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8 | Technology theShield April / May 2010 April / May 2010
theShield
Technology | 9
Drowned in a Wave of Technology
TechnolOgy
Does Anyone Read or Write Anymore? Students Obsess Over Twitter
By Ian Kirksey
Literature and the ability
to read it has been
the foundation of human
civilization for the past
fi ve thousand years of recorded
history. It is rare
when the art of the written
word undergoes a transformation
but when it does
the effects are far-reaching.
From the pressing of
the fi rst papyrus papers in
Egypt to the fi rst printing
press of China, all these
current new inventions and
innovations are changing
the world as we once knew
it. As we enter the second
decade of the 21st century,
the way literature can and
Can Teens Survive Without Technology?
By Maury Quijada
With each passing
year, technology
continues to mature,
with constant advancements
made in consumer
product technology,
Internet websites and
services, and forms of
communications. Interestingly
enough, certain
innovations, such as social
networking sites and
SMS (text) messaging,
prove to be popular with
students and even some
staff members at Laurel
High School. With notable
technological advents,
Laurel teenagers,
having been exposed to
technology for a while
now, may have technology
playing a large role
in their life.
Students at Laurel
High School can attest
to using various types
of consumer technology,
will be made and received
is about to change.
With the
dawn of the
internet, a
level of interconnectability
that has
never before
been seen
has made it
possible for
a teacher in
Maine to talk
and share his/
her knowledge
with students
in places
that vary from
India to Morocco. Classic
books like Homer’s Iliad
and Mark Twain’s The Ad-
mostly consisting of Internet
websites, video
games, and cell phones.
Specifi cally, Internet activities
range from the
well-known social networking
sites FaceBook
and MySpace to the realtime
micro-blogging service
Twitter. Cell phone
technology has continually
risen in complexity;
nowadays, Internet,
e-mail access, and even
games are available on
even the rather simple
models. Popular models
among the teenage
crowd range from the
Apple iPhone to the RIM
BlackBerry.
Laurel students have
been captured by this
technological era from
an early age. From computers
and Internet to cell
phones and text messaging,
most students have
had contact with technology
since their pre-
ventures of Huckleberry
Finn are now available for
download either for cheap
prices or free on the internet.
This information su-
teens. Sophomore Keyaira
Williams describes
when computer use fi rst
started for her. “[When]
I had my fi rst computer
in my room at 12 years
old, I remember staying
on that thing 24/7. It was
bad,” she elaborated. “I
was very excited to have
my own computer,” she
said. Cell phones have
also been around for a
while for students; several
students, when interviewed,
stated that
they received their cell
phones in late elementary
and middle school.
Sophomore Chris Dinarte
jokingly stated,
“[The cell phone] was
my second love.”
Several characteristics
of these new technologies
make them appealing
to use. Senior
Cedric James describes
the addiction to social
networking as “a way
per highway now allows
for anyone with an internet
connection
have access
to books that
might otherwise
be miles
away.
However,
for all the
good the information
age
has brought it
also presents a
possible death
to reading
and literature
as a whole. A
prime example
of this is that over the past
three decades the literacy
rate has declined 10% in
of social interaction;
an extension of talking
at school. It’s as if you
were talking with people
in a hallway.” James
somewhat describes the
addictions to cell phones
and text messaging the
same way; “Cell phones
are more personal and
it’s mobile; it’s a way to
interact with people oneon-one
through text messaging,
talking, and even
e-mail anywhere you
would like.”
Without a doubt, technology
has had a massive,
indelible effect on
an average student’s life.
Technology’s mobility,
ease of use, and advantages
has affected students’
life at school as
well as at home.
Technology is a part
of daily life for many.
Continuing the computer
evolution, Williams
states “Now, I have a
the United States. This decline
corresponds with the
introduction of the internet
the 1980’s and its growth
in popularity during the
last two decades.
“I prefer to read good
old-fashion books, but
honestly the internet has
made it a lot easier to fi nd
what you want in terms
of literature,” said junior
Cleveland Cook.
While “I like the internet
for other uses but I
think it takes away from
the whole reading experience
if you place it on the
web. Besides there’s just
too much other stuff on
the web” said sophomore
Mario Miranda.
laptop, and I am on it
daily. I don’t know what
I’d do without it,” Freshman
Nima Sheybani,
an avid computer user
with a successful web
hosting business, has
accrued many hours on
the computer; “I spend a
lot of time on the computer.”
Emphasizing the
amount of use he gives
his computer, he adds,
“I even had 20/20 vision
before I started using the
computer!” Cell phones
apparently are also used
with dedication; Senior
Imani Hopewell states,
“I would marry my cell
phone! I probably send
over 3,000 text messages
a month.” Many
students spend shocking
amounts of time on
the computer and sending
text messaging, with
one girl even sending
up to 12,000 messages a
month.
By Ivana Medrano
“W
hat’s happening?”
That’s
the question that the
newly popular Twitter
asks.
Twitter is a social
networking site for
people to
others
up-
keep
Technology’s
daily use
ties into
school indirectly
as
well. Students
never lose touch
with the outside world
while in school like before;
school computers,
combined with excellent
cell phone coverage, afford
students the same
connection as outside of
school. Students access
the internet, text message,
and even call. It
would seem most logical,
as technology is a
way of communicating.
And we all know how
often teenagers communicate.
Laurel High School
has taken measures to
prevent technology during
school hours, including
blocking social networking
MySpace and
Twitter
a s
well as
prohibiting
cellphones from
being on during school
hours. Regardless, these
countermeasures do not
seem to work. Many
people appear to simply
disregard the rules
and text message and
commence calls during
school hours. The
student’s reason for this:
They just can’t stop.
“I fi nd it diffi cult to
stop using technology in
school. I could stop, but
I would feel incomplete
without my phone,” says
sophomore Jennifer Ro
dated on what’s happening
in their daily
lives. On the website,
Twitter states, “Twitter
is a real-time information
network powered
by people all around
the world that lets you
share and discover
what’s happening
now.”
The
d r i -
guez,
after being
caught texting
in class.
With the continuing
technological
developments, Laurel
teenagers seem to be
completely immersed in
a world of technology.
site has also become
an outlet for celebrities
to share with their fan
base. Known celebrities
such as Lady Gaga
and Miley Cyrus have
been known to share
information about their
personal lives.
However there
are mixed emotions
about the site.
It can be a love or hate
relationship with the
public. Senior Quiana
Atherly exclaims,
“I love Twitter!”
On the other hand,
senior Quynh Ha says,
“[Twitter] is pointless.
You can’t comment
on anything like you
can o n
Facebook.”
Twitter’s initial purpose
for being a networking
site for business
and personal use
has lost a bit of meaning.
Looking through
Twitter pages of celebri-
ties and even Laurel
High Students, one can
see that there are several
tweets that don’t
have signifi cance but
most of the Twitter
population has found
it both helpful
and entertaining.
On the topic of
the use of Twitter, senior
Aly Ndiaye said,
“I have a Twitter but I
don’t use it.”
Twitter seems to
have become an obsession
with Laurel
High’s students. Some
of the more twitter-obsessed
students include
senior Darren Hannible
who has written 19,019
tweets while senior
Quiana Atherly has
collected over 5,000.
Laurel has several other
students who have
twitter pages as well
and the number continues
to grow.