic from Charter students and teachers. 

   “Technology and science go hand in hand. In science, we investigate and we observe, which makes us smarter. Because of science, we have technology. Technology makes science better, and vice versa. It makes life practical.” 

– Ms. Carrasco, AICE Marine Science teacher

   “There have been times where I did not understand concepts that were taught in class, so I would go on the Internet to search up different explanations to help me better understand.” 

– Natalie Palacin, Junior

   “Technology gives people access to different resources and platforms, allowing them to gain information but also allowing for communication to happen.”

– Sushant Kannan, Junior

   In addition to study guides and test reviews, students can get more practice on the materials they will be tested on with the different websites teachers use to assign classwork or homework assignments. 

   “Teachers assign work online on Quest, Kuta Works, or Khan Academy. These extra resources in turn help students learn the materials more efficiently.”

– Arin Sareddy, Junior

   “Technology has really made school a lot easier for me. I probably use it the most for studying. Almost everything I need is on my phone or laptop, so it just makes accessing stuff and studying in unideal places – like the school bus in the morning- really simple.”

– Chelsea Ugwuozor, Junior

   While it is considered a bad thing to be reliant on technology, we can’t deny the fact that it has made us smarter and has helped us be productive. It’s no secret that technology will only continue to advance and we will still use them regardless of the negative effects.

   Snap! Math equations can be solved with the snap of a photo, and foreign languages can be easily translated by a tap on a keyboard. I believe technology has gradually made people “dumber”. The dependency on technology has increased, especially after the year of being at home. Students have taken advantage of remote learning by having technology at their fingertips. Some people would even be lost if Google Maps wasn’t accessible. The pandemic has brought easily accessible technology to our doorsteps. 

   Doubtlessly, technology has made society ignorant and incapable of forming their own opinion without searching it up. Between current events and even our homework, people live and breathe technology. To support my argument, here is an interesting perspective on this topic:

   “It all depends on the person. Technology is meant to make our lives easier. It’s easier to learn new things and at the same time, it’s easier to get through life without learning.” 

– Mr. Toepel, Web Design Teacher

   Many students here at Charter could agree. Students are also being affected by technology. Some can agree that it has benefits, but overall it could be the reason why test scores are so high from last year. With technology easily accessible, anything can be solved without prior knowledge. Here is what students from Mr. Toepel’s web design class had to say about this topic:

   “I think technology has revolutionized the way we learn. But it’s also made people lazy and since we always have to search things up on google, we don’t really have to make an effort to study.” 

-Andres Vilanova, Sophomore

   “I think that it depends on how the person uses technology. If they use it productively to enhance their learning, it will allow them to become smarter. But if not, then it’s just making them dumber”

-Ozzy Yanez, Sophomore

   Not only does misuse of technology affect our day-to-day aspects, but it has also affected students. Students have the world on their screens and access to unlimited information and resources. Our education is important to us, and technology is not necessary to assist that. The sky’s the limit when it comes to technology, but does that mean students use it properly? 

   “Technology makes people dumber. With the world at our fingertips, there is no longer a need for critical thinking. Anything can be done with a swipe or a simple phrase. Technology has limited the brain to be challenged.”

-Jayna Brunner, Senior

   “I think it depends on what you are using the technology for. If you are using it to find useful info, it’ll make you smarter; if you aren’t, it probably won’t”

-Julian Villarta, Senior

Technology is making people “dumber”. Regardless of what it is used for, the dependency on technology has dramatically changed.