use of electronic gadgets essay

Sample of a Short Essay on Electronic Gadgets

Using electronic devices in the classroom is often underestimated. They can bring a lot of benefits if students and professors use them only for studying purposes. Otherwise, if students use their smartphones and laptops only for entertainment, this misuse significantly distracts them from the learning process and makes their devices uselessm, unless they look for “ write my essay for me cheap ” help.

WritingCheap cheap essay writing service proposes students to read our sample short essay on electronic gadgets. After getting acquainted with this subject, you can understand the methods of using electronic devices in the classroom and how to write a perfect essay by yourself. Impress your teacher with your knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of electronic gadgets in class.

Effects of Electronic Devices on Education Electronic devices include integrated circuits controlled by the electric current; they are mainly used for processing, transfer, and control systems. Education, on the other hand, involves the process of gaining knowledge through an interactive process. Electronic devices affect education positively and negatively; the positive influence concerns enhancing education, and the negative influences affect the entire learning process. Positive Effects Electronic devices enhance education by making the learning resources easily assessable. By using a computer, students can access education information through the Internet. Additionally, there are technology-related projects that help the student be creative, innovative, and inventive (Eggers, 16). It also improves the teacher-student communication; these devices make a classroom a network system where there is a transfer of information from teacher to student and among students. Moreover, they directly help teachers in educating by bringing out the real picture in the process of giving information. For example, documentaries show the practical experience of events in history. Negative Effects The negative effects include making students spend the most time on devices, time that could otherwise be used for studying. Additionally, the information given tends to diminish the necessity of education. Some devices, such as mobile phones, also affect the learning process through interruptions from calls and text messages. Moreover, there is too much information available on electronic devices, and some of it is wrong. Hence, they tend to misguide students (Chen & Yun 6). Finally, these devices also create an opportunity for cheating among students. Conclusion In conclusion, electronic devices positively affect the communication process by making it easier for both the student and the teacher. However, if they are not contained, they change the process negatively. Therefore, there is a need to establish the best approach to ensure that devices have a positive effect, for example, through creating rules about the use of these devices in a classroom. Works Cited Chen, Shengjian, and Yun Lu. “The Negative Effects and Control of Blended Learning in the University.” 2013 the International Conference on Education Technology and Information System (ICETIS 2013) . Atlantis Press, 2013. Eggers, William D. Government 2.0: Using Technology to Improve Education, Cut Red Tape, Reduce Gridlock, and Enhance Democracy. Rowman & Littlefield, 2017.

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September 11, 2018

Are Digital Devices Altering Our Brains?

Some say our gadgets and computers can help improve intelligence. Others say they make us stupid and violent. Which is it?

By Elena Pasquinelli

Do video games make people more aggressive, or are they beneficial—improving certain abilities, such as reaction time? Probably a bit of both, according to recent research, although any benefits are modest.

John Lund Getty Images

Ten years ago technology writer Nicholas Carr published an article in the Atlantic entitled “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” He strongly suspected the answer was “yes.” Himself less and less able to focus, remember things or absorb more than a few pages of text, he accused the Internet of radically changing people’s brains. And that is just one of the grievances leveled against the Internet and at the various devices we use to access it–including cell phones, tablets, game consoles and laptops. Often the complaints target video games that involve fighting or war, arguing that they cause players to become violent.

But digital devices also have fervent defenders—in particular the promoters of brain-training games, who claim that their offerings can help improve attention, memory and reflexes. Who, if anyone, is right?

The answer is less straightforward than you might think. Take Carr’s accusation. As evidence, he quoted findings of neuroscientists who showed that the brain is more plastic than previously understood. In other words, it has the ability to reprogram itself over time, which could account for the Internet’s effect on it. Yet in a 2010 opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, psychologists Christopher Chabris, then at Union College, and Daniel J. Simons of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign rebutted Carr’s view: “There is simply no experimental evidence to show that living with new technologies fundamentally changes brain organization in a way that affects one’s ability to focus,” they wrote. And the debate goes on.

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The Case for Stupidity

Where does the idea that we are becoming “stupid” come from? It derives in part from the knowledge that digital devices capture our attention. A message from a friend, an anecdote shared on social networks or a sales promotion on an online site can act like a treat for the human brain. The desire for such “treats” can draw us to our screens repeatedly and away from other things we should be concentrating on.

People may feel overwhelmed by the constant input, but some believe they have become multitaskers: they imagine they can continually toggle back and forth between Twitter and work, even while driving, without losing an ounce of efficiency. But a body of research confirms that this impression is an illusion. When individuals try to do two or more things at once that require their attention, their performance suffers. Moreover, in 2013 Stéphane Amato, then at Aix-Marseille University in France, and his colleagues showed that surfing Web pages makes people susceptible to a form of cognitive bias known as the primacy effect: they weight the first few pieces of information they see more heavily than the rest.

Training does not improve the ability to multitask. In 2009 Eyal Ophir, then at Stanford University, and his colleagues discovered that multitasking on the Internet paradoxically makes users less effective at switching from one task to another. They are less able to allocate their attention and are too vulnerable to distractions. Consequently, even members of the “digital native” generation are unlikely to develop the cognitive control needed to divide their time between several tasks or to instantly switch from one activity to another. In other words, digital multitasking does little more than produce a dangerous illusion of competence.

