Technological Changes...and me

Much has changed since the last time I was in school 13 years ago. I've come to realize this at an alarming rate. When I was last in school cell phones weren't around, the Internet was just coming about, and you typed your research papers out on a typewriter. Now they have sites like Turnitin.com to you submit your papers to to check for plagiarism. Crazy isn't it?

Yes, I know, I'm dating myself, but I think I'm just realizing how strange things are now to me. I am amazed at how many kids in class are piddling on their phone. Example...I'm in a classroom with about 90 students in my sociology class. The classroom is pretty full and I sit in the middle of the class. While listening to the professor lecture, I looked over at a few students and saw all of them with their phones in their lap, texting on them or on facebook. I'm serious when I say that nearly every single one that I looked at had their phone out somewhere. And it was then that I thought, "This is an 8am, are their that many people they know that are out of class that they are talking to?" Answer is, most likely not. Most likely, their friends are in some other class texting back and forth.

It's just amazing to me how socially needy young adults are for technological communication. I'm no better in some areas as my cell phone has become the lifeblood of my communication with people (That and email). It almost seems archaic to think back to when people didn't have a cell phone to text with in class.



Additionally I think I'm even more amazed at how professors don't see this going on. I'm sure they hear a phone ring or see someone on a phone here or there, but now that I'm among the student body, I see things in a whole new light. I could write a dissertation on how dependent students really are on their cell during class.

Here is an article from the NY Times that states that kids spend near 8 hours a day on their computer, phone, or mobile device. Computers for students, I understand, but let's not fool ourselves here. The majority of that is not spent doing homework or studying. I would be willing to bet it's more than 8 hours for some of the kids in my classes.

All in all it's the way of the future. However, it still doesn't change the fact that my professors are teaching while the students aren't listening.

Are we that distracted?