Digital dependence among college students can have both a positive and negative impact on how well they perform academically

Whether we like it or not, it is clear that we are living in a digital age. Basically everywhere you turn there are people using their smartphones to surf the web, talk to friends, listen to music and so much more. According to the Pew Research Center, 86 percent of people between the ages of 18-29 own a smartphone.

In a different study by CourseSmart, nearly a quarter (27 percent) of college students surveyed said their laptop was the most important thing in their backpack. This percentage was significantly higher than those who said their textbooks (10 percent) were the most important things. It is clear that technology has become a vital part of our society that helps us in a variety of ways. One of the many uses of technology is in learning. In particular, college students are using technology to improve learning and reinforce it.

Technology has taken a prioritized role in the ways college students learn and behave.  

Along with smartphones, most college students usually own other electronic devices like a laptop or tablet. With these devices, students are able to record notes in class, research classroom topics and download digital copies of college textbooks. Aside from students, college professors are also utilizing technology to enhance the learning experience. For example, Dr. Lloyd Willis has minimized lecturing in his course in favor of discussion questions and group assignments.

Willis is an associate professor of English at Lander University. He used Google Web's apps to help facilitate classroom discussions and collaborative projects. As a result, students are more inclined to participate to earn their grades. Using a blend of traditional teaching and technology, professors can provide students an interesting and interactive method of learning.

With our increased use of technology, there is an issue where mankind is becoming much too dependent on it. According to a study done by CourseSmart and Wakefield Research, seventy-three percent of college students said they would not be able to study without some form of technology. In a separate study conducted by Harris Poll, 67 percent of respondents said that having their technology stop working is their biggest fear. Along with dependence there is always the possibility of an addiction forming.

According to a study done by researchers at Baylor University, 60 percent of the college students surveyed admitted that they were addicted to their cell phones. Some of those who responded even said they get agitated when their cell phone is not in their sight. One of the more important findings was the connection between excessive cell phone use and poor academic performance.

In the article, Dr. James Roberts, a Ben H. Williams professor of marketing in Baylor's Hankamer School of Business said cell phones could become an escape mechanism for college students in the classroom. It becomes a distraction that can hinder learning and can lead to negative academic behavior like cheating.

Technology has seemingly become a double-edged sword in terms of academics. College students and professors have been able to use it to benefit learning significantly. However, there is also an issue with how dependent we are on technology. Being too dependent on technology for learning help basically becomes an addiction. Our dependence on technology will likely increase more before it decreases.

College students who have access to digital tools and Internet generally do better in school and are more involved. 

The structure of the traditional college classroom setting is gradually becoming obsolete. A new style of teaching intertwined with modern technology is changing the way college students learn. The old style of teaching where professors stand in front of a classroom and lecture is being replaced by interactive technology and digital communication. Students are also changing the ways they take notes in class.

The traditional pen and paper method of taking notes is being left behind for a more technological poll done by Pearson, 87 percent of college students use a laptop, notebook or Chromebook computer every week in order to do their schoolwork. It is clear that modern technology is changing the structure of the traditional college classroom.
platform. Devices like laptops and tablets have become a common site in college classrooms. These devices are being used to take notes, study and more. According to a

The benefits of technology on learning has led to more college students wanting to greater usage of technology in the classroom. In a report released by the Educause Center for Applied Research, nearly 61 percent of students said they believe technology improves their learning. The authors of the study surveyed 27, 864 students at 103 colleges and universities. The study also analyzed the way students use technology.

According to the study, seventy percent of the students said technology helps them do research. This was done through search engines like Google and other resources like online databases and research sites. As technology continues to evolve there will likely be an increase in the number of students who believe technology is beneficial to learning.

The creation of social media has allowed professors a new way to communicate and instruct their students. Twitter is a social media platform that allows people across the world to communicate, has been incorporated in many classrooms as an academic tool. According to a study done at Michigan State University, researchers found that "college students who tweet as a part of their instruction are more engaged with the course content and with the teacher and other students, and have higher grades."

Christine Greenhow, an assistant professor of education at Michigan State University said Twitter's interactive design allows students and instructors to engage in sharing, collaboration, brainstorming and creation of a project. Greenhow also revealed that students participate more on the site than they do in the face-to-face classroom setting.

