Running head: STUDENTS DEPENDENCE ON PERSONAL DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 1 STUDENTS DEPENDENCE ON PERSONAL DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 2 Students Are Harmed By Their Dependence on Personal Digital Technology December 2, 2016 WALSH, K. (2012, June 20). Pros and cons of digital devices in the hands of young students. Retrieved from EmergingEd Tech: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/06/pros-and-cons-of-digital-devices-in-the-hands-of-young-students/ In her article, “Pros and cons of digital devices in the hands of young students” Walsh, (2012) evaluates the various advantages as well as disadvantages that accrue from students’ use of technology devices. Walsh expresses her worry concerning the extent to which students are using computers tablets among other devices. Even though she agrees that the devices have their advantages, wash still maintains that the devices, have numerous distractors and they may also expose the students to inappropriate content. Moreover, she argues that the digital technology also exposes the students to some health issues. Mateo, S. (2911, June 1). Digital Dependence of Today's College Students Revealed in New Study from CourseSmart. Retrieved from PR Newswire: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-dependence-of-todays-college-students-revealed-in-new-study-from-coursesmart-122935548.html Mateo, (2011) compiled the research findings of research concerning the dependence of college students on digital devices. The research had been carried out by Coursemart. The findings reveal that students are wholly dependent on digital devices these days. In fact, 98% of the students that participated in the survey had digital devices (Mateo, 2011). Straumsheim, C. (2016, January 26). Digital Distractions. Retrieved from Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/26/study-use-devices-class-nonclass-purposes-rise The article, “digital distraction” by Straumsheim, (2016) discusses the consequences of the overdependence of students on digital devices. Straumsheim, (2016) reports that the average student uses the digital devices for non-educational purposes. Moreover, the students sometimes use the devices, during class. Such behavior derails their concentration and in fact, harms their grades. As such, Straumsheim, (2016) report’s that the students, end up not paying attention in class, losing grade points, missing instructions, destructing others and also getting called out by their instructor. Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on Children. Retrieved from [email protected]:http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1212&context=srhonorsprog Hatch, (2011) analyses the negative as well as the positive sides of technology to children. She argues that even though digital media has its advantages to children, it also has numerous cons.as such, the research reports that the dependence on digital media has health adversities, on the students and it also changes their ...

1. Running head: STUDENTS DEPENDENCE ON PERSONAL
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY 1
STUDENTS DEPENDENCE ON PERSONAL DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY 2
Students Are Harmed By Their Dependence on Personal Digital
Technology
December 2, 2016
WALSH, K. (2012, June 20). Pros and cons of digital devices in
the hands of young students. Retrieved from EmergingEd Tech:
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/06/pros-and-cons-of-
digital-devices-in-the-hands-of-young-students/ In her article,
“Pros and cons of digital devices in the hands of young
students” Walsh, (2012) evaluates the various advantages as
well as disadvantages that accrue from students’ use of
technology devices. Walsh expresses her worry concerning the
extent to which students are using computers tablets among
other devices. Even though she agrees that the devices have
their advantages, wash still maintains that the devices, have

2. numerous distractors and they may also expose the students to
inappropriate content. Moreover, she argues that the digital
technology also exposes the students to some health issues.
Mateo, S. (2911, June 1). Digital Dependence of Today's
College Students Revealed in New Study from CourseSmart.
Retrieved from PR Newswire:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-dependence-
of-todays-college-students-revealed-in-new-study-from-
coursesmart-122935548.html
Mateo, (2011) compiled the research findings of research
concerning the dependence of college students on digital
devices. The research had been carried out by Coursemart. The
findings reveal that students are wholly dependent on digital
devices these days. In fact, 98% of the students that participated
in the survey had digital devices (Mateo, 2011).
Straumsheim, C. (2016, January 26). Digital Distractions.
Retrieved from Inside Higher Ed:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/26/study-use-
devices-class-nonclass-purposes-rise
The article, “digital distraction” by Straumsheim, (2016)
discusses the consequences of the overdependence of students
on digital devices. Straumsheim, (2016) reports that the average
student uses the digital devices for non-educational purposes.
Moreover, the students sometimes use the devices, during class.
Such behavior derails their concentration and in fact, harms
their grades. As such, Straumsheim, (2016) report’s that the
students, end up not paying attention in class, losing grade
points, missing instructions, destructing others and also getting
called out by their instructor.
Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on
Children. Retrieved from
[email protected]:http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent
.cgi?article=1212&context=srhonorsprog
Hatch, (2011) analyses the negative as well as the positive sides
of technology to children. She argues that even though digital
media has its advantages to children, it also has numerous

