Imagine a classroom without Kahoot or Quizlet Live. A classroom without technology, something students have taken for granted and become accustomed to. Advancements made recently have created conflicts over the usage of technology, specifically with phones at LASA.

Technology gives students the ability to learn more than what the teacher has taught or distributed in class. Classes and schoolwork are more accessible outside of the classroom through the use of online mediums like BLEND, and other websites teachers constantly upload to.

With access to a computer during every class, students have the ability to dive deeper into the content of the class in a manner which could not be done without individual computers. Lots of resources online give students the opportunity to see something from a different angle than the teacher’s explanation. Most students are adamant that technology does more good than bad, but, though the internet has enabled more efficient learning, it has also contributed to various other problems in the education system. The use of smartphones in class has been the prime concern on LASA’s agenda, with good reason.

The use of technology can be a slippery slope, as it enables both learning and distraction. Everything not class-related is just a click away, and the fact that phones can be taken out and hidden in a matter of seconds has created a need for technology to be monitored. Using a phone for one thing normally leads to another and, eventually, you don’t even remember what you were doing in the first place. The black hole of social media ensures that once an app is opened, the chances are good that you won’t get off for a considerable amount of time.

Cheating has always been a problem in education, and technology has only amplified it. Homework online is much easier to cheat on than is homework on physical paper. Technology has also made plagiarism easier and more prevalent.

LASA administration has addressed these concerns with this year’s new phone policy that essentially removes phones from the classroom. This change will end up being beneficial for productivity in class for most students, since wasting time on a phone is very easy to do and very hard to stop.

This policy will be uncomfortable at first, especially if the phones have to go in cubbies, but it will largely benefit the productivity and efficiency of the student body. Sometimes this policy can seem extreme because phones can be faster to use for practice online. Classes should aspire to find a middle ground where there is a trust that phones, if needed for a classroom activity, will be used for the right reasons. If that trust is violated, harsher actions can be taken.

Technology is relatively new in our educational system, so society is still learning about the best ways to use it during class time. Even though lots of technology can be used negatively, it should not be regulated until there is a reason to regulate it. Just because someone can cheat doesn’t mean they will. Technology should be treated as helpful until there is reasoning to limit someone’s usage during school.