The good news is that you do not need to rewire your brain to preserve your attention span. You can help yourself by thinking about what distracts you most and by developing strategies to immunize yourself against those distractions. And you will need to exercise some self-control. Can’t resist Facebook notifications? Turn them off while you’re working. Tempted to play a little video game? Don’t leave your device where you can see it or within easy reach.

Evidence for Aggression

What about the charge that video games increase aggression? Multiple reports support this view. In a 2015 review of published studies, the American Psychological Association concluded that playing violent video games accentuates aggressive thoughts, feelings and behavior while diminishing empathy for victims. The conclusion comes both from laboratory research and from tracking populations of online gamers. In the case of the gamers, the more they played violent games, the more aggressive their behavior was.

The aggression research suffers from several limitations, however. For example, lab studies measure aggressiveness by offering participants the chance to inflict a punishment, such as a dose of very hot sauce to swallow—actions that are hardly representative of real life. Outside the lab, participants would probably give more consideration to the harmful nature of their actions. And studies of gamers struggle to make sense of causality: Do video games make people more violent, or do people with a fundamentally aggressive temperament tend to play video games?

Thus, more research is needed, and it will require a combination of different methods. Although the findings so far are preliminary, researchers tend to agree that some caution is in order, beginning with moderation and variety: an hour here and there spent playing fighting games is unlikely to turn you into a brainless psychopath, but it makes sense to avoid spending entire days at it.

Gaming for Better Brains?

On the benefit side of the equation, a number of studies claim that video games can improve reaction time, attention span and working memory. Action games, which are dynamic and engaging, may be particularly effective: immersed in a captivating environment, players learn to react quickly, focus on relevant information and remember. In 2014, for example, Kara Blacker of Johns Hopkins University and her colleagues studied the impact games in the Call of Duty series—in which players control soldiers—on visual working memory (short-term memory). The researchers found that 30 hours of playing improved this capacity.

The assessment consisted of asking participants a number of times whether a group of four to six colored squares was identical to another group, presented two minutes earlier. Once again, however, this situation is far from real life. Moreover, the extent to which players “transfer” their learning to everyday activities is debatable.

This issue of skill transfer is also a major challenge for the brain-training industry, which has been growing since the 2000s. These companies are generally very good at promoting themselves and assert that engaging in various exercises and computer games for a few minutes a day can improve memory, attention span and reaction time.

Posit Science, which offers the BrainHQ series of brain training and assessment, is one such company. Its tools include UFOV (for “useful field of view). In one version of a UFOV-based game, a car and a road sign appear on a screen. Then another car appears. The player clicks on the original car and also clicks on where the road sign appeared. By having groups of objects scroll faster and faster, the activity is supposed to improve reaction time.

The company’s Web site touts user testimonials and says its customers report that BrainHQ “has done everything from improving their bowling game, to enabling them to get a job, to reviving their creativity, to making them feel more confident about their future.” Findings from research, however, are less clear-cut. On one hand, Posit Science cites the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Elderly (ACTIVE) Study to claim that UFOV training can improve overall reaction time in elderly players and reduce the risk that they will cause car crashes by almost 50 percent. But in a 2016 analysis of research on brain-training programs, Simons and his colleagues are far less laudatory. The paper, which includes an in-depth analysis of the ACTIVE study, says that the overall risk of having an accident—the most relevant criterion—decreased very little. Several reviews of the scientific literature come to much the same conclusion: brain-training products enhance performance on tasks that are trained directly, but the transfer is often weak.

Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Traininggame, released by Nintendo in the mid-2000s, provides another example of contrary results. In addition to attention and memory exercises, this game has a player do calculations. Does the program improve overall arithmetic skills? No, according to work done in 2012 by Siné McDougall and Becky House, both at Bournemouth University in England on a group of seniors. A year earlier, though, Scottish psychologists David Miller and Derek Robertson found that the game did increase how fast children could calculate.

Overall then, the results from studies are mixed. The benefits need to be evaluated better, and many questions need answering, such as how long an intervention should last and at what ages might it be effective. The answers may depend on the specific interventions being considered.

No Explosive Growth in Capacity

Any cognitive improvements from brain-training games probably will be marginal rather than an “explosion” of human mental capacities. Indeed, the measured benefits are much weaker and ephemeral than the benefits obtained through traditional techniques. For remembering things, for example, rather than training your recall with abstract tasks that have little bearing on reality, try testing your memory regularly and making the information as meaningful to your own life as possible: If you memorize a shopping list, ask yourself what recipe you are buying the ingredients for and for which day’s dinner. Unlike brain-training games, this kind of approach involves taking some initiative and makes you think about what you know.

Exercising our cognitive capacities is important to combating another modern hazard: the proliferation of fake news on social networks. In the same way that digital devices accentuate our tendency to become distracted, fake news exploits our natural inclination to believe what suits us. The solution to both challenges is education: more than ever, young people must be taught to develop their concentration, self-control and critical-thinking skills.

Elena Pasquinelli is a project manager at La Main à la Pâte Foundation, which works to improve science instruction in higher education, and an associate member of the Jean Nicod Institute, a cognitive science laboratory in Paris.

