Electronic Devices Can Be an Educational Curse or Blessing
I thought I had seen everything after watching middle school kids text-messaging during the funeral of one of my high school students. Then, our school had its first play in three years. Throughout the audience, parents' faces were aglow as they text-messaged throughout their children's performances.
Mostly, I was a bear about electronic devices in class. Even during the worst of our school's gang-related violence, my students kept their cell phones out of sight and usually out of mind. Periodically, though, we would be working and I would see several students start to sneak a peak at their phones. Then we would hear shouting in classrooms and the halls and there would be a stampede of students, including mine, to a fight. I also saw the same thing in the gym. I would be playing ball with my students during my planning period and, all of a sudden, students from across the school and adults from the neighborhood would rush towards a brawl. Had our school been able to prevent abuses of the new technology, I believe, another of my former students would be alive today.
On the other hand, when students needed to take a call during class, they knew I would not question their word. If a student asked to step outside to answer their phone, my response was "of course." If a kid made simple eye contact and pointed to a phone, I would just nod, and the student would handle business and then return to work. One year, I had such a small class load that the same policy was extended to electronic music. The students knew each other, they knew that a few of their friends found it calming to listen to some music at some times and, in small personalized classes, there was no attempt to take advantage of my flexibility.
There is no question in my mind that personal electronic devices could be essential tools in the 21st century classroom. Neither is there any question, however, that we must first discuss, agree upon, teach and reinforce social norms for using those technologies.
Similarly, we should recruit one 100,000 new teachers for the urban classroom and some should come from programs like Teach for America. I would also recruit social workers, retired military and other baby boomers, as well as role models of all ages, in order to teach the socio-emotional skills required to build respectful learning cultures in schools. Together, we should teach kids how to be students, so that we have the freedom to innovate. I would recruit twenty-somethings from the community, regardless of whether they have a degree, to help promote the respectful conversations that must take place before we will have orderly enough environments for experimentation with new technologies.
We should recruit all types of teachers from all types of alternative backgrounds, but recruiting twenty-somethings would be especially helpful in regards to technology. I would seek out a broad range of tech-savvy young people and challenge them to create video gaming programs and other innovative instructional methods. We should also seek their help in using electronic devices for surveys to inform discussions and to obtain data on "hot spots" in troubled schools and solicit input from students in addressing problems. And even after students drop out of schools, we could use electronic devices to recruit them back.
I find two aspects of today's technology wars to be incomprehensible. Firstly, we live in an age of amazing digital miracles and yet the primary use of computers (at least in the part of the education world that I have seen) has been creating high-tech, high-dollar versions of old worksheets in order to reconstruct the old assembly line approach to teaching and learning. How is it that we are investing billions of dollars for computer systems for command and control, but not for exploration and creativity? For example, the Gates Foundation is investing millions in studying videotapes of instruction as a part of a campaign to fire teachers. Why not invest that money and talent into videotaping for better teacher education programs? Why not create gaming technologies so the education students could learn through their errors with virtual classes before they practice on real kids? In fact, why not use those same gaming devices to bring students into the conversation? Perhaps we could use avatars (or whatever those critters are called) for classroom simulations for teaching students how to deal with divisive issues. Why not use digital simulations to inform a cross-generational collaborative process where codes of conduct for electronics and digital tools are established?
Secondly, I can not understand why parents are not demanding that schools engage in those discussions before allowing cell phones into our buildings. After all, texting while driving is even more dangerous than allowing texting in class during a gang war. Shouldn't schools be partners in nurturing the healthy use of technology? If we want to combat electronic bullying, how come we are not appealing to the moral consciences of teens? If we want to curtail the non-stop "he said, she said" disputes made worse by the proliferation of cell phones, we must appeal to the better angels of our youth. We can't pry our kids' fingers off their electronic devices by fiat, but we can channel their desires for communication and companionship into more productive endeavors. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-thompson/electronic-devices-can-be_b_822439.html The Effects of Electronics on Our Lives
Are you a fan of electronic devices? If so, then you must have an idea of how these modern devices affect our lives these days. Some people claim that electronics have bad effects and encourage humans to be dependent on technology. However, there are individuals who oppose that belief. Nowadays, devices such as laptops, desktop computers and mobile phones have provided millions of people from around the world the most effective mediums of communication. With computers, we can send personal and business messages in a matter of seconds. Meanwhile, getting in touch with friends and families has never been more convenient with the use of cell phones.
