In the video, “A Vision of Students Today”, Michael Wesch evaluates the way in which schooling has adapted to the industrialization of culture over time, and how this adaptation has affected students.
Michael Wesch’s “A Vision of Students Today,” correctly defines the importance of efficiently using technology in the U.S. educational system, because if students do not control their devices, their devices will control them. This is exemplified through the use of a survey taken by over two-hundred students, each who contributed personal answers on what it is like to be a student today. Throughout the production of the survey, Wesch provides multiple illustrations of how technology is hurting education more than it is helping it. For example, “I Facebook through most of my classes,” (Wesch) and “I bring my laptop to class, but I’m not working on class stuff,” (Wesch) are only a few of the confessions made by his students, which confirm the negative influences of too much technological availability. When people are given unrestrained access to social networks or non-beneficial websites, and manipulate that access, any possibility of productive learning at the same time is canceled out. This idea is similarly displayed in an article by Robyn-Jay Bage, who describes the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in schools, “As an educator, I am dismayed at the number of students who sit in class and use their phones to text, answer email, watch videos and update their social networking pages. No matter the activity—lecture, large group discussion, or small group work— and no matter how creative and engaging it may be, these handheld devices command interest and attention,” (Klaus). The interest and attention which technology demands can be so forceful, that students can become addicted to the point where they cannot go without it. For instance, the participants in Michael Wesch’s survey averaged their results and came up with the schedule of a typical college student's day, “I spend 1.5 hours watching TV every night. I spend 3.5 hours a day online in general. I listen to music 2.5 hours a day. I spend 2 hours on my cell phone” (Wesch). Combined, the amount of time a normal college student will use consumed with technology equals out to around 10 hours. Assuming that each student will spend 8 hours sleeping a day and also holds a job, leaves barely any time left for leisure activities- much of which will be spent studying. This type of schedule results in lack of sleep and inefficient studying, and is unhealthy for people. Students are so addicted to technology, that they cannot pull away from it, which wastes time that could be used to further their education. As is clearly expressed by Michael Wesch in “A Vision of Students Today,” technology; alluring and easily abused, weakens the education of students everywhere when misused.
Michael Wesch’s “A Vision of Students Today,” correctly defines the importance of efficiently using technology in the U.S. educational system, because if students do not control their devices, their devices will control them. This is exemplified through the use of a survey taken by over two-hundred students, each who contributed personal answers on what it is like to be a student today. Throughout the production of the survey, Wesch provides multiple illustrations of how technology is hurting education more than it is helping it. For example, “I Facebook through most of my classes,” (Wesch) and “I bring my laptop to class, but I’m not working on class stuff,” (Wesch) are only a few of the confessions made by his students, which confirm the negative influences of too much technological availability. When people are given unrestrained access to social networks or non-beneficial websites, and manipulate that access, any possibility of productive learning at the same time is canceled out. This idea is similarly displayed in an article by Robyn-Jay Bage, who describes the advantages and disadvantages of using technology in schools, “As an educator, I am dismayed at the number of students who sit in class and use their phones to text, answer email, watch videos and update their social networking pages. No matter the activity—lecture, large group discussion, or small group work— and no matter how creative and engaging it may be, these handheld devices command interest and attention,” (Klaus). The interest and attention which technology demands can be so forceful, that students can become addicted to the point where they cannot go without it. For instance, the participants in Michael Wesch’s survey averaged their results and came up with the schedule of a typical college student's day, “I spend 1.5 hours watching TV every night. I spend 3.5 hours a day online in general. I listen to music 2.5 hours a day. I spend 2 hours on my cell phone” (Wesch). Combined, the amount of time a normal college student will use consumed with technology equals out to around 10 hours. Assuming that each student will spend 8 hours sleeping a day and also holds a job, leaves barely any time left for leisure activities- much of which will be spent studying. This type of schedule results in lack of sleep and inefficient studying, and is unhealthy for people. Students are so addicted to technology, that they cannot pull away from it, which wastes time that could be used to further their education. As is clearly expressed by Michael Wesch in “A Vision of Students Today,” technology; alluring and easily abused, weakens the education of students everywhere when misused.