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10 Benefits and Uses of Electronic Gadgets in Learning

In the age of technology and connectivity, electronic gadgets have graced their way into the learning process of students in the classroom. These gadgets have been used to continually improve and expound methods through which students can learn. The gadgets mostly used by students are tablets, mobile phones and cameras.

Also, the growing demand in terms of requirements from students is assisted by these electronic gadgets. Tasks and collaboration are done easier using technology available for educational purposes.

However, there are debates concerning the advantages and disadvantages of electronic gadgets usage inside the classroom. This blog article focuses on the advantages it can bring students.

So what are the benefits and uses exactly that gadgets contribute to student learning?

Also See: The Desktop Dilemma: Do we even need them and Navigating the Tech Landscape in 2024

1. Improves overall student performance.

According to the study of Behnke, Gilliland, Schneider and Singer in 2005, the usage of gadgets such as tablets in class can contribute to improved student performance, it also can contribute to the decrease in the number of students who perform poorly in class.

Not only that, gadgets also help improve the efficiency of teaching methods and learning capacities of students using tablets in class.

Overall, the usage of electronic gadgets has made activities conducted in classrooms more flexible. The various features and functions of gadgets in class also play a part to efficiently transform teaching and learning methods, because of this, different senses of students are activated through the use of these gadgets.

Also see Transforming Education with Electronic Gadgets: Improving Student Performance and Enhancing Teaching Methods

2. Enables student-centered learning.

Traditionally, learning is dependent on teacher-centered strategies. But with the transformations in the teaching methodologies and the availability of gadgets in the classroom, learning has deviated away from this focus.

According to the study of Nah, Lim, and Yih in 2012 , electronic gadgets help facilitate and expound student-centered learning through providing additional functions that enable students’ active role in the classroom. Their independence and ability to control their learning pace using these gadgets have fostered personalized participation.

Also see Empowering Students through Electronic Gadgets: How Student-Centered Learning is Revolutionizing Education

3. Enhances knowledge-retention.

Retention is one crucial factor in determining whether students are successfully learning in class. Correlatively, the activation of students’ multiple senses while using electronic gadgets in class, may help with their knowledge retention.

For instance, according to the study of Krause, Mogalle, Pohl and Williams in 2015, social gamification can help increase knowledge-retention among students.

Also see The Power of Gamification in Education: Boosting Motivation, Engagement, and Knowledge Retention

4. Enhances presentation and illustration of lectures.

Content is no longer presented through traditional methods such as the usage of boards, hardcopy drawings, and old school black and white projectors, through the usage of gadgets in the classroom, audio-visual and media presentations became not only available but portable for students.

Both students and teachers can also customize the ways through which information can be presented in class using electronic gadgets. These ways usually improve participation inside the classroom.

Also see Revolutionizing Education: The Impact of Gadgets on Multimedia Content in the Classroom

5. Enhances collaboration.

Due to the personalized and multiple functions of gadgets in class, collaboration consequently increases among students especially in terms of classroom participation and engagement.

As mentioned earlier, the usage of gadgets makes learning flexible. In the same way that collaboration becomes more voluntary as opposed to traditional learning methods due to the features and accessibility of gadgets. This is most apparent in virtual classrooms, online discussions and online activities.

Also see: The Power of Technology in Education: The Collaborative Benefits of Gadgets in the Classroom

6. Can be used for research purposes.

This is the most widely known use of using gadgets in the classroom. No longer do students have to physically go to libraries and browse hardcopy books for simple research or homework. Information is within their grasp in matters of seconds.

Also, researching online is not only limited to Google or Google Scholar. Schools often also provide access to paid research scholarly digital database such as Ebsco and Jstor . These database platforms are no longer confined within library computers but can also be accessible through tablets and mobile phones of students.

Also see: The Impact of Gadgets on Student Research Skills and Habits

7. Can be used for easier access to materials and easier storage of information.

No longer do students traditionally take notes but they can store books and notes through pdf or e-book copies or through taking pictures of lecture notes. They can also record audios and videos of lectures and discussions for as long as it is permitted by the lecturer or professor. Also, anytime they need materials, these materials can be accessible through the most portable gadgets such as mobile phones.

Also, according to the study of Behnke, Gilliland, Schneider and Singer in 2005, the usage of gadgets such as tablets create increase in the information received by students.

8. Can be used by students to verify information.

Due to the easier access to information, students can practice initiative to verify among themselves the data presented to them. Hence, improving their information fluency and critical thinking.

Speaking of critical thinking, wondering how you can improve critical thinking in writing? Here are 5 Tips on How to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in Academic Writing

According to the study of Mada in 2017, gadgets can help develop learning skills such as assembling, evaluating and utilizing information.

While according to the study of Thomas, O’Bannon and Bolton in 2013, since students can verify information themselves through the internet, this increases communication, collaboration and cooperative problem solving amongst students and even teachers.

9. Can be used for easier communication.

Students and also teachers no longer have to disseminate information through text messages or emails individually, but with electronic gadgets, platforms for portable and easier sharing of necessary school-related information is possible such as Facebook groups, Google classroom and other learning management systems such as Schoology .

Also, collaboration is easier between students and teachers given the instructional features most gadgets have that can be utilized for learning.

