New technology is changing the way students study as well as take notes. (Kevin Kadooka -- The Beacon)
By Sarah Hansell, Staff Writer -- hansell14@up.edu
Whenever we surf the Internet, we see headlines about new gadgets and electronic devices to make our lives easier. The headlines read something like, "Newest Multi-Tasking Touch-Screen Hand-Held iMachine Takes Nation by Storm." Masses of people camp out the night before in front of the store that will be selling this magnificent new product at 6 a.m.
The truth is, these new gadgets aren't just products to keep the market going. They are revolutionizing the classroom, especially in college, where it is becoming increasingly normal to bring your laptop or netbook to class instead of your spiral-bound notebook and No. 2 pencils.
"I don't think how students learn has changed. I think we've started to recognize how students learn differently," Courtney Fletcher, communication studies professor, said. "I think technology, if harnessed correctly, can aid these different learning styles,"
In 2007, Amazon came out with the Kindle, a six-inch touch screen on which you can download and read books.
In April of 2010, the iPad was released, one-upping the Kindle with Apple's slightly bigger screen and full internet capabilities. It's basically a touchscreen laptop without the keyboard.
"Actually having an iPad really helps me, because it's a lot more portable than carrying around a laptop," freshman Cassandra Tenorio said.
In addition to the Kindle and the iPad, students also can use applications (apps) on the iPhone for study-related activities. There are apps available on the iPhone for reading novels, taking notes and a Bible app.
The UP Bookstore has also followed the trend of going paperless by offering an e-book alternative to buying textbooks. E-books are a much cheaper option.
"They are, I believe, about 45 percent less expensive than buying a new textbook," Erin Bright, manager of the UP Bookstore, said.
Despite the lower price, many students still settle on the hard copy.
"They're still fairly new to the market, so most students are still more comfortable with a purchase or rental," Bright said.
However, there are students who use e-books and are satisfied with them.
"I don't have to carry books, I can just keep them on a netbook," junior Adrian Gorman said. "Then I can carry one thing around instead of having to juggle with several."
Having all these new gadgets for taking notes, reading and following along with class material has an effect on the classroom.
"It definitely shifts the classroom dynamic" Fletcher said. "You definitely see a lot more focus on multi-tasking."
These new gadgets can be detrimental to the classroom — now you can check Facebook and play online games during class under the guise of taking notes or following along with the discussion.
"I think that it can be effective but most people don't use it effectively," freshman Chase Calvi said. "Some people just check their Facebook rather than do any class-related stuff."
But they also can help — you can take notes faster, get quick, easy and open access to information, and do all of your work and studying on one device, rather than wasting the paper on numerous notebooks and textbooks.
"It can be used as an effective tool as note-taking and whatnot, and it can help you look up further
information toward a subject you're looking at in class," Calvi said.