DVD players, music and video players, and gaming consoles are just some of the many technologies that provide entertainment to people. These modern equipment serve many functions. With these gadgets, students and professionals can escape the busy life in school and work. Aside from providing pleasure and amusement, electronic devices also help businesses and households protect and secure their offices and homes. In fact, international and big electronic companies make sure that they manufacture tools such as surveillance cameras, security sensors, and car alarms in different designs and with various features.
It is because of these electronics that our lives have become much better. Gadgets and other modern tools help us in many ways from providing entertainment and great communication tools for our safety and security. The good part about these electronic things is they are very handy, allowing us to make our tasks lighter and easier. Fashion is also being integrated in gadgets nowadays. Accordingly, people tend to enhance the appearance of their devices by putting colourful covers or casings on their laptops and mobile phones. Wholesale electronics are really some of the great things help people make their lives more pleasurable than ever before. http://www.largewidget.com/the-effects-of-electronics-on-our-lives/ Educational Technology
This is one of those "educational battlegrounds" that gets fought over and over during staff meetings across the country. As such, it can be a tough one to answer.
There are two problems, here. First, what is meant by an "electronic device?" I am guessing that you are referring to "personal electronics" such as cell phones, iPods, iPads, the Kindle, and not computers. I think it has been pretty well proven how computers can have "good" effects, so I think this is a safe bet.
Secondly, you would have to figure out what a "good effect" was. In the context of school, we can assume it means "an effect that makes learning more likely." Still with me? Your question specifically is asking for "good effects," which as any grouchy old teacher could tell you are harder to come up with, but I'll give it a shot.
Cell phones are an integrated part of our society at this point, and their main use is communication. They keep students in touch with the rest of the world by giving them the power to interact with it. In my day, if you forgot your lunch you were at the mercy of the office calling home for you. Now, students have the ability to solve their own problems and handle certain "emergencies" on their own.
Cell phones also allow students the ability, when the time is right, to keep in tough with students at other schools or friends that don't go to school. While not an educational benefit directly, better relationships can lead to higher self-esteem and reduce isolation, which is good for everybody. In the same way, camera phones allow students to capture the kinds of memories that help build a solid school culture, and, in some cases, can act as documentation of misbehavior in the same way that store cameras provide evidence and deter bad behavior.
Academically, the cell phone can act as to record video of a procedure or explanation that may need to be reviewed later. It could be used to record audio of a lecture, as well, for later review. And just imagine if class could be easily "taped" for students who are absent? What if they could even be streamed and seen from home instantly?
The iPod is a little trickier, because its function varies greatly by model. At its heart it is a media player, and I know for a fact that many students work better while listening to music. For this reason, they can have a good effect by keeping students from getting too distracted while working (ironic, because we mostly think of them AS distractions!) If it is a WIFI compatible model, and wireless internet is available, the iPod can be a great tool for looking up information or digging into things more deeply. Depending on the model, it may be able to act as a camera and video recorder as well (with the same benefits as the cell phone.)
Devices like the Kindle could, conceivably, make learning a lot easier. Imagine carrying all your textbooks in the palm of your hand, rather than strapped to your back! Though expensive, compared to buying new textbooks, the Kindle is a bargain. Many of the books used in high school English classes are actually FREE on the Kindle.
These are just some of the positives. Though most conversations seem to focus on the negatives, personal technology is here to stay and the sooner teachers learn to embrace it the sooner the benefits can be realized. http://www.enotes.com/edtechs/discuss/what-good-effects-electronic-devices-have-stu-92950 Effects Of Gadgets On Students
The gadgets are very useful, they help us connect to each other, they make us learn new things and discover new things. As long as students don’t become fanatics when it comes to gadgets, we don’t think that they could have a bad influence or a bad effect on students.
The gadgets are state-of-the-art technologies that make our life better in many ways. Let’s take for example the cell phone, many of you are “lost” without it and when it comes to students this device is more than just a cell phone, is a chat opportunity, an Internet connection, a camera and more. Because mobile phones have today a lot of features and they are not just devices made for communication between people.
A negative effect of these gadgets on students can be the fact that they can become obsessive and the students can neglect everything else, like their social life, their family and friends. Is not a bad thing to have a computer, but is a bad thing to spend all your life in front of it pretending that everything else doesn’t exist.