At the University of Maryland there are several courses that blend technology and traditional teaching. Dr. Ryan Curtis, a Psychology professor and the assistant director of undergraduate studies in the department of Psychology, teaches in front of over 100 students. His PSYC 100 course is centered around an online textbook that is composed of information he wrote or other related media. Each student in the course has access to the textbook. Students are graded based on exams and participation.

In order to earn participation points, students are required to answer clicker questions based on material they were instructed to study. Dr. Curtis' lecture is taught through a slide show that utilizes media like YouTube videos. He has also said that the only paper he ever touches from the class are from exams. This blending of digital resources into the course can help make the class more appealing to students in this digital age.

Technology can actually be a distraction that hinders a student's ability to learn and creates an addiction

The more we tend to use technology the harder it is to let it go. Researchers at the University of Maryland asked 200 students to give up all media for a day. After 24 hours several students showed actual signs of withdrawal. The study revealed that many college students were addicted to media to the point where they suffered from anxiety and an inability to function.

In a separate study conducted by e-textbook seller CourseSmart and Wakefield Research, 38 percent of students said they could not go 10 minutes without checking their laptop, smartphone, tablet or e-reader. The study also revealed that seventy-three percent of college students said they cannot study without some form of technology. This addiction to technology has proven to be destructive towards learning.

Allowing technology use in a classroom can also have both negative and positive outcomes. For example, a student can use his or her laptop or phone to take notes or look up something they want to clarify from the lecture. However, there is also a possibility that the student will use their devices to check social media or do something else that is not related to the class. By doing so technology becomes a distraction that hinders learning instead of helping it.

In an article discussing technologies impact on learning, Peter Eschbach, the communications director at New Jersey American Water walked into a class at Rowan University and saw that many students were on their laptops doing things that were unassociated with the class. Students were shopping for shoes and updating their Facebook statuses instead of actually paying attention to the course. David Hackney, a professor at Rowan University said he banned technology from his class because too many students were getting distracted. Hackney said he would let students use laptops if he was certain they would use it only for class.

It is easy to lose focus in college class when all you have to do is press a button on your phone to access a digital world. According to a study done by a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor, the typical college student uses their digital device an average of 11 times a day while in class. This behavior of using cell phones in class simply becomes a habit for many college students. It becomes a part of their lives. But what exactly causes students to become so invested in technology?

Dr. Curtis believes the students become dependent on technology because it is an entertaining and easy to access platform. He also explained that there is a social factor to our dependency. People crave social interaction and it is easy to gain that interaction through your phone. It is a basic motivation that can be resolved by simply using your smart phone.

As technology continues to evolve, colleges and universities will need to find ways to blend it with traditional academics

Technology has brought about changes in every walk of life. These changes are especially evident in the field of academia. College students in particular have changed the ways they live and learn through the various applications of technology. Backpacks full of heavy textbooks, pens and paper are being replaced by devices like laptops and tablets.

Traditional lectures are being blended with virtual meetings to create a greater interaction between the student and the professor. Digital versions of college textbooks allow students to have access to the information on their devices instead of having to use a printed version. Even though these changes are occurring, it does not mean that we should completely abandon the traditional methods of learning.

Source: qz.com

In 2014, the Student Monitor put of a survey analyzing the study and work habits of about 1,200 students in 100 American colleges. The survey revealed that for almost every type of schoolwork, students would rather use a book than a computer. In every category measured in the survey except research and scheduling, students said they preferred to use the paper version over the digital version.

 The results of the study are shown on the chart on the top right. Additional research has also shown that students are able to focus more when they use print materials to study over digital media. With technology constantly evolving, traditional learning methods may be overlooked even though they are still effective.

Based on our society, technology is and always will be an integral part of how mankind functions. Like most things, there is a positive aspect and a negative aspect to technology. Too much technology can become unhealthy and create an addiction. On the other hand, technology can be utilized as a platform to promote learning and interaction between students and instructors.

 Dr. Curtis refers to technology as a tool and like any tool it can be used in good and bad ways. With the right direction we can learn to use technology in a way that is both healthy and beneficial to learning. 

The head of the NSA warns that hackers are not just trying to steal information; they are also trying to manipulate it.

Hackers are utilizing different
  methods to access other's valuable
information.

Earlier this week, Admiral Michael Rogers, the head of the National Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Command told The Wall Street Journal about the threat that computer hackers could begin to manipulate valuable data that maintains the infrastructure within our country.

