Plugged In

I do agree that technology can and does have a negative effect on school and homework efficiency. It is common sense that something that one has applied one's full attention to will be of better quality and will most likely be accomplished not just quicker but more efficiently than something that is done with many distractions. Thus I say to the average teen, you might insist that texting or listening to an ipod does not hinder your outcome, but I argue that your overall completion time and focus are negatively affected. Think of the time it takes to answer a text or change the song; 30 seconds, maybe even a minute or two for that oh-so-important text message? Doesn't seem like that long, but if you have a 30 minute assignment, and let's say every three minutes or so you receive a text message and or change the song, the time adds up. What was initially only a 30 minute assignment, will now take you 40 minutes or more. That's ten plus minutes of not thinking about the assignment. Now tell me that your focus and efficiency aren't hindered. Technology is supposed to help us increase our performance ability and make life easier, but I ask you, is it really helping our ability to learn and complete tasks that are important for our future?