Otherwise, most gadgets have positive effects because they enable us to do things faster and easier and they are also good when it comes to learning new things and, let’s face it, they make our life a lot easier.

In the list of the essential gadgets for students we have:

- A laptop with the fast wireless internet connection enables the students to do their projects even if they are in a coffee bar, in a park or on the road. The best thing about laptops is the fact that they are portable and easy to carry. A desktop is also good, but they couldn’t bring it with them to class.

- The next essential gadget is an iPod. This is a must have in a life of a student, because they can store all their music, pod-cats, videos and more. It is also a good companion on the road or everywhere else, if they get bored.

- An alarm clock is essential if you are a student and you want to go at your courses. The cutest and the most annoying of the alarm clocks is “Clocky Rolling Alarm Clock”, because it rolls, spins and runs around until you turn it off. With this gadget, the students will not miss any other lectures.
A USB Thunb drive is also essential, because it a small and portable device where the students can store precious information and transmit it from a computer to another.

- The next gadget is perfect for recording class lectures and taking notes. This is a digital voice recorder called iTalk. This cool gadget plugs into the iPod headphone jack and after you record the lectures you can download them on your computer.

- A cell phone, because it lets you keep it touch with your family and friends. It doesn’t matter if it is an iPhone or other mobile phone.

- On our list are also: a book scanner if you don’t want to spend a lot of time at the library, you can scan the text you need and them read it on your computer; noise canceling headphone and a scientific calculator.
Effects Of Gadgets On Students
The gadgets are very useful, they help us connect to each other, they make us learn new things and discover new things. As long as students don’t become fanatics when it comes to gadgets, we don’t think that they could have a bad influence or a bad effecton students.
The gadgets are state-of-the-art technologies that make our life better in many ways. Let’s take for example the cell phone, many of you are “lost” without it and when it comes to students this device is more than just a cell phone, is a chat opportunity, an Internet connection, a camera and more. Because mobile phones have today a lot of features and they are not just devices made for communication between people.
A negative effect of these gadgets on students can be the fact that they can become obsessive and the students can neglect everything else, like their social life, their family and friends. Is not a bad thing to have a computer, but is a bad thing to spend all your life in front of it pretending that everything else doesn’t exist.

Otherwise, most gadgets have positive effects because they enable us to do things faster and easier and they are also good when it comes to learning new things and, let’s face it, they make our life a lot easier.

In the list of the essential gadgets for students we have:

- A laptop with the fast wireless internet connection enables the students to do their projects even if they are in a coffee bar, in a park or on the road. The best thing about laptops is the fact that they are portable and easy to carry. A desktop is also good, but they couldn’t bring it with them to class.

- The next essential gadget is an iPod. This is a must have in a life of a student, because they can store all their music, pod-cats, videos and more. It is also a good companion on the road or everywhere else, if they get bored.

- An alarm clock is essential if you are a student and you want to go at your courses. The cutest and the most annoying of the alarm clocks is “Clocky Rolling Alarm Clock”, because it rolls, spins and runs around until you turn it off. With this gadget, the students will not miss any other lectures.
A USB Thunb drive is also essential, because it a small and portable device where the students can store precious information and transmit it from a computer to another.

- The next gadget is perfect for recording class lectures and taking notes. This is a digital voice recorder called iTalk. This cool gadget plugs into the iPod headphone jack and after you record the lectures you can download them on your computer.

- A cell phone, because it lets you keep it touch with your family and friends. It doesn’t matter if it is an iPhone or other mobile phone.

- On our list are also: a book scanner if you don’t want to spend a lot of time at the library, you can scan the text you need and them read it on your computer; noise canceling headphone and a scientific calculator. http://www.coolgadgetconcept.com/effects-of-gadgets-on-students/ Mobile devices have positive impact on education, survey says
Electronic devices have the strong potential to distract students (and employees, for that matter) from getting work done, whether it involves gaming, browsing the web, or watching videos.
But a new survey from Poll Position found that nearly half of American adults (47 percent) think that gadgets (mobile devices, in particular, as cited in the survey, such as e-readers, tablets and smartphones) have more of a positive impact upon the education of youth in America.
Tablets, in particular, have been found to serve a useful purpose here, whether it be learning games for younger kids or now the pending revolution of the textbook market. (Not to mentionit's a lot easier to carry around a single tablet than a ton of heavy schoolbooks.)
E-readers certainly have a place still for students in high school or college, and it helps for tighter budgets that they're a lot cheaper than tablets. Chromebooks also have seem to found a niche market in the education sector.
Nevertheless, at least one-third of American adults argued that the growing number of devices would have a negative effect, while 21 percent are still on the fence.
Of course, these numbers change a bit when you break them down by demographics. For example, 50 percent of those in the 18-29 year old age group see a positive effect, and 54 percent of participants in the 30-44 age group also believe in the positive effects of electronic devices in schools.
For reference, the survey is designed to be a representative sampling of all American adults and is based upon the responses of 1,145 registered voters nationwide polled via telephone on January 17. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/mobile-devices-have-positive-impact-on-education-survey-says/68028 What is the Effect of Electronic Gadgets on Youth?

Computer Use And Video Games * According to the National Institute on Media and the Family, video games can help children practice following directions and problem solving, and refine motor and spatial skills. Negative effects include social isolation, aggressive behavior, violence, confusing reality and fantasy, and poor grades.
Potentially Addictive * Signs of possible psychological addiction to computer or video game use among youth can include worsening school grades; choosing the computer or video games over family, friends or social activities; or restlessness and irritability when not playing a video game or on the computer.

MP3 Players * Listening to music from MP3 players can help youth when performing boring and repetitive tasks. It can also be distracting for complicated tasks requiring concentration. Long periods of music listening and at high volume levels can hinder reading, memory, motivation and hearing.
Text Messaging * According to Australia's media network ABC, Monash University's research shows that children who sent text messages were faster on some tests, but also less accurate. In a NetWorkWorld article, Text Message Language Won't Affect Kids Spelling, Canada's University of Alberta said that boys who used emphasized "text speak" were on average worse spellers, while girls who largely abbreviated were better spellers.
Fact
* A 2007 Pew Internet & American Life Project study revealed that strangers contacted 43 percent of social-networking teens online; 31 percent of social-networking teenagers have online "friends" they have never personally met. * 7 Harmful effects of new Gadgets today

1. Computer Vision Syndrome

The human eye is not adapted for staring at a single point in space for hours on end. If you log significant time in front of a computer monitor, you've probably experienced computer vision syndrome: eyestrain, tired eyes, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and double vision. Luckily, this isn't a permanent condition; but persistent strain can open the door to infection.