Also See: Revolutionizing Education: How Technology is Enhancing Learning through Collaborative Spaces, Learning Management Systems, and Social Media

10. Can be used for virtual classroom or virtual learning.

A virtual classroom is a platform through which learning is conducted online. Inside the virtual classroom, mechanisms such as video conference, online whiteboard and chat boxes are used by students and teachers.

This is essentially useful for learning flexibility and maximizing the benefits of technology in education. According to the study of McBrien and Jones , virtual classroom is a platform that can increase students’ engagement and participation due to the digital tools and mechanisms that students can use.

Also see: Maximizing the Potential of Virtual Classrooms: Advantages, Research, and Actionable Steps for Institutions

There you go! We have gone through all the 10 benefits and uses of allowing electronic gadgets in classrooms. However, these benefits can only be maximized if there is supervision in the usage of these gadgets. For instance, social media applications should be minimized or banned during discussions unless needed and related to ongoing classroom activities. Other educationally unrelated use of these gadgets should also be minimized. Otherwise, the usage of electronic gadgets in classrooms may cause distraction and hence be counterproductive for students.

Charm Jayme is a Marketing Executive at Inkmypapers   in Singpore. She loves books, coffee and breakfast.

Ellis-Behnke, R., Gilliland, J., Schneider, G. E., & Singer, D. (2003). Educational benefits of a paperless classroom utilizing tablet PCs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts-USA .

Krause, M., Mogalle, M., Pohl, H., & Williams, J. J. (2015, March). A playful game changer: Fostering student retention in online education with social gamification. In Proceedings of the Second (2015) ACM conference on Learning@ Scale (pp. 95-102).

Mada, A. (2017). The Perception of Students and Lecturers on the Benefits, Opportunities and Challenges of the Use of ICT Gadgets During Lectures. The Fountain: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies , 1 (1), 108-132.

McBrien, J. L., Cheng, R., & Jones, P. (2009). Virtual spaces: Employing a synchronous online classroom to facilitate student engagement in online learning. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning , 10 (3).

Nah, E. A., Lim, T. H., & Yih, B. (2012). Enhancing student-centered learning through usage of television commercials via wiki. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences , 67 , 144-155.

Thomas, K. M., O’Bannon, B. W., & Bolton, N. (2013). Cell phones in the classroom: Teachers’ perspectives of inclusion, benefits, and barriers. Computers in the Schools , 30 (4), 295-308.

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• v.4(4); 2021 Dec

Prevalence and impact of the use of electronic gadgets on the health of children in secondary schools in Bangladesh: A cross‐sectional study

S m mahbubur rashid.

1 Department of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka Bangladesh

Jannatul Mawah

2 Disease Biology & Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Chattogram Bangladesh

Yasmin Akter

Jobaier ibne deen, amina jahan, navid mahmood khan, md. mofijur rahman, nasrin lipi.

3 Institute of Statistical Research and Training, University of Dhaka, Dhaka Bangladesh

Farhana Akter

4 Department of Endocrinology, Chittagong Medical College, Chattogram Bangladesh

5 Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chattogram Bangladesh

Adnan Mannan

6 Department of Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Chittagong, Chattogram Bangladesh

Associated Data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Background and Aims

Use of technological gadgets has rapidly been increasing among adolescents, which may result in health issues and technology addiction. This study focuses on the prevalence of usage of technological gadgets and health‐related complications among secondary school‐going children of Bangladesh.

A total of 1803 secondary school students from 21 different districts of Bangladesh participated in the study. The children were asked questions relating to their access to electronic gadgets, time spent on outdoor activities, and whether they experienced any health‐complications as an after‐effect of the usage. A binary logistic regression model was adapted considering time spent on gadgets as an independent variable and health problems (physical and mental) as the dependent variable.

Among all the gadgets, 67.11% of the participants were reported to use mobile phones on a daily basis. Due to the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic, 24.48% of respondents used electronic gadgets for attending online classes. The participants were reported to use gadgets significantly more ( P  < .05) in 2020 as compared to 2019. Children showed less tendency to spend time in outdoor activities. More than 50% of the participants spend time doing outdoor activities for less than 1 hour daily. An association between gadget use and health problems like headache, backache, visual disturbance, and sleeping disturbance has been observed in our study.

This study demonstrates that different socio‐demographic factors have influence on the use of gadgets by children, and this use has greatly been affecting both the physical and mental health of the secondary school‐going students of Bangladesh.

1. INTRODUCTION

The use of technological gadgets is growing at an unprecedented pace all over the world. 1 In present times, not only adults but also children are overly invested in technological gadgets, which raises questions and concerns about their effects on children in terms of physical and mental development. 2 , 3 Although technology has its contribution in breaking geographical barriers and making information accessible, however, technology has its own negative records as well. 4 Today's technology‐dependent global population is constantly adopting an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle, putting them at risk for developing severe diseases and mental disorders. 5 In regards to the situation in Asia, a previous study conducted on six Asian countries concluded that the adolescent cohort aged 12 to 18 years held 62% ownership of smartphones overall. The easy accessibility to gadgets and the internet in recent years has led to this cohort developing a keen interest about the internet's use, which further developed into an addiction. 6

