As technology advances, so too does our ability to creatively solve problems. Whether it be using a built-in GPS application on our Smart Phone to find a destination or tracking down old classmates using social media sites–technology has changed the way we approach situations. No where is this more apparent then in the college classroom. These days, college students are able to utilize the multitude of creative solutions made possible by computer technology to balance lives chock-full of midterms, exams and budding social lives. In fact, this generation of college students has grown up in an already computer literate world, and that fact, coupled with the burgeoning market of tech products, makes this group of young adults equipped to deal with time management and scholarly pursuits better than ever before.
Technology provides students with solutions that go above and beyond:
Students no longer have to take notes completely by hand, hoping their writing is legible come study time. Laptop computers are an easy solution to this problem as most students are already well-equipped typists. Students can easily transport a laptop to and from class as most laptops are designed for portability.
The internet provides a simple solution for students and professors alike, as instructors no longer have to photocopy and hand out tons of supplemental course materials to their classes. Instead, students can access this material on websites (such as Blackboard) where their professor has posted them directly. Because everything is in one location and so easily accessible, this eliminates the need for tracking down a professor if a sheet is lost or even keeping track of all materials in a folder or notebook. Entire text books can also be downloaded to laptops or e-readers. This technological alternative is usually much cheaper than a physical copy and solves a financial problem that many college students struggle with.
College can become a daunting and lonely experience, especially for freshmen or transfer students. Meeting new people while trying to keep up with the academic rigors of course load can sometimes become overwhelming. At larger institutions, the extreme class sizes make it difficult for students to meet peers. Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook can assist students with matching names and personalities to the faces they see in the classroom.
Before college campuses got wired up to the world wide web, students had to make sure physical copies of their assignments were turned in to their professor by the due date. Even when situations occurred that were beyond the students control, the lack of that physical copy could be the difference between a pass and a fail. However, with the help of email, now students who are sick, in a snow storm, or dealing with a family emergency 4 states South can email their assignments right to their teacher’s inbox.
Because of the plethora of scholarly articles and journals online, students no longer have to deal with relying on finding research materials strictly from bookstores and libraries, where books can be out of stock and periodicals can be checked out (until after the due-date)!
Most importantly, technology has revolutionized communication. Email, Google Chat, message boards, and Facebook groups all work to keep the lines of communication between student and faculty open and readily available. This serves as a wonderful solution because the communication is immediate and can be done from virtually anywhere. Students can ask questions about their assignment, link up with classmates for a study group, peer review papers and alert teachers to an upcoming absence without hassle and without doing much more than clicking a few keys.
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