District 117 has given the student body a very new type of technology. For the first time ever, they have decided that students will be going “paperless” and getting their own customizable Chromebook laptops. This can either be very helpful to our learning or very distracting.

Technology has impacted almost every aspect of life, and education is no exception. Today, huge amounts of information are available at student’s fingertips through the internet. Technology has also begun to change the roles of teachers and learners both. Previously, teachers were the only source of information for students. However, in some classrooms today the role of teachers has shifted to more of a guide as students use technology to gather their own information. Technology is a powerful tool that can support and transform education in many ways, from making it easier for teachers to create instructional materials to enabling new ways for people to learn and work together. 

However, there is a downside to technology as well.

According to Matt Richtel, the writer of “Technology Changing How Students Learn,” some technologies that students use dampens their attention spans and their ability to persevere in the face of challenging tasks.

This can be inconvenient for student education and lead to bad habits. Brooke Polous, a sophomore at Antioch Community High School, explains her point of view.

“These new Chromebooks are not good for me because I learn visually and I remember things more when I write them down,” Polous said. “[They’re] also a pretty big distraction because when you have a piece of paper, that’s just one thing you have to focus on, but when you have a Chromebook you can play games or really do anything you want except your own work.”   

Overall, Chromebooks seem to have a negative affect on students and how it affects their learning. It can be a  distraction to students, especially to those who already have a hard time focusing on their school work.