In a global review study, it was found that there is a positive correlation between the excessive use of electronic devices like smartphones and computers and psychiatric comorbidity. The effects were more on young children than other age cohorts. 7 According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average child spends about 8 hours a day watching electronic screens. 8 Too much screen time and lack of sleep can lead to lack of productivity among children. In worst cases, teens are driven into doing activities defying rules, becoming social delinquents. 9 Studies also prove that the excessive use of electronic gadgets in early childhood or teenage years can result in different psychological disorders, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as physiological complications like obesity, myopia, dryness, blurring vision, headache, etc. 8 , 10

At present, the global adolescent population (10‐19 years old) is more than 1.2 billion. 11 In Bangladesh, adolescents constitute around 22% of the whole population. 12 The majority of them appear indulged in digital devices and technologies. 4 Through the easy accessibility to the internet, at present, digital devices have become part and parcel of these young people's lives in Bangladesh. 4 , 5 A recent UNICEF study has revealed that internet use among adolescents in Bangladesh has skyrocketed to 800 times the scale it was in the year 2000. 13 Numerous teenagers pass countless times using technological gadgets in Bangladesh similar to other countries. 14 , 15 According to a study, 90% of the adolescents in Bangladesh use smartphones. 16 It is notable that this population does not always use their phones, the internet and other gadgets for merely socializing or learning purposes. 15

Hence, owing to the above‐mentioned facts, the present study was carried out in various cities of Bangladesh to find out the effect of the use of electronic gadgets on the overall behavior and health of secondary school‐going children. Similar types of studies were conducted earlier with children in Western countries and also the countries having a developed society. 14 , 15 To the best of our knowledge, this is the first‐ever study on this topic in Bangladesh, which aimed to assess the connection between usage of gadgets and health complications of the different classes of secondary school‐going children. The principal aim of the study was to comprehend the influence of gadget use and daily screen time on the physical and physiological well‐being of secondary school students from various regions across Bangladesh in the year 2020.

2.1. Study area and population

We carried out the descriptive cross‐sectional study among 1803 secondary school‐going children and adolescents of grades 6 to 10 enrolled in Bangla, English, and Arabic medium schools belonging to 21 districts of Bangladesh from June 2020 to December 2020. The study consisted of respondents from eight major divisional megacities (ie, Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Barisal, and Rangpur) as well as from remote rural districts like Bandarban, Tangail, Jamalpur, Bhola, and so on. Here, districts from each division were randomly selected, and all respondents including tribal origins were selected randomly from every class to avoid any biased outcome.

2.2. Exclusion criteria

Students enrolled in schools below grade 6, and students attending college and universities were not included in this study. We also refrained from conducting interviews in schools that did not provide consent to take part in the interview. Television was excluded from the list of gadgets as gadgets refer to small mechanical or electrical devices, which belong to either one or more following categories, that is, mobile phones, tabs, or any other wireless devices that have novel purposes. 17

2.3. Data collection

The interviews were conducted based on a preformed questionnaire. An evaluation of the preliminary questionnaire in a piloting study was made to validate the tools developed by eight experienced epidemiologists, endocrinologists, social science researchers, and pediatricians. The questionnaire consisted of three parts: socio‐demographic properties, gadget usage, and physical problems encountered by the participants. The questionnaire was constructed bilingually (English and Bangla, the mother tongue) to make it easily understandable. The interviews were carried out by 37 dedicated, well‐trained individuals from life science and medicine backgrounds. The sampling process was both random and purposive where institutions were chosen purposively to maintain diversity, while students were chosen randomly. The field test took place among the children of mentioned grades from multiple regions instead of limiting it to some specific study sites. The interviewers maintained social distancing and hygiene protocols during physical interviews. The consent of school authorities and guardians was obtained for carrying out the research survey, and the motive of the study was explained well to the students before starting the survey. The accuracy of the interviews was monitored by six supervisors and principal investigators.

2.4. Measurements

The association between various socio‐demographic variables and gadget use was drawn by comparing the data obtained from the participants. The average daily screen time and sedentary behavior of the participants were also recorded to observe if these factors influenced their physical and mental wellness. The questionnaire also included the gadget type used by the participants, the time period expended daily usage of gadgets in the years 2019 and 2020. The physical and psychological concerns experienced by the participants such as headache, sleeping difficulties, backache, visual concerns, pain in the limbs, and depression were recorded too.

2.5. Statistical analyses

The statistical analyses of this study were performed using R (R core team, 2020) software. Pearson Chi‐square statistics were used to test the association between gadget use and socio‐demographic factors. Test result with less than .05 P ‐value is considered as statistically significant factors for gadget use. Types of gadget use and purpose of gadget use are shown through different graphical presentations. Figures were produced using Graph‐Pad Prism (Graph‐Pad, San Diego, CA). Besides, the effects of gadget use on different physical and mental health problems were assessed by binary logistic regression. For each case, logistic regression is fitted considering time spent on gadgets as the independent variable and health problems as the dependent variable. In this study, logistic regression model is used to measure the effect of gadget use on different health‐related problems. For testing the statistical significance of different categories of gadget use time, 5% level of significance is used. All the analysis was performed in R version 3.6.3.

2.6. Ethics statement

The ethical approval for this research was taken from the Ethical Review Committee of Chittagong Medical College (Memo no.‐CMC/PG/2020/122).

