Technology Trouble
Did you know the average teen uses about thirty-one hours of technology per week? Technology has improved the world in many good ways, but teens are not using it for good reasons… Most of it is being done in the classroom, yes the classroom.
Teens are manipulating there resources into their own benefit, but not in a good way. Instead of doing their class work, they chat with friends across the room or playing computer games when teachers are not looking. Cell phones are a big distraction. Teachers have noticed that teens are sneaking their cell phones into the classroom and they start texting. And on top of that them text answers to quizzes and tests! This is getting out of hand! Teen’s text about break-ups and other stupid topics as a replacement for studies and paying attention in class.
A survey was conducted in Sanford, NC. Sixty-five students at a High School were asked questions about their usage of texting and instant messaging. The surveys were anonymous to unsure an honest answer. The students were asked the following questions: ? Do you text or instant message or both? ? How many hours a day do you text? ? How many text messages do you send each day ? Do you text during school hours ? Have you ever used text messaging to cheat on an assignment or test? If so how often? The survey was interesting and here were the results: It was settle on that out of the 65 students, two instant messaged and 29 texts messaged. Thirty students said that they both texted and instant messaged.
Four students did not have an answer nor did not text message or instant message. It was determined that averages of 323 text messages were sent in a day by these 59 students. Fifty –one of the 59 students, or 86.4 percent, text message in class. Also, on average, 38 text messages are sent in a 90-minute class period. When asked if they have used texting to cheat on a test or assignment, nine students, or 15.
3 percent, responded yes. Now the first text message was sent from the computer to a cell phone and it said “Merry Christmas” but it changed communication forever. In the U.S. texting has become a money maker for cellular providers. It all comes back to teenagers, ages 13 to 17 years old, which reportedly send and or receive, on average 1,742 text messages a month.
While teens originally made more phone calls a month, their call usage has dropped to an average 231 calls a month! In the meantime when you think your child is doing their homework upstairs in their room they might be doing anything like watching videos on Youtube™, instant messaging answers to tests and more. One of the software that teens are using these days is Skype ™. During classes, I see a lot of people chatting with their friends across the rooms and they don’t get caught. Most of the people that chat do not get good grades in school and they don’t understand that they are ruing their lives. Teens are also getting very lazy and not exercising.
While the watch TV the usually eat and drink soda and eat fatty foods. On top of that they do not exercise and start gaining weight, and they get heart problems and blood vessel clots. As you can see technology can be a bad thing. If teens get wrapped in technology they will ruin their lives. Teen’s grades are going to plummet, or they are going to start getting obese. I hope that teens can put their PS3 controller down or stop watching TV, and read a book, study for a test or play outside! There is a great world outside of PS3’s or TV and teens have to start living their lives.
