Impact of Disruptive Technology on Students

It is the Era of technology where it can be beneficial or harmful in every aspect of our lives. We are in a period of disruptive technology where disruptive power is shaking up our usual practices and policies.

In other words, it is an advancement or upgrade that puts back old technology and creates a new platform. This change in updated technology can have both positive effects and negative too. From factories to schools, all are being affected.

Students are Struggling with

E-Books Era 

In the past, books were considered an amazing discovery. Students used to have bookshelves in their rooms with a stack of Encyclopedias, dictionary, and thesaurus. A visit to the library was common in a student’s life. 

These days, the learning tools have become digital. It can be easily accessed with just a few clicks on every gadget. Likewise, the invention of kindle has erased the concept of going to the library.  

One major positive thing about using E books is that it is free for the authors in terms of updating or editing. Then they simply inform the readers. Also, it has no shipping cost. 

Students can access a lot of information easily 

Students can get their hands on every possible query that they can think of with a few clicks. All knowledge is accessible through the touch of their fingertips.  

The vast collection of multimedia and text on the net explains everything to a student. This collection is so huge that it’s a threat to a teacher’s role. In fact, there is no need to go to a structural building of a school, it can come to your home. A student can find many options for online classes. 

Loss of handwriting skills 

The traditional method of making notes was to write with pen on paper. Exams were written by filling up pages. Cursive writing competition was an event in schools. 

Now, with the existence of smartphones, pictures of the notes from the board can be taken in less than a second. Exams and tests are taken on computers and answers are clicked with a mouse. 

As a result, students’ good handwriting has gone down the drain. According to CNN, studies show that 33% of the people are unable to read their very own handwriting. 

Skeptical Information 

The internet is filled up with so much information that it needs to be researched if the information is true or not. The negative impact on students is massive.  

According to Tom Rosenstiel, “Misinformation is not like a plumbing problem you fix. It is a Social condition, like a crime, that you must constantly monitor and adjust.” 

Hi-tech Cheating 

In the past, cheat sheets were used among students, but now it is at a whole new level. Portable gadgets like special screen watches, micro cameras, ringtones with a special frequency that is mute to grownups, and many more have made cheating easy for students. It is a big issue that teachers and professors are facing in schools and universities. 

Medical issues 

Yes, technology has made students’ lives so easy but they are also facing the negative side. Since gadgets have become a big part of their lives, they use it for many hours.

Apparatus is used for school purposes, research, and even entertainment. Due to the many hours of usage medical issues like texting thumbs, iPad aches and tech neck have come into existence.  

Obesity 

Due to handy gadgets, students have become very lazy. Students spend numerous amounts of hours on gadgets which makes them eat more snacks than usual.

Additionally, students now need to be pushed for physical activities such as playing sports and going to the gym. Researchers say that there is a direct link between technology and obesity.

As NBC News has mentioned, “for every 10% rise in what a country spends on information and communications technology, there’s a 1 percent increase in obesity rates”.

As a consequence, students are facing the issue of obesity.  

Conclusion 

Like every change in the past, it has brought both positive and negative effects on our lives. Technology and advancements have always given us great power to overcome obstacles.

But at the same time, it has given us many challenges. It is no surprise that disruptive technology is both beneficial and destructive at the same time.