2. Insomnia

Working into the evening face-to-face with an illuminated monitor can play havoc with your internal clock. Replace work with exciting stuff like video games after dark, and you have an even more potent recipe for a sleepless night. One study showed that playing a game involving shooting suppressed levels of melatonin, the hormone that's involved in regulating cycles of sleep and waking.

Chilling in front of the TV is no better. Another study showed that adolescents who watched three or more hours of television per day were at a significantly elevated risk for frequent sleep problems by early adulthood.

3. Repetitive Stress Injuries

The constant tiny movements needed to maneuver a mouse or type on a keyboard can irritate tendons; swelling can press on nerves. As little as a half hour a day of computer mouse use could put you at risk for pain in your shoulder, forearm, or hand.

4. Obesity

There's a much more direct relationship between obesity and a digital lifestyle. It comes from spending too much time sitting on your rear. It's not late-breaking news that Americans are getting fatter and that kids are packing on extra pounds at a younger age. The hours per day Americans spend glued to the tube has been trending steadily upward, according to the Nielsen Co., with households leaving the set on for an average of eight hours and 14 minutes per day during the 2006-2007 season.

5. Hearing Damage

Even when we're out and about, we take our electronics with us, often in the form of iPods or other digital music players. It's nice to be insulated from the hurly-burly of modern life, but listening to music through headphones can increase the risk of hearing loss.

6. Risk of Life and Limb

Chatting on your cell phone makes you drive like you're drunk, says David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah and an expert on driver distraction. Using a driving simulator, he put people with a blood alcohol level of .08 behind the wheel, and then tested them sober but using a cell phone a few days later.

7. Office-Related Asthma

Your sleek, high-tech office may be a source of indoor air pollution. Some models of laser printers shoot out invisible particles into the air as they chug away. These ultra-fine particles can lodge deep in your lungs. Not every printer is a health hazard. In one study of 62 printers, 40% tested emitted particles. But only 17 printers were high-particle emitters. | http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1443225.aspx | | o Following instructions o Problem solving and logic o Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills. In shooting games, the character may be running and shooting at the same time. This requires the real-world player to keep track of the position of the character, where he/she is heading, their speed, where the gun is aiming, if the gunfire is hitting the enemy, and so on. All these factors need to be taken into account, and then the player must then coordinate the brain's interpretation and reaction with the movement in their hands and fingertips. This process requires a great deal of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial ability to be successful. Research also suggests that people can learn iconic, spatial, and visual attention skills from video games. There have been even studies with adults showing that experience with video games is related to better surgical skills. Also, a reason given by experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more skillful is that this generation’s pilots are being weaned on video games. o Resource management and logistics. The player learn to manage resources that are limited, and decide the best use of resources, the same way as in real life. This skill is honed in strategy games such as SimCity, Age of Empires, and Railroad Tycoon o Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives. In strategy games, for instance, while developing a city, an unexpected surprise like an enemy might emerge. This forces the player to be flexible and quickly change tactics. o Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions. Sometimes the player does this almost every second of the game giving the brain a real workout. According to researchers at the University of Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons, according to the study. o Strategy and anticipation - Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad is Good For You: How Today's Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter, calls this "telescoping." Gamers must deal with immediate problems while keeping their long-term goals on their horizon. o Developing reading and math skills – Young gamers force themselves to read to get instructions, follow storylines of games, and get information from the game texts. Also, using math skills is important to win in many games that involves quantitative analysis like managing resources. o Perseverance – In higher levels of a game, players usually fail the first time around, but they keep on trying until they succeed and move on to the next level. o Pattern recognition – Games have internal logic in them, and players figure it out by recognizing patterns. o Estimating skills o Inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing - James Paul Gee, professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that playing a video game is similar to working through a science problem. Like students in a laboratory, gamers must come up with a hypothesis. For example, players in some games constantly try out combinations of weapons and powers to use to defeat an enemy. If one does not work, they change hypothesis and try the next one. Video games are goal-driven experiences, says Gee, which are fundamental to learning. o Mapping – Gamers use in-game maps or build maps on their heads to navigate around virtual worlds. o Memory o Improved ability to rapidly and accurately recognize visual information - A study from Beth Israel Medical Center NY, found a direct link between skill at video gaming and skill at keyhole, or laparoscopic, surgery. o Reasoned judgments o Taking risks - Winning in any game involves a player's courage to take risks. Most games do not reward players who play safely. o How to respond to challenges o How to respond to frustrations o How to explore and rethink goals o Teamwork and cooperation when played with others – many games are played online and involve cooperation with other online players in order to win. o Simulation, real world skills. The most well known simulations are flight simulators, which attempt to mimic the reality of flying a plane. All of the controls, including airspeed, wing angles, altimeter, and so on, are displayed for the player, as well as a visual representation of the world, and are updated in real time.

http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/34-the-good-and-bad-effects-of-video-games
Computer Gaming Effects on Academic Performance

The computer and video game industry has grown considerably over the past decade. In 2005 a study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation: "Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8-18 year-olds", showed that over 80 percent of teenagers had a video game player in their home. The widespread use of video games has led to a series of questions. The most common question discusses the effects that the video/computer games have on the academic performance of the gamer. Researchers have found that each situation should be handled independently because the effects vary from individual to individual.

