Between each generation changes in technology, business, social interaction, science and fashion take place. College professors today face many new situations that in their time were never an issue. To observe this trend, Google “1980’s fashion” and wonder, how did the ozone layer survive all of that hair spray? The difference in lifestyle between Generation X (DOB: 1965-80) and Generation Y (1985-85) is a prime example of how much life has changed based on publicly-used technology. When the first cell phone made its commercial debut at 2.5 pounds in 1983 (cnet.com), it was the first rung on the ladder that would lead to the computer-like, smartphones that teachers all over the world have learned to hate.
At the end of 2009 21% of Americans were in possession of a smartphone (nielsen.com), a phone with PDA functions. This is an advantage that all prior generations never had. The library is no longer the only place to conduct literary research when Internet access is available in 1 out of 5 pockets and at every college. The technology boom currently underway has drastically affected all departments in college. Art classes can now taking walking tours of the Louvre, math students do not even recognize the slide calculator as a viable resource, graduate students can now spell check their thesis papers with a single key stroke, and biology students can explore a DNA molecule on their sleek, new iPads. However, this boom has provided negative aspects to the teaching community too. The ease of access to online data and informational sites has presented a portable threat to academic integrity.
The internet has given the students of today the tools to cheat with ease. Teachers often underestimate the amount of information the Internet harbors. With the correct keywords, one can Google almost anything. Examining organic mechanisms in chemistry or solving equations for calculus are just two examples. Technological upgrades are showing up in the classroom at an impressive rate and, so are rules that keep them away from the learning process. As any modern day teacher knows, texting has become an epidemic of sorts. Students sending text messages during a test or interrupting lecture with a ringer has become a big problem in many schools as well. The gap between generations has provided a set of pros and cons that weigh on the faculty-student relationship. However, I believe the differences to be negligible. A teacher does not need to be up to date on the latest fashion or have the best gadgets money can buy to be able to convey the subject they teach.
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