Technology is a key part in the world today. Millions of people own cellphones, laptops, gaming devices, eBook readers, and even MP3 players. These devices have become almost addictive and a necessity to people, some individuals need to be on their technology devices all the time. This is especially seen in young adults because of their need to constantly text their friends, check their social media sights, and play the lasted games. Now we are starting to see it being integrated into the classroom at very high rates. The question lies within, are students really doing school work on their technology devices or is it just becoming a major distraction and hindering the young minds of our future? Yes technology can be helpful and is and will continue to be a key part in our future but in reality it is more hurtful in the classroom than it is helpful. According to the National Center for Education Statistics "97% of teachers have one or more computers in the classroom" (A Beautiful Visual), and "(93% computers located in the classroom have access to the internet" (A Beautiful Visual). This leads to the average student to computer ratio to being 5 to 1. The retrospect of the situation with the argument whether or not technology in the classroom leads to my decision of how it is hindering the minds of young adults because it is allowed and not strictly managed in the classroom.

Completely saying that technology is not helpful in the classroom at all would be a lie. There is multiple benefits to allowing technology in the classroom. Technology in the classroom that is considered helpful in the classroom would have to be smart boards, projectors, computer learning games, and special software. These items are just a short list of technology that teachers can and do use to help articulate their lesson plans to the student. Technology can also "help build your credibility with students, and even with fellow colleagues." (Montano, Jean). Technology is and can be an eliminator of "tedious tasks" (Montano, Jean), this allows for teachers and even students to have a quick turnaround for harder tasks such as grading, writing papers, and getting grades to the student.  One of the biggest arguments and admittance to the benefits is the preparing the student for the "Digital World" which allows for according to an article written by a former teacher writes this "Using technology in the classroom can prepare your students for a future deeply rooted in technology" (Montano, Jean). While this articulates a strong argument, the benefits seem pretty on paper but a big portion of the time a student can abuse and change how these items are supposed to be helpful and change how him or her actually use it in their advantage. 

Some statistical measurements that will be helpful a understanding just how many young adults just in America are affected by technology will make some people raise their eyebrows. Most people do not realize just from the young adult ages ranging from eighteen to twenty-nine surveyed just last year in 2015 the percentages of ownership of different forms of technology. These statistics read " 98% own a cellphone, 78% computer, 51% MP3 player, 50% tablet computer, and lastly 18% E-Book reader"(Anderson, Monica). This leads to the conclusion "Cellphones and computers are the most commonly used technology devices" (Anderson, Monica), these are the most common technology devices that show up in the classroom and cause the most distraction. "Roughly nine in ten American Young Adults own a cellphone of some kind" (Anderson, Monica). These are outrageous numbers, these numbers find their way into millions of classrooms every day, distracting students from the main source of them and that is the use of school work but majority of the time these cellphones, laptops, calculators, etc. are constantly distracting and hindering the learning process. 

The fact that technology is so present in the classrooms from grade school to even higher education classes starts to form problems when allowed in the classroom even at the younger ages of children. Students in today's classroom think and only think notes should be taken on their computers and phones during lecture time. Yes, typing notes onto laptops does seem like the fastest and easiest way to quickly and efficiently take notes, but is that all the student is doing on his or her computer. Some teachers were told to walk into another teachers classes to observe how students were interacting with the technology during the lecture, this is what one teacher reported, "back row seats ...  found instead (of taking notes) they were on Facebook, Dave Mathews Band websites, instant messaging friends, and emailing fellow classmates" (Bugeja, Michael). The same teacher was amazed at how many students get so easily distracted and strayed from the original assignment because there are so many applications the technology or laptop can offer and "Scenarios (like this) are happening cross country" (Bugeja, Michael).  

A 2009 report released by the National Center for Education Statistics with the Department of Education released a study where they surveyed teachers and their thoughts on technology this is what was reported "74% of Pre-K to 12th grade teachers said that technology has helped the reinforce and expand content and also motivated the student to learn" (A Beautiful Visual). They reported technology in the classroom helped motivate their students learn, but any student would be motivated by the cool interactions, games, and astounding visuals. This leads to the fact students are being motivated by technology in the classroom but not for the right reasons. Students are turning technology into a game and accessing all the "fun" things that technology can offer but not utilizing the educational purposes quoted first hand "turn educational experiences into games for students." (Klaus, Julia). She also states students in today's time have a "Game Mentality" and "One problem that many classroom teachers face is that students often use computers primarily for games. Because of this, many students associate computers and technology with game playing." (Klaus, Julia). 

Not only is technology hindering the learning of the student themselves but it is also hindering and distracting the thinking process of the teacher/ instructor and fellow classmates around the student taking advantage of being allowed to use technology for educational purposes only in the classroom. Teachers can see that the student is not focused on them or they can see the student laugh, which can overall disrupt the thinking process of the instructor resulting in the lack of instruction or something important they will fail to give to the class. This is being selfish of students being the distractor because he or she is taking away valuable information from all the other student because they disrupted the teachers thinking process. Not only is the distraction for the teacher in the classroom but other students sitting around the student that decides to veer off  the original educational assignment or task. To make it simple it can be compared to the analogy of a domino effect, once one student sees another student do something other than educational work, and then that student will then get off task. Or even the fact students will message another student using a laptop, cellphone, or iPad. One student stated this "fellow classmates are watching films or trailers, another third are looking up social media and chatting across the classroom, and the very sole last few 'odd' people are actually working half-heartedly on their assignment like they are supposed to be." (What Positive and Negative Effect). What stands out the most by the quote made by the student is the few odd students trying to do their work are now only limited to half-heartedly work instead of being able to give their whole heart towards their work that is presented to them because of the selfishness and foolishness of other students being off task on their technology devices. 

