Carolyn Gray
Section C
November 21, 2017
Let’s Talk Tech
The integration of technology into our modern day agenda has caused the young adults of today, tomorrow and the future to be put through obstacles that are difficult to overcome. The use of technology in the classroom with developing young adults has changed more than ever. Learning how to focus with the easy accessibility of a cellular phone, laptop and even tablets has caused the young adults of today to struggle with the ability to multitask. Although technology can be a useful tool, many can find themselves being distracted with the Internet and it’s many uses. In Peter DePietro’s article “New Media’s Transformation of Education,”, he introduces his ideas on the production of young adults and their transformation when technology is applied to their learning styles. Similarly, in Richard Restak’s article “Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of Our Era” he can attest to DePietro’s argument that the fusing of media and other ways of interaction can alter the way a person can think, act and even develop over time. Bill Wasik also discusses in his article “My Crowd Experiment: The Mob Project” the interactive technologies that have become more apparent over the coming years. Wasik also speaks about the influence that can cause people to follow one another due to the boredom that the overuse of technology can cause. Alarmingly, the amount of money that is spent on interactive items in the classroom can cause students to think and develop differently if the human interaction that was once there is now absent. Over the past decade, it is apparent that the goals of young adults’ lives has changed comparatively to those who were not subjected to learning on e-readers, iPads and other forms of technology. The integration of this technology in the lives of young adults has caused them to become less involved in finding their purpose due to the expensive tools, the decline in human interaction and the increase of screen time on various devices.
The expenses that are being used for the continuous use of technology in the lives of young adults has become increasingly alarming. More and more money is being spent every year as parents and teachers attempt to get young adults entertained with technology. Although money is a beneficial tool that can be used to buy useful items, it seems as if it may be being overused. Often, teachers are attempting to evolve with modern day techniques that society accepts and wants to continue using. The purchasing of expensive technology has become a problem for schools that may not be able to afford it. These expensive formats of teaching can allow the distraction of young adults to become accustomed with needing to use technology in their everyday lives. DePietro elaborates on this idea stating “While there is some room for trial and error after tools have been purchased, no educator wants to spend a significant amount of money on technology that cannot be used effectively in the classroom” (185). These expensive and unnecessary purchases that are being made by schools can effectively do more harm onto their students than it was possibly intended. DePietro also stated “with so many technology products out there, educators must assess what tools genuinely meet pedagogic ends before purchasing them, and certainly before integrating the tools into instruction” (184). The integration of expensive technology gives young adults the impression that they need technology in order to learn. he expensive technology that has been forced into our everyday lives divides those who want to pursue their purpose rather than those who feel as if learning and interacting can be done on a screen. DePietro supports this by stating “Using expensive technology is not necessarily a better way of engaging students: it is a different way” (185). It is important to focus on the ways that young adults are developing because too much technology doesn’t have to be bad, but it may also not be good for young adults who are beginning to find their purpose.
The distraction that young adults encounter can cause the ability of their focuses to shift and drift away from the importance of developing without the dependence on technology. The uses of e-readers instead of books may change the way a child develops and can affect the way they learn in the future. Richard Restak discusses the dangers of being involved with too much technology, “…exposure to technology seems to be spurring the current alteration. One consequence of this change is that we face constant challenges to focus our attention” (374). Restak’s ideas are alongside that of DePietro as they agree that with the integration of technology into the lives of developing young adults, they may have a difficult time being able to multitask. Is it possible to learn and develop in a healthy way when interactions have subsided to directions on a screen? The distraction of young adults may alter the way they process information if technology is clouding over their future.
While many ideas of teaching have changed over time it also appears that our effort to pursue the goal of learning from experiences and interactions has decreased a significant amount. DePietro also discusses the atrocity of technology that has been applied to the current learning processes, stating “I cannot imagine that the teacher of a young Abraham Lincoln, in a one room schoolhouse in the early 19th century, would have needed an iPad. There was no digital landscape back then. And still, complicated problems got solved” (185). While many can argue that the Internet and other platforms for technology can benefit those who need to progress their search for their purpose, it seems that it is only good for distractions. The loss of verbal and physical contact is absent when a young adult is given a screen to study or accomplish an assignment on. More young adults seem to be subjected to technology as they develop. Bill Wasik elaborates on this stating “yes, the internet allows us to find others with similar interests and chat among ourselves: but this is just an online analogue of what we always have been able to do in person…” (480). Even before ways of communication through technology occurred, it was always possible to just talk to another person instead of typing out a message. The absence of human interaction due to the substitution of a screen can possibly alter the cognitive and social development. The less and less interaction that young adults have with other humans can possibly lead to bigger problems as they develop. Young adults may find it hard to interact with others because they are unable to use the right skills to interact with other people. Similarly, DePietro states “an animated, media-rich user interface may stimulate a student in a way that a human voice or hand gesture cannot, but it does not engage a student any more reliably” (185). It is important to remember how young adults interact and adapt to their surroundings. If media is becoming a constant distraction, it may lead to an even bigger problem in the process of these young adults finding their purpose later in life. If young adults are being taught that interactions such as learning and communication mainly happen through a screen, then there may be problems in the future.
Although technology and the integration of media into the lives of young adults can be harmful to the social and cognitive development of their minds, there are some positives to what media can do for humans. Over the course of many years, technology has progressed a long way and can be credited for the ability to research and stay in contact with those far and wide. While it may become distracting, it must be monitored to a healthy amount. The ability to find a purpose can be found through the various platforms of social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. These allow people to expand their thoughts and opinions and agree or disagree with people they may not have a chance to ever meet. Technology is a powerful tool that must be learned how to use right. DePietro also states that people should “change up the tools, technologies, and methodologies that we integrate into teaching, while embracing traditional theories and methodologies when they apply” (186). Change can be good depending on how it is applied and what the goal is. Finding purpose can mean different something different to every person. Although technology can become a distraction in the learning process, it may be a good tool to get young adults engaged and willing to learn, “if our teaching with devices and technology is effective, students will do just that and thus expand the digital landscape behind them” (DePietro 184). Technology and it’s advancements have possibly given us a brighter future due to the breakthroughs that have occurred through it’s many uses. It’s important to remember that not all technology has to be bad, it’s all about how much a person uses it.
Those who are searching for their purpose may have the media tools to find that with the help of association with common interests. With the availability to certain devices, it is crucial to monitor the amount of screen time that young adults have. Whether it be learning in class or interacting at home, it is a necessity for young adults to be able to communicate effectively with others. Education is an important aspect for young adults to become a part of and if it is all done on a screen, there may be difficulties with how they interact with others. The integration of technology in the lives of young adults may cause them to become less involved in finding their purpose due to the expensive tools, the decline in human interaction and the increase of screen time on various devices. The foundation of technology in education is constantly changing but it is all up to educators and parents now, as they hold the key to the developing minds of the future.
Works Cited
Wasik, Bill. “My Crowd Experiment: The Mob Project.” Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers, 3rd ed., Barclay Barrios, 2010, pp. 474–489.
Restak, Richard. “Attention Deficit: The Brain Syndrome of Our Era” Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers, edited by Barclay Barrios. 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martin, 2016, pp 372-385
DePetrio, Peter. “Transforming Education with New Media.” 16. New Media’s Transformation of Education, Peter Lang, 10 Nov. 2017,
Here is the link to the Google Document:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IFttdigj_2O3kIU6kZUFWoRYPIXcjDCX9gEuD2D-kLo/edit