3. cons.as such, the research reports that the dependence on digital
media has health adversities, on the students and it also changes
their social behaviors.
Cuban, L. (2010, June 17). High Tech Gadgets: Addiction,
Dependency, or Hype? Retrieved from Larry Cuban On School
Reform And Classroom Practice:
https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/high-tech-
gadgets-addiction-dependency-or-hype/
Larry analyses the after effects of over-dependence on
technology. He argues that the use of technology devices re-
wires the functioning of the brain and alters the users’ cognitive
abilities (Cuban, 2010). Larry Reports that a recent survey
indicated that students spend about 8 hours on the digital
devices daily. He maintains, that the communications
mechanisms of students have changed and that their cognitive
abilities have been rewired such that they are “addicted” to the
digital devices like Kindle, notebooks among others.
Kirschnera, P. A., & Karpinskib, A. C. (2010). Facebook® and
academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior,
26(6):1237–1245.
The journal article by Kirschnera & Karpinskib, (2010) analyses
how student’s use of Facebook affects their performance.As
such, the main argument in the article is that the student
dependence on technology denies them multitasking skills. As
such. They may not be able to process various information
streams at a go. The article summarizes the preliminary results
of a study concerning the use of Facebook about academic
performance. As such, the results of the study reveal that
Facebook users had lower grades as compared to the non- users
(Kirschnera & Karpinskib, 2010). Moreover, the Facebook users
spend lesser hours on books as compared to the non-users.

4. References
Cuban, L. (2010, June 17). High Tech Gadgets: Addiction,
Dependency, or Hype? Retrieved from Larry Cuban On School
Reform And Classroom Practice:
https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2010/06/17/high-tech-
gadgets-addiction-dependency-or-hype/
Hatch, K. E. (2011). Determining the Effects of Technology on
Children. Retrieved from
[email protected]:http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cgi/viewcontent
.cgi?article=1212&context=srhonorsprog
Kirschnera, P. A., & Karpinskib, A. C. (2010). Facebook® and
academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior,
26(6):1237–1245.
Mateo, S. (2011, June 1). Digital Dependence of Today's
College Students Revealed in New Study from CourseSmart.
Retrieved from PR Newswire:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-dependence-
of-todays-college-students-revealed-in-new-study-from-
coursesmart-122935548.html
Straumsheim, C. (2016, January 26). Digital Distractions.
Retrieved from Inside Higher Ed:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/01/26/study-use-
devices-class-nonclass-purposes-rise
WALSH, K. (2012, June 20). Pros and cons of digital devices in
the hands of young students. Retrieved from EmergingEd Tech:
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2012/06/pros-and-cons-of-
digital-devices-in-the-hands-of-young-students/
Running head: STUDENTS AND TECHNOLOGY
1

5. STUDENTS AND TECHNOLOGY
2
The Harmful Effect of Personal Technology to Students
American Intercontinental University
November 27, 2016
Abstract
This paper discusses the subject matter that students are being
harmed by their overdependence on personal digital technology.
It highlights four main points to support this argument and
offers one counter argument. It concludes by stating that in as
much as technology does harm students, it has contributed to
the quality of education.
Overdependence of personal digital technology by
students should be monitored and regulated as they are
adversely affected.
First, statistics report that three in four teens (74%)
aged 12-17 own cell phones, tablets and other devices (Pew

6. Research Centre, 2013). This is alarming as one wonders what
time do they get to their studies and even socializing. Students’
overdependence on technology adversely affects their social
skills which enhance interaction and communication with
others.
The second argument is that students visit social media
sites multiple times in a day and this means that they do not get
to their school assignments and if they do, it is not their best
work. This is because their brains are overexcited with what is
in the internet thus limiting their imagination and memory
capacity. Richtell (2012) reports that based on research done on
effects of technology on students, 90% of teachers stated that
technology has been very distractive and limited attention spans
of students.
Frequent use of technological devices limits their ability
to search for good quality research materials and sources. The
internet can mislead them thus they may end up producing poor
quality schoolwork.
Lastly, students are exposed to social dangers such as
obesity, suicidal thought processes and even criminal activities.
Technology makes students feel a sense of adventure and they
therefore develop a persona who can break rules without caring
about the consequences. They also risk being brainwashed thus
they may lose their identity leading to dangerous traits such as
being suicidal or depressive symptoms.
However, technology has made modern life easy and
convenient especially in terms of education. Students can easily
access a wide variety of educational tools in the internet.
According to Bruyckere et al. (2016), the appropriate use of
tools and resources can positively change education.
In conclusion, overdependence on personal digital
technology by students adversely affects their social skills,
education performance, quality of schoolwork and their moral
fabric however, it cannot be ignored that technology has
enhanced the quality of education by making it more
personalized and availing a wide variety of useful educational

7. resources and tools.
References
Bruyckere, P., Kirschner, P.A., & Hulshof, C.D. (2013).
Technology in Education: What Teachers Should Know.
Retrieved from www.aft.org/ae/spring2016/debruyckere-
kirschner-and-hulshof
Pew Research Centre. (2013). Teens and Technology
2013.Retrieved from www.pewinternet.org/2013/03/13/teens-
and-technology-2013/
Richtell, M. (2012). The New York Times. Technology
Changing How Students Learn, Teachers Say. Retrieved from
mobile.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/education/technology-is-
changing-how-students-learn-teachers-say.html