3.1. Respondents' socio‐demographic characteristics

A total of 1803 secondary school‐going children and adolescents participated in this study. Gender bias was minimized as the male (50.10%) to female (49.90%) ratio was close to 1. The social and demographic characteristics of the participants are presented in detail in Table  1 Regarding gadget use, male children showed high interest (89.25%) than female (85.52%). Most respondents of this study belonged to Bangla medium schools (70.3%) followed by English (12.4%) and Madrasha (17.4%). Most of the participants (>90%) from both the Bangla and English medium schools were using gadgets, while significantly ( P ‐value <.001) a big portion of participants (>31%) from Madrasha were far from using gadgets. A pattern of gradual increment of using gadgets ( P ‐value = .0002) was observed among the participants living in rural, suburban and urban areas, respectively. Similar patterns of increased gadget use were observed with the increased monthly family income of the participants ( P ‐value < .0001). Almost all (>93%) of the participants whose parents were graduates (tertiary level, at least) were found using gadgets. More obese participants (93.58%) were found using gadgets than underweight participants (84.26%).

Distribution of gadget use by socio‐demographic characteristics of the participants (n = 1803)

3.2. Variation in the use of gadgets

More than 87% of participants were reported to use any form of electronic gadgets (Figure  1A ). Smartphones were found to be the prominent one; 67.11% of the participants used this type of gadget on a daily basis for various purposes. About 39% of participants used gadgets for watching cartoons or movies followed by social media (27%) and video games (17%) (Figure  1B ). However, 24.48% of the participants also used these devices for participating in online classes due to this ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. A tiny portion of participants (8.74%) used these gadgets for normal communication purposes.

Types and purposes of use of gadgets by students; (A) Percentage of participants who used smartphones, tablet devices, desktop computers or laptops, and other types of gadgets. (B) Nature of purposes of use of electronic gadgets by school students

3.3. Use of gadgets and effect on physical activities and health

Prolonged use of gadgets has been observed among the participants in 2020 compared to the year 2019. While only 33.50% of participants reported spending time on gadgets at least 2 hours per day in 2019, the percentage increased up to nearly 53% in 2020 (Figure  2A ). The percentage of participants using gadgets (>6 hours) was three times more in 2020 as compared to 2019. Comparatively larger percentage of the participants (47.20%) spend 1 to 2 hours of time on gadgets in 2019; however, by 2020, a greater time spending trait was evident, and only 33.72% of participants of the total spend used gadgets 1 to 2 hours per day.

Pattern and total time spending on gadgets and outdoor activities. (A) A comparison between 2019 and 2020 on daily time spends on gadgets and (B) pattern of time durations spent in outdoor activities by participants

Along with being occupied with the gadgets, the participants showed less tendency of spending time through outdoor activities including playing games, walking, and doing physical exercises (Figure  2B ). Nearly 23% of the participants spent more than 2 hours doing outdoor activities. More than one‐fourth (26.46%) of the participants did not spend time outdoors regularly. Only 23.35% of the participants followed a good practice of outdoor activities for more than 2 hours. Participants were found to be suffering from headache, sleep disturbances, and backache, pain in limbs, visual disturbance, or depression. 45.26% of headache, 51.11% of sleeping disturbance, 48.18% of backache, 39.81% of limbs pain, 45.51% of visual disturbance, and 52.12% of depression associated participants belonged to the group who use gadgets for more than 2 hours daily. Participants who did not spend time at all with gadgets (0‐1 hour) were found relatively healthier with significantly less ( P  < .05) health complications. The use of gadgets for more than 1 hour has detrimental effects as it is shown in Figure  3 .

Types of physical problems for excessive use of gadgets

Table  2 has shown the logistic regression analysis to assess the effect of time spent on gadgets on various physical and mental problems. Physical problems like headache (OR = 2.41 for >6 hours), backache (OR = 3.203 for 4‐6 hours), visual disturbance (OR = 2.384 for 4‐6 hours), and sleeping disturbance (OR = 5.988 for >6 hours) were categorized as regularly occurring physical concerns, but an irregular pattern was observed in the frequency of occurrence. Further, this study also addressed whether the participants feel depressed after using gadgets. Table  2 showed that headache is significantly associated with time spent on gadgets 4 to 6 hours and >6 hours. Those who spent more than 6 hours on gadgets are 2.41 times more likely to have regular headaches than those who do not spend time on gadgets (0‐1 hour).

Effects of time spent on gadgets on different physical and mental health

4. DISCUSSION

This study has demonstrated a significant level of association between the use of electronic gadgets and the socio‐demographic characteristics of secondary school‐going students from Bangladesh. Based on the results of the study, among the secondary school‐going children in Bangladesh, male participants are the dominant users of electronic gadgets. It was reported that there is no gender bias nowadays in accessing the technological facility in terms of electronic gadget uses. 18 , 19 As per the previous literature, there is a lack of consensus with regard to gender and mobile/internet addiction, with some studies reporting higher prevalence in males 20 , 21 , 22 and some reporting higher prevalence in females. 23 , 24 However, recent studies showed that male students are more likely (three times) to develop technology addiction as compared to female students and males tend to use gadgets for prolonged periods of time compared to females. 1 , 13 , 25 In addition, among the Vietnamese youths, it has been reported that susceptibility of excessive gadgets/internet use has a significant relationship with their socio‐demographic characteristics. 26

