Argumentative essay:

Should Schools embrace Computers and Technology?

Should Schools embrace Computers and Technology?

"Technology is just a tool, In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important part."-Bill Gates Nowadays technology is everything, letters have been replaced by E-mails, family gatherings have been replaced with video calls and so on,to be specific it has controlled our daily lives and we can't eliminate it or in other words" survive without it". Using computers and technology in schools is a system in which most schools are following nowadays, yes it is a blessing but in some cases can be a burden as well. Using technology and computers in a school may make the school sound modern and more advanced , but in reality its the opposite. Why? Because students nowadays are more dependent on computers rather than their own brain usage, and are lacking creativity , its all because these "tools" are doing it all for them. Its destroying their ability to be creative and using brain power instead of direct calculations and answers, but on the other hand its helping them educating themselves more ,if they're using it in the right way and by not using it excessively in a way which they'll be dependant on it more than their brains .On what are its positive and negative aspects will be written after this brief introduction and on how can we can make technology and computers more useful to students in this era..

The Good side To begin from a positive side a recent study from researchers at Columbia University found that "digital technology does change the way your brain works".

Tracy, P. A. (2011, july 21). Is technology making our brains lazy? . Retrieved from www.psycologytoday.com

This research was done by Tracy Alloway, Ph.D., the Director of the Center for Memory and Learning in the Lifespan at the University of Stirling, UK. She took young people from different age categories who are using technology on daily basis and studied how things are processed into their minds ,and their ability to remember data. The results were positive they suggested that technology doesn't make our brains lazier but "more efficient". Instead of having to fill up our mental 'space' with lots of information, this space is now freed up so focus on other things. Like how to best succeed in the workplace with creative and efficient ideas using what you know! The Bad side This might be a great news but lets look at the other side of the story, the main idea of education is to develop an individual and to introduce him/her to new knowledge, and by using computers and technology its going to make learning more easier for young minds and a more exciting way to remember their lessons which are taught in school. and technology is said to be enhance that. Unfortunately a study in 2012 proved that technology may do our students more harm than it is educating them,in a way which "reveals the harm that too much television and other digital screens can cause harm to kids growing up over time".

Ryan, A. (2012, June). Too much technology for kids is bad for development, says new study. Retrieved from www.examiner.com

So basically what's the use of technology if its harming students growth,his/her mental performance and even the physical aspects.The study also reports that letting a
bit of technology do all of a childs thinking for him or her can slow down their own thinking skills little by little over time.

What about the Health risks? There is nothing more important than a child's health ,what if the method in which the child is using to educate himself is destroying his health as well? If the students are using computers to study ,then for sure they're spending quiet a long time on it ,but the excessive use of computers and the prolonged surfing of the internet may cause some serious and risky health conditions to the users. As posted in www.wikipedia.com about computer users health risk,they mentioned that people who are using computers can be victims of one of these health cases:
Carpal tunnel syndrome: it is a medical problem associated with computer

related work, CTS is a stress-related injury caused by repetitive movement of joints,

especially the wrist, and can lead to numerous musculoskeletal problems,this is

because of poorly placed computer components and extensive typing over a long
period of time, and it is obvious that most of the students who are willing to study won't focus on the safety precautions given by their school or teacher.

Computer vision syndrome:In many cases ,frequent computer users may suffer

from this ,as it says in its name ,it is related to the health of the users eyes ,where it can cause severe blurriness to the eyes and unclear vision ,this is

caused by cathode rays which are reflected from the computer screens to young eyes.
Musculoskeletal problems: This syndrome can lead to unbearable pain in the

backbone and may change the position of the neck ,shoulder, and the back area due to sitting in wrong position while using computers ,it is said that it is an advantage that using computers can lower the risk of back pain and shoulder damage because of the elimination of books ,but in this case it can be more dangerous than books as it will damage the shoulders and the surrounding area. These kinds of health risks may be cured by today's technology but why take the risk? Games and Distractions Video games are a big hit in many students life ,because of that if students are provided with computers at school ,they can easily access their desired web page or video game without the teacher knowing about it ,it will reflect on the students behaviour and performance well,computers can also distract while studying incase there is no limit on internet usage which will affect the child's grades later on

Using the Computer in a more balanced way As we are in the 21st century,yes its sure that we cant eliminate technology from our liver neither can we do the same to books. ,but everything has its own consequences and rules. Using computers may help in a students life but why not use both books and computers and try to balance it out ,students can enjoy the astonishing world

of technology and use the good old method of books at the same time ,but limit should be given for each element ,for example limiting the time given to use computers in a way that it wont exceed 6 hours of usage,and schools which are providing advanced technology should provide students with safety precautions if computer use is needed and each student should follow the given rules.T eachers or the supervisors who are responsible for students computers should block or limit unwanted internet usage so that the student will concentrate more during class and will receive no distractions while the class is going on.