Positive Effects * Many people focus on the negative effects of these games and fail to see the opportunity for learning and growth. According to Raise Smart Kids: “The Good and Bad Effects of Video Games” there are several positive effects that come from spending time playing video games. Most games do not teach kids math, history and other subjects, however, they do provide students indirect opportunities to learn principles that can help them in their academic pursuits. Certain types of video games can help train kids to follow instructions as well as helping them develop their problem solving and logical thought processes. These skills translate directly to the classroom as students are asked by teachers to complete tasks and are presented problems that require them to use logical problem solving skills. Kids can also learn inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing. Games will often present them with a situation that needs to be solved and this causes the kids to have to develop problem-solving techniques. Before purchasing a video game a parent should talk with a representative at the store to see what the overall premise of the game is to see if it includes elements that will help build these aforementioned qualities.
Negative Effects * Although there are some positive effects that are possible form video/computer game use there are mostly negative effects. Several professors conducted a research project to determine the effect of gaming on academic performance. According to the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology: “Gaming Frequency and Academic Performance” individuals who spend two or more hours playing games on a daily basis score lower in every subject than their non-gaming counterparts. By spending a high percentage of time on video games there is not enough time left to spend in studying for classes. The study found that there was “not a single significant positive correlation between gaming and academic performance.” *
Statistics
* According to a list of statistics produced by Media Family: “Effects of Video Game Playing on Children” roughly 97 percent of kids played video games in 2008. In 2006 45 percent of kids were regular gamers, which means that they played for two or more hours on a daily basis. The high number of kids shows the importance of learning to choose games that will help strengthen and push the intellect of the child playing. http://www.ehow.com/list_5910606_computer-gaming-effects-academic-performance.html Experts have compiled some troubling statistics when it comes to children and electronic gadgets, particularly those connected to the Internet. Forty-two percent of parents don't monitor their child's online communications and 12 percent of teens met an adult online pretending to be younger, says the Minnesota attorney general's office.
The Dark Side
Negative effects of personal electronics include obsessive-compulsive behavior, isolationism, increased aggression, addiction and disrupted sleep patterns, according to Dr. Mark Griffiths, professor of Gambling Studies at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.
The Lighter Side
Electronic games offer practical goal-setting exercises, boosts self-esteem and can even improve basic math and reading skills, Griffiths also found.
Parents' Role
Dr. Donald Shifrin of the American Academy of Pediatrics points out the "distraction" factor of gadgets, saying parents need to set guidelines for texting, with consequences for irresponsible behavior.
Safety
Online security expert Benjamin Halpert says kids shouldn't go online in their bedrooms, reports CNN. Eleven percent of children have been solicited by an adult online and didn't tell their parents, says the Minnesota attorney general's office.
Potential
Griffiths points to the potential for good in technology, citing research that playing video games from an early age fosters skills later useful in IT careers. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2072334 Does technology make students smarter or more distracted?
On just about any college campus, students walk with their heads down and fingers on their phones — staying connected and learning, they say.
Their iPhones and Droids help them to do research, record lectures and photograph lab samples. For younger children, technology such as animation, games and videos help improve reading and vocabulary by bringing subjects to life, said Richard Gentry, a childhood literacy educator and author in Fort Lauderdale.
But research also shows the technology, if overused, can leave students feeling disconnected, stressed, lonely and unproductive. Students in a recent survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education said they wasted too much time online, and that their online conversations felt less real than face-to-face ones. When forced to disconnect for long stretches at a time, they say they initially felt anxiety or panic.
"It's a double-edged sword," said Andrea Corn, a psychologist in Lighthouse Point. "Kids today have opportunities prior generations never had to really expand their own universe. There's a world of information at their fingertips. But when there's the Internet, there are always going to be temptations."
And opportunities to get distracted.
Roxy Rodriguez, 21, a senior at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, admits to being obsessed with her HTC smartphone, which she uses to watch movies and TV shows, update her Facebook status and text friends.
"My phone is my life," she said. "I left it at home one day, and I felt so out of the loop."
She said she sometimes surfs the Internet in class, only half-paying attention to the instructor. Her 2.8 grade point average would be stronger if she weren't so distracted, she said.
Professors complain about students zoning out as they surf the Internet. Fred Hoffman, a math professor at FAU, said he can't ban laptops, iPads or smartphones because a growing number of students download electronic versions of their class textbook on the devices. But that opens the door for more students to use them in class, he said.
"You have one student surfing the Internet, another (instant messaging) their friends, and Lord knows what else," he said. "I'm sure in some big classes, there are kids watching porn."
Monica DeTure, FAU's assistant provost for e-learning, said if too many students are distracted, it may be an indication the teaching needs to be improved. She said many students have a difficult time maintaining attention during a 50-minute passive lecture.
K-12 schools also struggle with how to incorporate laptops and iPads into classroom activities, while preventing students from surfing the web or playing video games. The school district in Liverpool, N.Y. phased out a program to issue laptops to students in 2007, after seeing few academic benefits and many problems. Students used them to exchange answers on tests, download pornography and hack into local businesses, the New York Times reported.
But at North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, all students in Grades 6-12 have laptops, which are used for a variety of educational activities, such as multimedia journalism and simulated lab work. School officials say they don't have too many problems.