The percentage of using gadgets was greater for both Bangla and English medium school students compared to the Madrasha students. The reason behind this higher prevalence could be the fact that all the students of English medium 27 and a significant number of students of the Bangla medium schools in Bangladesh come from families with solvent financial status 28 and they have easy accessibility to the internet on their mobile phones or PCs. 29 This is consistent with the study, which reported that students who come from upper‐income schools use more gadgets and even can afford personal cell phones than the students who come from lower‐income schools. 30 In addition, many parents feel that the uses of such devices are beneficial for their children. 31 It can be assumed that parents' involvement into and concern toward their children's education and well growth are some of the notable reasons behind gadgets addiction of their children. 3 , 18 This is well supported by our observation that the use of gadgets is significantly related to increased monthly family incomes and parents' education.

This present study observed a very significant difference among students from urban, rural, and suburban areas The prevalence of gadget usage is higher among urban students, while in Bangladesh, many rural areas are still deprived of many basic needs, so having access to the internet or other modern gadgets except for mobile phones is difficult on their part. This fact is supported by another study, which concluded that the urban environment imposes a bad influence on children than in rural areas and significant differences prevail between urban and rural areas in the use of gadgets. 32

In this study, mobile (smart) phones are found to be the mostly used gadget followed by different forms of tablet devices, as expected, because of their user‐friendliness and easy to carry/handle. 33 , 34 , 35 Close to 13% of participants were reported not to use any gadget. Similar to the findings of a study on Malaysian elementary school students, here in this study, the participants were observed to use gadgets for watching movies/cartoons and social media interactions predominantly. 33 Unlike before, about one‐fourth of the participants were found to use gadgets for participating in online classes, a new adaptation of the educational system for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic crisis. Supporting this matter, an Asian study depicted that interpersonal influences result from different online activities (eg, gaming, online classes, social media) have a formidable effect on becoming partial to the gadgets use or the internet addiction and showing apathetic behavior towards outdoor activities. 36

A number of previous studies have reported concerns over the use of gadgets by children and adolescents that may affect their social, physical, and emotional functions negatively. 19 , 25 , 35 , 37 , 38 Our study suggests that secondary school‐going children are spending more time with gadgets in the year 2020 compared to the year 2019. It is an area of major concern as Liu et al suggested that the use of electronic gadgets for more than 2 hours daily has a detrimental effect on a person's physical and mental status. 38 A previous study on the pattern and susceptibility of excessive internet use among students reported that internet addiction creates a tendency of staying up late, which was significantly associated with different mental and physical discomforts.

According to the studies of Liu et al and Wahyuni et al, this type of practice can invoke serious health (physical and mental) issues. 35 , 38 Another study conducted by CDC has also reported that this type of physical inactivity can lead to energy imbalance and can also enhance the risk of becoming obese and overweight. 39 In consistency with these claims, we have observed an increased occurrence of physical and mental problems in the secondary school‐going participants of this study. Nearly 50% (on average) of the participants who reported using gadgets more than 2 hours daily were suffering from any form of headache, sleeping disturbance, backache, pain in limbs, visual disturbance, or depression.

Similar studies were reported earlier where the participants were suffering from headache, backache, and eye strain due to excess smartphone use. Some studies have found that physical exercise significantly helps to reduce the risk of myopia. 40 This could be the reason behind the association of 45.51% visual problems in our participants who happened to use gadgets for more than 2 hours daily. Moreover, a study in Indonesia revealed that long use of gadgets is capable of affecting eyesight. 41 This research supports our findings quite well where we found a significant association between visual impairment and gadget usage.

Most of the participants who extensively use electronic gadgets stated that they experience sleeping difficulties and anger/depression in regular life. Many studies have been conducted on sleep quality and technology use observed that gadgets especially mobile phone use trigger sleep disorders and disturbances among adolescents. 42 , 43 Our finding was supported by another study, which concluded that more than 40% of their study population had insufficient sleep, which had a significant association with spending more than 2 hours per day using gadgets. 44 Prior study also mentioned that the study participants were either sleeping less (85%) or having sleep difficulties (26.7%) due to their excessive addiction toward the internet. 45 Activities include but are not limited to late‐night texting, a watching spree of web series or movies and often gaming. 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 Several studies have proven the co‐relationship between mental health problems and electronic media usage. 19 , 25 , 35 Similar results such as increased risk of psychiatric comorbidity and mental discomfort have been observed among patients who engage in more screen time followed by internet addiction in few studies. 25

The present study has several limitations. A first limitation is that it might have recall bias due to the younger age of the participants. Second, we were unable to collect data on several contributing factors, such as the outcome of excess use of gadgets, effect on academic performance, and surrounding factors that could be relevant to gadget use. Finally, selection bias could be a possibility as a convenience sampling technique was used due to the lack of a sampling frame for the gadget users in Bangladesh.

In summary, the results of our study comply with the findings of previous studies in other regions that the overuse of gadgets imposes severe health effects among adolescents. We also found that socio‐demographic determinants and factors often influence the excessive use of gadgets.

