After almost 12 years of sitting in class rooms for hours doing nothing but copying down notes from the board, I finally thought it would come to an end with our laptops and DyKnow. Some teachers have made good use of this new technology but most have no idea how to use it. The DyKnow software enables teachers to send students documents, notes, video links, PowerPoint’s and more. Students can also submit homework and essays through the software.

However, nothing has changed. Why spend countless hours a week copying down notes when we can simply have them sent to us? It would save numerous hours per quarter in order to cover more material in class.

With the 2014 class being the first class to all receive their own laptops, now every student at Elder has a laptop. If teachers implemented the DyKnow software into everyday classes I think it would be much more efficient and more worth the money that our parents pay for our education.

For the most part, a basic day at Elder includes going to seven different classes, sitting down and typing away at your computer copying down notes from your teacher. Teachers stand there and wait for you to copy down the notes and then continue to explain what the notes mean in greater detail. But why waste time copying down the notes when we could have them sent to us over the DyKnow software instantly?

One theory is that students will remember the material better when it is copied down themselves because this helps us process and think about what we are writing down. However most of the time students don’t even comprehend what they are writing down rather they just write down whatever they are told to and then try to study it all the night before.

I think that if we cut out the down time used to copy notes and did more hands on activities in classes such as chemistry, physiology etc. it would be a much more effective way to utilize our computers and class time.

Overall I think the computers are a nice tool but can often be more of a distraction then a tool to aid in our learning. Students are often distracted by our laptops and constantly trying to find new ways around the schools restrictions. If the devices were used as much as they are in classes in which teachers are technology educated I wouldn’t even think twice whether the computers are effective or a nuisance.

Typing notes rather than writing them saves time, paper and ink but why not cut out the time aspect all together and have the notes sent to us directly? Then the question may come, why even come to school? If the notes are sent to us, tests are online, homework can be submitted online, why wake up early to come to school?

This may be an interesting argument made by students in the not so far away future. Will students even need to come to school in the next 10-20 years, or will everything be done at home due to the advanced technology? It will definitely be interesting to see how technology effects education in the future.