Change in Student and Teacher Roles
When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.
The teacher's role changes as well. The teacher is no longer the center of attention as the dispenser of information, but rather plays the role of facilitator, setting project goals and providing guidelines and resources, moving from student to student or group to group, providing suggestions and support for student activity. As students work on their technology-supported products, the teacher rotates through the room, looking over shoulders, asking about the reasons for various design choices, and suggesting resources that might be used. (See example of teacher as coach.)
Project-based work (such as the City Building Project and the Student-Run Manufacturing Company) and cooperative learning approaches prompt this change in roles, whether technology is used or not. However, tool uses of technology are highly compatible with this new teacher role, since they stimulate so much active mental work on the part of students. Moreover, when the venue for work is technology, the teacher often finds him or herself joined by many peer coaches--students who are technology savvy and eager to share their knowledge with others.

Increased Motivation and Self Esteem
The most common--and in fact, nearly universal--teacher-reported effect on students was an increase in motivation. Teachers and students are sometimes surprised at the level of technology-based accomplishment displayed by students who have shown much less initiative or facility with more conventional academic tasks:
The kids that don't necessarily star can become the stars. [with technology]. My favorite is this boy . . . who had major problems at home. He figured out a way to make music by getting the computer to play certain letters by certain powers and it changed the musical tone of the note and he actually wrote a piece. He stayed in every recess. . . . When I asked him what he was working on, he wouldn't tell me. Then he asked if he could put his HyperCard stack on my computer because it was hooked up to speakers. I said "sure" and at recess. . . he put it on my computer and played his music and literally stopped the room. And for months he had kids begging him at recess, every recess, to teach them how to make music. And for that particular kid it was the world because he really was not successful academically and was having lots of problems. . . . This really changed him for that school year. -Elementary school teacher
Teachers talked about motivation from a number of different perspectives. Some mentioned motivation with respect to working in a specific subject area, for example, a greater willingness to write or to work on computational skills. Others spoke in terms of more general motivational effects--student satisfaction with the immediate feedback provided by the computer and the sense of accomplishment and power gained in working with technology:
Kids like the immediate results. It's not a result that you can get anywhere else except on the computer. . . . For them it really is a big deal. Much more so than I ever though it was going to be. --Elementary school teacher
Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. It's something they want to master. Learning to use it enhances their self-esteem and makes them excited about coming to school. --Fifth grade teacher
The computer has been an empowering tool to the students. They have a voice and it's not in any way secondary to anybody else's voice. It's an equal voice. So that's incredibly positive. Motivation to use technology is very high. --Elementary school teacher
In many of these classes, students choose to work on their technology-based projects during recess or lunch periods. Teachers also frequently cite technology's motivational advantages in providing a venue in which a wider range of students can excel. Compared to conventional classrooms with their stress on verbal knowledge and multiple-choice test performance, technology provides a very different set of challenges and different ways in which students can demonstrate what they understand (e.g., by programming a simulation to demonstrate a concept rather than trying to explain it verbally).
A related technology effect stressed by many teachers was enhancement of student self esteem. Both the increased competence they feel after mastering technology-based tasks and their awareness of the value placed upon technology within our culture, led to increases in students' (and often teachers') sense of self worth.
I see more confidence in the kids here. . . . I think it's not just computers, it's a multitude of things, but they can do things on the computers that most of their parents can't do and that's very empowering and exciting for them. It's "I can sit down and make this machine pretty much do what I want to," and there's something about that that gives them an extra little boost of, "Wow, I'm a pretty special person." --Elementary school teacher
Students clearly take pride in being able to use the same computer-based tools employed by professionals. As one teacher expressed it, "Students gain a sense of empowerment from learning to control the computer and to use it in ways they associate with the real world." Technology is valued within our culture. It is something that costs money and that bestows the power to add value. By giving students technology tools, we are implicitly giving weight to their school activities. Students are very sensitive to this message that they, and their work, are important.

Technical Skills
Students, even at the elementary school level, are able to acquire an impressive level of skill with a broad range of computer software (see examples). Although the specific software tools in use will likely change before these students enter the world of work, the students acquire a basic understanding of how various classes of computer tools behave and a confidence about being able to learn to use new tools that will support their learning of new software applications.