The foolishness of students taking advantage of the allowance of technology in the classroom can be easily controlled by strict rules set forth by the school or instructor to ensure a well-developed and controlled classroom. Classrooms that are well instructed and have stern rules can still be able to use technology effective and it just eliminates the horse-play factor in which is the source of distraction of students. A student reported this by a classroom that is not controlled or has rules in regards to the use of technology in the classroom, "Teachers do not notice because they sit at the front, and by the time they (if they do so) walk to the back of the class, students have long closed or hid their screens." (What Positive and Negative Effect). This shows the teachers have no rules or regulations and when the teacher does try to do something the students are already one step ahead of them. This leads to the realization technology should be put away when in lecture and only brought out if the teacher/ instructor tells to do so. The results show from one professor who banned and place disciplinary actions on the use of technology in the classroom tells this, "Now she bans laptops in large lecture courses and has a clause in her syllabus about the inappropriate use of technology. The result? "Huge increases in attention and better performance on exams," she says. "Students have even mentioned that they feel like they are doing better without the laptop." (Bugeja, Michael). When she eliminated technology grades increased and the effects did not only affect her but the students could see a difference as well and what makes it so important. Some may ask how does she achieves such discipline, she set up repercussions if students fail to follow her rules. Here is an example of one the rules,  "Anyone who engages in rude, thoughtless, selfish behavior, such as use of a cellphone for instant messages, games, etc., will have his or her cellphone confiscated until the next class session and will be excused from the class. The cellphone will be returned after the student apologizes to the class at the next class session. If your cellular phone is heard by the class, you are responsible for completing one of two options: 1. Before the end of the class period you will sing a verse and chorus of any song of your choice or, 2. You will lead the next class period through a 10-minute discussion on a topic to be determined by the end of the class. (To the extent that there are multiple individuals in violation, duets will be accepted)." (Bugeja, Michael). If any student was faced with this, the disappearance of distraction will be gone and the student will then be able to fully focus on the education lecture itself and nothing else. 

Even though statistics show that most young adults have some form of ownership of technology, not all students do. If teachers did allow for students to use technology in the classroom, not all students would be able to. This could be a reason of not having the funds or the reasoning for owning a form of technology. So if instructors assigned something on technology for the student to complete, they would not be able to and this would put that student behind in studies and not be able to effectively learn. In conclusion there the problem doesn't always lie within the overabundance of technology but it be because of the lack of technology the student has access to. This adheres to the teacher and need to be able to allow assignments for all students for example "There will be students who do not have iPads or cameras or even the textbooks for class. It will be up to you to point them in the direction of the library or community resources, or to create assignments that allow them to work in groups and share resources." (Montano, Jean). 

Sugata Mitra said in his speech The Child Driven Education, "Children will learn to do what they want to learn to do" (Mitra, Sugata). Meaning a child will find a will and a way if they need to get something done. This is especially hindering in the classroom and the use of technology because it makes the student hit their last result, which leads to cheating. Not only does technology open the door for students, but it hinders their thinking process and communication skills. "Technology can foster more cheating in class and on assignments" (Montano, Jean). Jean also states technology in hindering the "verbal communication skills of students" but agreeably she has a solution which would be to "create assignments in class that use both technological tools as well as oral presentations and collaboration, this will teach students to be dynamic in how they learn and interact with others" (Montano, Jean) even though this is a solution for face to face instruction it leaves out online instruction which is with use of technology and leads to the lack of verbal communication by students. The hindering of the thinking process is exemplified through technology in the classroom because students according to teachers having the effects of not critically thinking,  "technology often makes students more lazy, as they are able to access information quickly and easily without having to work to get hold of it. This means that often students don't really engage in the matters raised by the work, relying on second-hand information to do their thinking for them. This drop in the level of critical thinking is something that greatly concerns me." (What Positive and Negative Effect). Matt Richtel writer for the New York Times wrote this, "There is a widespread belief among teachers that students' constant use of digital technology is hampering their attention spans and ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks" (Richtel, Matt). Ritchel and others believe technology is hurting our student's minds to extreme of students not even being able to complete challenging hand math and challenging critical thinking tasks. 

"Education is a self-organizing system, where learning is an emergent phenomenon" (Mitra, Sugata). This quote is a great representation of how people should view education and technology. Technology is continually to grow more and more popular and will continue to be in our future. Teachers must lead students to be able to transition from technology causing distractions to technology being educational and helpful. "We must think inside the box rather than outside of the box" (Carter, Nathan), this quote is the realization one must realize when dealing with technology, teachers and students must learn to be proactive and disciplined when using technology in the classroom. Until this problematic situation can become under wraps, discipline and expulsion of technology is key to the success of our students of the future. The molding of critical thinkers must be the goal and not to form lazy undereducated students. Technology has many benefits and key uses for the classroom, but teachers must be disciplined and leaders to prevent the emergence of the distractions that technology in the classroom cause which is the overall result of the hindering of the minds of young adults.  

