Technology

Teenagers are often faced with tough decisions regarding college choice, major and what activities to pursue, but parents have other concerns once these decisions have been made. Modern technology can be both beneficial and detrimental to teens and the college experience. Parents can spend four years worrying about their teen and what she is doing or trust that she will make all the correct decisions and shy away from anything that could hurt her or her family. Although technology has revolutionized learning abilities in classrooms, the speed that teenagers communicate, the methods that teachers present material and the future benefits in choosing a career in technology, it also has damaging and sometimes permanent effects. A removal from society, both physically and mentally, can transpire, as well as the development of serious disorders that strain teenagers in key years of life. Parents often worry about the safety of the internet and the effects modern technology will have on their child. Because new equipment is constantly updated, teens want to have the latest: phones, computers and MP3 players, to satisfy their communication needs. Parents may worry that new applications like text messaging and mobile internet will cause problems in school with sentence structure in writing and in social settings because of the loss of face to face communication, a loss that comes with an e-mail or text message. It has been proven that “teens now do more texting on their cell phones than calling” as Donna St. George of The Washington Post discovered while writing her article “6,473 Texts a Month, But At What Cost'”. David E. Meyer, a professor at the University of Michigan confirms “it’s a huge cultural phenomenon with huge down-the-road consequences”(St. George). But do parents have the responsibility to limit their college bound teenager in any way from using a form of communication or technology' Technology is not harmful as long as it does not engulf a person’s life; undoubtedly, if a teen utilizes the advantages of technology in moderation, it can be an extremely useful tool on various levels. Laptops have become essential to college life but they can produce hidden fees for Wi-Fi connections and other unknown or unexpected charges. With websites like Facebook and Myspace comes the newly emerging problem of internet predators. Because the sites are so public about people’s lives, it is easy for predators to latch onto a person and track them to the point of serious consequences. Parents only want what is best for their child and would never want a disaster to arise because of pictures that were posted or a conversation that occurred on the internet. Equally damaging is the concern of public embarrassment on sites like Myspace and Facebook. These websites are becoming the fastest way to connect with hundreds of people at one time, and allow the world to see whatever is posted about a person. Parents can also be publicly humiliated if a child posts inappropriate pictures or comments on the internet. Comments and pictures can easily be printed or e-mailed for the world to see and can destroy a family’s name if a child does not watch what is placed on the internet. Some forms of technology benefit everyday life, education and communication. Distance learning is an extraordinary tool that allows teens all over the country to connect with far away teachers and classrooms in order to be taught in areas that would regularly not be available. The parents in a Midwest Regional Forum discovered that “as students have access to new and different types of information, [they] can manipulate it on the computer through graphic displays or controlled experiments in ways never before possible, and can communicate their results and conclusions in a variety of media to their teacher… or students around the world”(). Allowing students to connect globally, the internet and other multimedia devices used in schools, engages students in new ways; similarly, it can set up a potential future in a technological field of study or work. Because of the changing world and the growth of technology, “by the 21st century, 60 percent of all jobs in the nation will require skills in computer and network use”(). By training children, beginning at a young age, to use computers and technology available, parents and educators are preparing a child for the rest of her life and the real world. Technology also plays a considerable role in college major. Dr. Mel Schiavelli, a professor at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology stated “more than half of the careers created over the next ten years will require a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics education… and the number of science-related positions is increasing rapidly”(Rowh). Potential jobs can come from a person’s desire do work with, develop or study technology. Accessing technology now could possibly lead to a thriving career in a field of research, robotics, renewable energy or artificial intelligence (Rowh). Today’s youth is the future of the planet and must be conscientious by looking to the future and realizing the potential to develop breakthroughs in both science and medicine. Conversely, technology is causing a rapid loss of social abilities and is sparking the expansion of various diseases that were once sparse in teenagers. Patricia Dalton, a clinical psychologist, discerns in her article “We’re Only Human: And None of Us Are Made to Run like Machines” how the brutal effects of modern technology can be harmful to the human body and psyche. The invention of the light bulb has altered the hours a person can exploit. Sleep disorders are becoming common because people cannot obtain eight hours of deep, dream-filled sleep which “helps discharge tensions, restore energy and rebuild a foundation for stable functioning” (Dalton). Sleep deprivation is a huge concern for a parent sending a child off to college for the first time. Many college students are found to be on “’college-time’” and have the worst sleep habits due to the hectic schedule and grueling studies involved in the college lifestyle (Dalton). Depression is also resulting from lack of sleep, lack of “appetite… and [lack of] enjoyment”. Due to an unhealthy appetite and less physical activity, teens gain weight, and according to Dalton “a healthy appetite is a sign of a healthy animal”; moreover, teens in the first year of college often forget good eating habits and gain significant amounts of weight. The presence of video games and iPods keep people, especially teens, isolated from the outside world. Video games keep players inside, starring at a TV screen while the rest of the world functions around them. This removal occurs because of the addicting nature of the game and the alternate world a person is submerged into while playing a video game. The convenience of a small music device thrills people as the iPod lures its buyers with all the features it now possesses. The world has responded to the all-in-one capabilities with an obsession seen everywhere. Walking down the streets of New York, Andrew Sullivan realized people live in a world unique to themselves which is dominated by the likes of the individual. By stepping out of his iWorld he saw the effects that technology has when people live on a “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t hear, don’t observe. Just tune in and tune out” basis (Sullivan). People isolate themselves from the world to try and dull the “monotony of the commute” or slip away to get away into a different place for a few minutes (Sullivan). People become self-absorbed and “masters of [their] own interests” as they shrink into the music world (Sullivan). People must overcome this new lifestyle and remember that true reality does exist and that life is not one long playlist. Technology has forced many to sink into themselves and has caused significant disturbances to the human body and mind. Distance learning and technology in the classroom sets up a feasible future in a technology base. However, the methods used in college to achieve this goal, or any other goals, can be disrupted by the presence of too much technology that is not used in the correct manner. If a balance can be achieved, anything is possible for a teenager, if she pursues with drive and passion. Technology should be used in the classroom and in studies to aid class work and used minimally in outside time that takes away from studying. It is imperative to stay social and active the community and to keep from sinking into a technological shell. The choices a person faces on a daily basis are not of the same magnitude as those of choosing the right college and what to do as a career. Teenagers are often torn between two paths, sometimes both are correct, sometimes one is blatantly wrong, sometimes shades of gray. Parents assist in significant decisions but also have reserves about safety and if their personal belief is correct. Technology impacts everyone’s lives differently, if used properly, can lead to many opportunities, and even life-changing events; on the contrary, too much technology can lead to serious consequences and parents should be cautious of their teenager’s usage.