It is quite apparent that technology is a staple in today’s society. Our generation is the first to grow up in this new age when we depend on technology on a regular basis. Technology has become progressively advanced and has changed the way we view our daily lives. We see technology as a necessity now. It is safe to say that though technology can help us immensely with our schoolwork, it can also be a great distraction.

It is a rare occasion for a student at SHC to not use a form of technology in an average school day. Typically, the first thing a student does when they get to class is take out and turn on their device. As soon as the device is turned on, there are thousands of things for a student to do. In most cases, students would rather watch a tv show on Netflix, go on Twitter, or play a game rather than learn a lesson. I know that I am guilty of this. I think a main reason students start to get distracted is because they are not closely monitored by their teachers. When I asked fellow students about the situation, they said that the teacher would either stand at the front of the room or sit at their desk. It was rare for the the teacher to walk around the classroom and see what the students were doing. Since the teacher was not walking around to see what the students were doing, the students could do as they pleased.

In August of 2013, CBC News conducted an experiment to see whether or not electronic devices are causing students to have lower grades. They had one group of students take notes for a quiz while multi-tasking. The second group took notes on a computer rather than by hand while multi-tasking. Their idea of multitasking was for example to conduct research on topics they were learning. The group that had to take their notes on a computer scored 6% lower than the group that took notes by hand. That can make a huge difference on your grade. That can change your grade from an A- to a B.

Upon formally interviewing fellow SHC students, there seemed to be a general consensus with their responses. I conducted a survey and asked each student how many classes did they use their devices in, how long can they go without getting distracted by their device, what distracts them the most whether it be TV, social media etc., and do they feel that having devices in the classroom is a distraction. The students responded by saying they use their device in about 5 classes, can only go thirty minutes without becoming distracted, find social media the most distracting, and feel that the devices are a distraction. When I asked fellow sophomore Jeru Garner ‘16 if she felt the new BYOD program was affecting her grades, she responded, “ The BYOD causes me to focus less on my work during school and at home.”  I feel these results are very accurate given that I had similar results myself.

Through my survey, I found that students more often than not find the new BYOD program a distraction to their learning. It often worries them that using devices is bringing down their grades. I found that all students agreed that if teachers monitored device usage they would feel more focused and confident with their work.