We’ve all heard this argument before. A student wanting to use their phone in class. Whether it’s high school or college, the argument remains. I would like to take time on both sides of the aisle, listing reasons why technology in classrooms could be good, and also why it could be bad.

If a student fails a test or class because of phone or laptop usage, is it not their fault? In moderation, the usage of technology in classes is not harmful to education. It is, however, harmful if they are not focusing on their work. Not every student is that stereotypical, not interested in learning, kind of student. Some are actually quite studious, yes, even the ones on their phones. After all, if Apple didn’t allow technology use at their headquarters, in meetings and such, would they make as much progress? Possibly, but in this case, technology is the gateway to progress. In a classroom, the situation is a bit different.

Replacing boardroom chairs and the long table with cramped desks, we see something we probably wouldn’t see at Apple’s headquarters. Boredom.

If someone is bored, then they’re not paying attention, and they don’t need to be staring at their phone or computer to not be paying attention. They could be looking straight ahead and not be listening to the teacher. Eye contact does not equal attentiveness. Chances are that if they’re looking at their phone, they still hear you, and their brain is still processing something. If the choices are either no retention or partial retention of information, I think partially is better. And if it takes letting a student text a friend in class to get partial retention, then that seems like a small price to pay.

I think it’s important we debunk the myth that 13 to 20-year-olds can not multitask, meaning they can’t listen to the teacher and be on their phone.

Now, this also doesn’t mean that every “millennial” is capable of that kind of multitasking, or wants to be. I cannot preach for moderation enough. There is a fine line people shouldn’t be able to cross.

For example, someone doesn’t need headphones on in class, that is definitely a distraction. It has been proven that people can’t listen to music and listen to a lecture at the same time, without information retention issues. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, wrote in his book Brain Rules, that the human brain is only capable of holding about seven pieces of information for less than 30 seconds. This means that if someone is listening to music while the professor is talking, then it’s very likely they aren’t retaining either the music or the lecture. Additionally, this logic applies to scrolling through Twitter or Facebook. If someone is reading a story online, or replying to their friends' tweet, then their brain is more focused on the words they see on the screen than the spoken ones.

My argument supporting the use of technology in classrooms is that it could be a gateway to learning for some students.

Also, if the student fails the class because they were on their phone, it is not the teacher's fault. Technology in the classroom can be good though. If a student can look up a concept, topic, or phrase that they don’t understand, and find it in words they do understand, and it doesn’t disrupt the class, then nothing has been lost. Worth mentioning also is the fact that some students have trouble writing for extended periods of time, and find it easier to type. The jury is still out, and may never come back, but in my opinion, technology is a benefit to modern-day classrooms.

One argument against technology use in classrooms is that it could be very distracting for the teacher. It can also be seen as disrespectful. Also, school has existed for hundreds of years, and the concept of gaining knowledge from one qualified person has lasted even longer. The phrase “Ethos”, meaning “good knowledge”, embodies the concept of learning things from someone who has more knowledge than you. I seriously doubt that you will gain Ethos from Twitter when there is a professor right in front of you.

In his book, Medina also mentions memory and attention, he says “When you’re online, you’re always distracted. So the always online organization is the always unproductive organization." Just like computers, our brains have a finite amount of memory, and if you’re texting or scrolling through Twitter, you’re actually using more memory than you think. According to Medina, “…research shows your error rate goes up 50 perfect and it takes you twice as long to do things." Medina mentions that the brain is not capable of high-level multitasking, meaning you can’t process spoken words (from the professor) and typed words from social media or a friend.

In general, it’s up to the teacher as to their policy on technology use in their classroom.

I’ve seen both worlds, and I see the advantages and disadvantages of both. Sometimes, the verdict varies day to day. Some days, I see the benefits of a student being allowed to have their phone in class, and other days I wish that the professor had said no to technology. Either way, a good percentage of people don’t follow the rules that the professor sets up anyways. Technology in classrooms is all about personal preference, some people like it and some people don’t. I personally can see the framework being built in our society for high-tech classrooms. With all types of technology becoming more available, tech in classrooms is an inevitable outcome.