The Age of Distraction
If you were to walk into a classroom in today’s world, you would see heads down and phones in hand. It seems almost impossible to go into public and not see someone on a mobile device. Whether it’s an iPhone, tablet, computer, or whatever new gadget they have out today, everyone seems to be looking down at the one in their hands. We are all to blame when parents are giving children these devices at such young ages, students are more entertained with what is on social media, and no one seems to be able to communicate or interact without something in their hand. It’s time to put down the electronic gadgets and look up.
Though some electronics and media are beneficial for countless uses, there seems to be a larger issue with distraction on college campuses. Student’s think they have the ability to use their phones for personal uses and focus on lectures at the same time. Many students also seem to believe they are invincible when it comes to walking and texting. According to a study in the January issue of The Teaching Professor, “. . . students who use their mobile phones during class lectures tend to write down less information, recall less information, and perform worse on a multiple-choice test than those students who abstain from using their mobile phones during class.” This goes to show just how much of participation and attentiveness is declining within students today and damaging the learning experience.
Many teachers find it hard to keep their students focused when there are electronics in the classroom. Before this age of distraction, student’s only options were to look out the window or pass notes to each other. In contrary, phones, especially smart phones, can be beneficial in the classroom. Students have the ability to look up information right at their fingertips when needed and are able to take notes. However, according to the Pew Internet Study, 71% of students send and receive text messages while in class. Distractions like these are increasing daily and students are finding it harder to concentrate on simple tasks and improve their grades. For example, two years ago, writer Peter Bergman wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review Blog Network discussing the issue in which multi-tasking can decrease participation and concentration as much as 40% and creates a 10-point decrease in your IQ.
Students who try to multi-task by trying to listen to lectures, take notes in class and be on their cell phones at the same time are finding everything harder when it comes to concentrating and taking tests. Even being on your cell phone and walking throughout campus has become a major issue. Students seem to think they can easily look down at their phones when walking from place to place and not run into others. Students and faculty have agree that this is just as much of an issue as is cell phone distractions. Peter Bergman also noted that the downfalls with multitasking such as this can damage the IQ just as much as losing a night of sleep and has twice the effect of smoking marijuana. A fact as severe as this one should be a major wake up call to students.
Cell phones have become a major issue and distraction in today’s world of learning. Students are becoming more distraught and incapable of completing schoolwork properly and focusing on matters that are more important. It is time to set the phones down, pull our heads up and focus on what really matters.
Halleigh Shammo, Kent State sophomore, is clearly distracted by her cell phone while trying to study for her final exams this week at the university library.
Three students killing time on their cellphones while waiting to partake in a psychology research assignment in Kent Hall.
Three Kent State freshman, Abbey Stopperich, Stacey Nicodemus, and Kayla Steiner, in their room being distracted by their cellphones instead of making conversation.
Nicole Zahn 