Accomplishment of More Complex Tasks
Teachers for the observed classes and activities at the case study sites were nearly unanimous also in reporting that students were able to handle more complex assignments and do more with higher-order skills (see examples) because of the supports and capabilities provided by technology.

More Collaboration with Peers
Another effect of technology cited by a great majority of teachers is an increased inclination on the part of students to work cooperatively and to provide peer tutoring. While many of the classrooms we observed assigned technology-based projects to small groups of students, as discussed above, there was also considerable tutoring going on around the use of technology itself. Collaboration is fostered for obvious reasons when students are assigned to work in pairs or small groups for work at a limited number of computers. But even when each student has a computer, teachers note an increased frequency of students helping each other. Technology-based tasks involve many subtasks (e.g., creating a button for a HyperCard stacks or making columns with word processing software), leading to situations where students need help and find their neighbor a convenient source of assistance. Students who have mastered specific computer skills generally derive pride and enjoyment from helping others.
In addition, the public display and greater legibility of student work creates an invitation to comment. Students often look over each others' shoulders, commenting on each others' work, offering assistance, and discussing what they are doing.
I've also seen kids helping each other a lot at the computer. The ones that pick it up faster, they love teaching it to someone that doesn't know it yet. --Fifth-grade teacher
The ones who have used it from the beginning have become peer coaches. --Fifth-grade teacher
Students' ability to collaborate on substantive content can be further enhanced through the use of software applications specifically designed for this purpose. Students in several classes at one of our case study sites used a research package called CSILE (Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment), for building a communal database and exchanging comments about each others' ideas.
One of our teacher informants made the point that the technology invites peer coaching and that once established, this habit carries over into other classroom activities:
It's a much more facilitating atmosphere because the kids help each other so much on the computer. It changes the style and the tone of the classroom a lot. --Elementary school teacher
Though the use of technology often promoted collaboration and cooperation among students at these case study sites, there were still concerns about appropriate student conduct. Many schools implement acceptable use policies, especially if they offer students access to the Internet. (See examples of Sharenet's formal technology use agreement or other acceptable use policies.)

Increased Use of Outside Resources
Teachers from 10 out of 17 classrooms observed at length cited increased use of outside resources as a benefit of using technology. This effect was most obvious in classrooms that had incorporated telecommunications activities (see examples), but other classes used technologies such as satellite broadcasts, telefacsimiles, and the telephone to help bring in outside resources.

Improved Design Skills/Attention to Audience
Experiences in developing the kinds of rich, multimedia products that can be produced with technology, particularly when the design is done collaboratively so that students experience their peers' reactions to their presentations, appear to support a greater awareness of audience needs and perspectives. Multiple media give students choices about how best to convey a given idea (e.g., through text, video, animation). In part because they have the capability to produce more professional-looking products and the tools to manipulate the way information is presented, students in many technology-using classes are reportedly spending more time on design and audience presentation issues.
They also do more stylistic things in terms of how the paper looks, and if there is something they want to emphasize, they'll change the font . . . they're looking at the words they're writing in a different way. They're not just thinking about writing a sentence, they're doing that, but they are also thinking about, "This is a really important word" or "This is something I want to stand out." And they're thinking in another completely different way about their audience. --Elementary school teacher
While most teachers were positive about the design consciousness that technology fosters, a potential downside was also noted by a few teachers. It is possible for students to get so caught up in issues such as type font or audio clips that they pay less attention to the substantive content of their product. We observed one computer lab within which several students with a research paper assignment spent the entire period coloring and editing the computer graphics for the covers of their as-yet-unwritten reports, pixel by pixel. Teachers are developing strategies to make sure that students do not get distracted by some of the more enticing but less substantive features of technology, for example, by limiting the number of fonts and font sizes available to their students. http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html Advantages of modern gadgets to students:
1. A faster way to search for information (via the Internet)
2. Sometimes a more effective way of learning. (via educational computer programs)
3. Prepares students for the globalized world where computer-literacy is a must.
4. Easier way of communication.
5. Helps students if they have difficulties (homework helpers, etc. )
6. More accessible.
7. Gives students recreation.
8. A larger information source.

Disadvantages:

1. Students tend to be lazy.
2. Computer games such as online games divert the students' attention from school.
3. Can be used for procrastination.
4. Distracts students from schoolwork.
5. Students lose interest in their schoolwork. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071124221627AADHyXD The Advantages of Using Electronic Gadgets in Teaching in School
By Kate Bradley, eHow Contributor

As technology becomes more prevalent in everyday life, schools have an obligation to ensure that students are prepared to use that technology in the workplace. Beyond the obligation, however, are myriad advantages to using technology and electronic gadgets in the classroom.

