Technology use in classrooms has become a more common occurrence as new gadgets and tools are being introduced. Many students utilize their phones and other technology devices on a day-to-day basis in class to help themselves in various ways.

“Most teachers at West encourage the use of technology to broaden the students’ learning abilities,” senior Meredith Hardin said. “Even in classes like Advance Placement (AP) Art 2D, we use technology consistently in order to get inspiration or to research various art pieces.” Using technology for analysis or research is quite common, but senior Chris Cassingham has a different use for his phone.

“I like to listen to music,” Cassingham said. “It provides a distraction from all the noise in the classroom.”

Other recreational uses like music include social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. “I find myself wondering what’s happening on Twitter or Facebook when I’m unable to see it during class,” Cassingham said. “I think a lot of people are of the mindset that because they can’t see Twitter at that very moment, something important must be happening.”

While many students would say that music and social networking are the most useful applications on their phone, the use of other apps such as the calculator, translator, dictionary or stopwatch helps students in science labs or on English papers. The combination of phones and computers has also changed the way people learn or do homework.

“I find it much easier to type my work rather than write it. I guess that’s more common these days,” Cassingham said. “Sometimes, though, it’s hard to get out of ‘texting’ mode and into a more formal mode for school writing.”

In a 2012 study from the Pew Research Center, 68% of teachers said digital tools allowed their students to put less effort into their work and that informal writing has increased. American Studies teacher Lauren Hodum, however, is on the fence about this.

“Honestly, I have not noticed a big difference in the way students write,” Hodum said. “The writing process has changed a bit and it is a lot easier to plagiarize, but I won’t be one to tell you that technology has ruined America’s future writers.”

Plagiarism has become a pattern these days, which is why many of the teachers at school prohibit the use of any kind of technological tool in their classrooms for fear of cheating. But Hodum takes a different stand.

“I have a fairly relaxed and encouraging approach to technology,” Hodum said. “Since it is all around us, I figure, why not use it?”