           Computer hackers are no longer only stealing information they find online. These hackers are directly changing the data they find. According to Adm. Rogers, the NSA is primarily focused on preventing hackers from extracting things like data and insights. The NSA isn’t prepared to combat hackers who can manipulate data directly in front of us.

           Terrorist groups like ISIS are utilizing the Internet to grow their followers and attack our infrastructure.

A recent article by CNN points out the online threat that groups like ISIS pose to our country’s cyber security. According to the article, the Islamic State has tried to hack American electrical power companies. The terrorist group has continuously failed to hack or energy grid because they do not have access to the technology or equipment needed to do so. Groups like ISIS do not have the right tools now but over time they can possibly get their hands on better hacking technology through online black markets.

           Aside from direct online terrorist attacks, groups like ISIS are also using modern technology as a way to find recruits. Adm. Rogers mentioned that these terrorist groups are also able to use tech to spread ideology and generate revenue for their cause. This use of technology has created a need for the U.S. to move to the offensive.

           “I think clearly we have got to change the current dynamic,” Adm. Rogers said. “To date, most nation states, most groups, most individuals, have come to the conclusion that there is little price to pay for the actions they’ve taken.”

           Strong encryptions can be the key to keeping information and data safer from potential hackers.

In order to combat these new hackers, Adm. Rogers has proposed the need to incorporate strong encryption into our cyber security system. In general, encryption helps secure digital

information by scrambling data so only those with authorization can actually unlock it.

The use of strong encryptions would make it much harder for hackers to get access to important information and data. According to Rogers this type of encryption can best be used to combat criminals and online terrorist groups.

To continue on the topic of encryption, an article by The Washington Post discusses the concept of strong encryption and how it has divided people on both sides of the issue. Some people argue that utilizing strong encryption will make it easier for criminals and spies to hide what they are doing. In reality this is a valid point. The use of strong encryption would make it harder for hackers to access valuable data but it would also make it harder for law enforcement as well.

          In order to combat this encryption, law enforcers have pushed for a built in way for law enforcement to gain access to the information that is encrypted. This method of access is often called a “back door.” According to the article, many technologists believe the addition of a back door defeats the purpose of utilizing strong encryption. Adm. Rogers made it clear that using strong encryption is the best way to go about combating online threats. However, implementing this type of encryption will not be easy.

  Hackers are able to breach government cyber security systems through phishing attack emails.

Other attempts to compromise our country’s cyber security have been recorded by the NSA, including an attack from Russia towards the Joint Staff network in the Pentagon. The attack was done through a phishing attack email. According to an article from CNN, the email attackers were specifically targeting the Joint Staff in hopes of learning information from the unclassified email network.

According to a senior Defense official in the Pentagon, all of the required cyber security protection and patches were in place. For some reason the attack from the Russians was still able to breach into the network. The Russian hackers were able to breach the network in a way that the U.S. government had never seen before.

Adm. Rogers mentioned how this breach happened because of the negligence of the workers. A worker in the Pentagon opened the harmful email because it was early in the morning and he was just "blowing" through email. A simple mistake like clicking on an email can possibly lead to an

opening for potential hackers.

The way our current technological system is set up will create a challenge. The

Since 2012, employee negligence
has increased as a cause of
security breaches.

NSA will need to create an environment where American citizens are comfortable with prioritizing the importance of security encryption and the monitoring of criminal behavior and threats to our nation’s security. There will also be a need for people who are in positions of influence to act more responsibly online.

Adm. Rogers also made a comparison to the way the Department of Defense arms thousand of people with weapons. These people are given weapons for the purpose of only using it under specific situations. They are also responsible for the weapon at all times. This same principle should apply to those who work for the government. They should be held responsible if they do something that potentially harms the safety of the government and its people.

Online therapy apps have helped benefit those with mental issues who can't find face to face help from a professional.

Former Green Bay Packers WR James Jones plans on signing with Green Bay following injury to Jordy Nelson.

I would share this news on my social media sites because I am a Green Bay Packers fan and a sports journalist. Many of my followers and friends are also big football fans and would enjoy seeing this news. James Jones played a major role as a WR for Green Bay during his time there. With the loss of Jordy Nelson for the season, Green Bay could use the veteran skills of James Jones to help propel the team into the playoffs. Sharing this news with fellow Packers' fans and football fans can fill them in on the moves the team is making to strengthen their depth at the WR position.