Quality of Information * With technology and the availability of Internet in the classroom, an entire world of information opens up to students. No longer restricted to outdated textbooks or the knowledge of the teacher, the students have access to the world's most up-to-date and relevant information from diverse global sources. They also have access to sources with a more exciting or interactive approach to the subject. With experience, students learn to quickly distinguish between reputable and non-reputable sources, enabling them to glean large amounts of information in a short time.
Peer Collaboration * The constantly evolving nature of technology encourages students to work collaboratively to find information and complete projects. It also facilitates peer tutoring, with the quicker and more adept students taking over a teaching role to help the weaker students. The vast amount of information and possibilities that technology brings also invites discussion among students, who are quick to comment on others' work and ask for feedback on their own. Technology in the classroom encourages (and perhaps necessitates) the sharing of knowledge and skills among students with disparate backgrounds and abilities, and thus has a unifying effect on classmates.

Behavior and Attitudes * A U.S. Department of Education study on technology and eduction reform found that mastery of technology is a significant source of increased self-esteem and self-confidence, particularly when students use their knowledge to help other students. Students realize how important technology is to future success; thus, technical aptitude can become a crucial motivator. The George Lucas Educational Foundation has also noted among students a stronger tendency to stay on task and reduced behavioral problems when students are engaged in an activity that utilizes technology.
Learning Options * Technology has none of the barriers of traditional teaching methods, such as lecturing, which is typically structured toward a specific learning style. It caters to virtually every learning style. With technology, students have the option of learning visually, textually, through auditory means or even with a hands-on approach, manipulating physical objects instead of simply watching or reading about them. One student may extract understanding from a well-written article online, while another may get the same information from a YouTube video. Teachers now have far more flexibility in their lesson plans along with resources for reaching and engaging every student. With so many technological options available to accommodate different learning styles, the chances for student success increases significantly. http://www.ehow.com/info_7895103_advantages-electronic-gadgets-teaching-school.html The advantages and disadvantages of electronics in schools
The advantages of electronics in school is that it’s convenient to carry students would have information right away. Their notes would be organized. Would boost their enthusiasm for learning and kids could become creative.
Disadvantages would be using them in a wrong way instead of benefiting from them. It might get stolen or broken and that would be cost effective and devastating especially if students have been working on something and suddenly it’s lost. Seen that and been there. And it could distract some students rather in focusing on what it’s being taught in class.
Now that Noble County is offering laptops,ipads and ipods to schools, Allen County is also considering to give laptops to middle school students. But there are multiple concerns rising. Some parents are bothered by the idea of having laptops in classrooms. Some science teachers are worried that textbooks for high school won’t be bought. It might have an effect on high school students since the idea will be introduced to middle school students and not high school students. A meeting was held to discuss the plan, matters of laptop prices and textbooks.
The question now and debate which hits those parents in communities that are introducing laptops,ipads and ipods to students in school is; “should laptops be banned in classrooms and whether they are beneficial or distracting to students?”. It’s certainly a thought that parents will come across. http://www.examiner.com/article/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-electronics-schools Is the use of laptops in the classroom beneficial or a distraction?
The use of laptops in the classroom are beneficial tools, under the supervision of the instructor. Advances in technology have propelled many mediums of learning to a whole new dimension and standard. Information can now be researched and accessed at speeds once never imagined. Yet, this dynamic tool must be used with limitations and supervision in the classroom.
Classroom period sessions are often limited to 45 minutes, or so. Teachers have the responsibility of disseminating information to classrooms of about 30 students, in the hopes that the lessons will be transformed into beneficial knowledge in the hearts and minds of the students. Teachers often need to look to supportive learning tools to make their lessons more effective in the classroom.
Through the use of laptops in the classroom, teachers can spend their time developing three-dimensional and animated graphs and presentations. Teachers can share these projects, with one click of a button, to all of their students. Teachers can also further mainstream their lessons, by providing on-line tools that monitor the progress of each student, during the actual classroom session.
Of course, there are concerns with the use of laptops in the classroom, as well. This is where teachers have to become more active guardians over the activities of their students in the classroom. Maybe such tools as remote desktop viewing of each students laptops, as well as old-fashioned walking around the classroom, may keep students in line with using the laptop only for classroom purposes. Nevertheless, students are entrusted to their teachers to learn, so the environment of learning, and not free roaming, must be maintained under the teacher's supervision.
Laptops, however, are extremely valuable tools for any educator. Teachers can open up the world to their students, through the use of a laptop. Educational enhancements and live coverage of world events are amongst the many valuable assets a laptop can offer today's educator.
Having the use of laptops incorporated in the classroom setting also affords teachers the opportunity to teach the constructive use of the actual laptop. They can supervise the technological skills of the students, with which the student can then utilize this technology, with success, beyond the classroom. If teachers help their students become efficient with Internet usage, then the students can access information at home, at the library, or in any other setting.
All educators have the responsibility to young people, to help them avoid distractions in their educational development. Educators have to be active in deterring harm from their students, which can come in many forms and through many avenues. Laptop usage is not immune to this responsibility, which, if extended to the students in the classroom, may actually help the students develop healthy approaches to education and lifelong learning.