5. CONCLUSION

According to this study, there is a significant relation of electronic gadget use with the level of education and gender. Male students are more prone in using gadgets than female students. Use of gadgets also depends on the easy access to the internet and relevant online facilities, which could differ based on respondents' socio‐economic status. This same reason applies to finding higher use of gadgets in urban areas compared with the students of rural areas. Unfortunately, gadgets have shown a notable effect on physical and mental health status. With the enormous amount of entertainment options, children tend to stick to their gadgets in their free time. The more frequent tendency of gadget use among adolescents is increasingly contributing to several physical health complications (eg, headache, sleeping disorder). To ensure the health of the present generation and upcoming ones, parents should be more aware of their children's gadget use limits. Students should be more encouraged to spend time on physical activities and outdoor games. Different health‐related awareness programs can be promoted to initiate counseling of the students at both home and school. Proper time management lessons need to be imparted among the school‐going children. More studies need to be carried out regarding this issue in order to address the problem more precisely and strengthen the strategies further for the near future.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare there is no conflict of interest.

AUTHORS' CONTRIBUTIONS

Conceptualization: Adnan Mannan, Farhana Akter, S M Mahbubur Rashid.

Formal Analysis: Nasrin Lipi.

Investigation: Jannatul Mawah, Ema Banik, Yasmin Akter, Jobaier Ibne Deen, Amina Jahan, Navid Mahmood Khan, Md. Mofijur Rahman.

Project administration: Adnan Mannan, S M Mahbubur Rashid.

Visualization: S M Mahbubur Rashid, Alak Paul.

Writing—Original Draft Preparation: Jannatul Mawah, Ema Banik, Yasmin Akter, Jobaier Ibne Deen, Amina Jahan, Navid Mahmood Khan, Md. MofijurRahman.

Writing—Review and Editing: S M Mahbubur Rashid, Adnan Mannan, Farhana Akter, Alak Paul.

All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Adnan Mannan had full access to all of the data in this study and takes complete responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

This research received no external funding.

TRANSPARENCY STATEMENT

The lead author affirms that this manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported; that no important aspects of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned (and, if relevant, registered) have been explained.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Authors would like to thank Chittagong University Research and Higher Study Society (CURHS), Drishty Chittagong and Disease Biology and Molecular Epidemiology (dBme) Research Group for their support and contribution during the study.

Rashid SMM, Mawah J, Banik E, et al. Prevalence and impact of the use of electronic gadgets on the health of children in secondary schools in Bangladesh: A cross‐sectional study . Health Sci Rep . 2021; 4 :e388. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.388 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

S M Mahbubur Rashid and Adnan Mannan contributed equally to this work.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Advantages & Disadvantages of Electronic Gadgets

Electronic gadgets have revolutionized the way we work, play, shop and communicate. They are an ever-present part of modern life, but they don't come without a negative side. The disadvantages of electronic devices, including addiction, are receiving an increased amount of attention. Anyone who uses electronic devices should be aware of the influence of they have on society and our personal lives.

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Electronic Gadgets Definition

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A gadget as a small device or tool that is frequently novel or ingenious. Smartphones and tablets are the most obvious examples of electronic gadgets. In recent years, these devices have become increasingly general-purpose as they combine several functions, including making calls, streaming video and playing games. Other examples of electronic gadgets include e-book readers, smartwatches, digital fitness trackers, GPS devices and video game machines. Some people also include monitors, laptops and desktop computers when discussing the advantages and disadvantages of gadgets.

Advantages of Electronic Gadgets

One of the biggest advantages of electronic gadgets is that they make our lives easier. Talk to anyone who was around before the days of mobile phones, and you'll hear how inconvenient it was to find a pay phone when you needed to make a call while away from home. Gadgets help us stay personally and professionally connected by providing access to email, text messages, phone services, video chat and social media. We use them to make new connections, both online and in the real world. Electronic devices have revolutionized the world of shopping, allowing online shoppers to buy millions of products with the tap of a finger or click of a mouse.

Disadvantages of Electronic Gadgets

A small electronic gadget may seem harmless, but the manufacture and disposal of these devices have a significant impact on the global environment. Many devices contain hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium and mercury that can contaminate ground soil if not disposed of properly. The problem of disposal is compounded by the fact that consumers are urged to upgrade to new technology before their current devices wear out.

Electronic devices can improve communication, but they are also blamed for social issues. While social media and other technology help many people strengthen relationships, others feel pressured to keep up a certain image on social media or are depressed after social media interactions. Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to the social issues associated with smartphones and other gadgets that connect to the internet. There is also growing concern that overreliance on smartphones and other electronic gadgets leads to tech addiction.

The ability to shop and conduct banking operations from a mobile device is convenient, but it brings an increased risk for identity theft and other serious crimes due to the breach of sensitive data by cybercriminals. Loss of privacy is another concern with electronic devices. Personal photo, videos and other private data are at greater risk of being exposed or lost when stored on an electronic device.

• Information Age: Modern Technology: Advantages and Disadvantages
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Essay on Harmful Effects Of Electronic Gadgets

Students are often asked to write an essay on Harmful Effects Of Electronic Gadgets in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Harmful Effects Of Electronic Gadgets

Introduction.

Electronic gadgets, like phones, tablets, and computers, are a big part of our lives. We use them for work, school, and fun. But, if we use them too much, they can have harmful effects on us.

Physical Health Issues

Sitting for hours using gadgets can lead to physical problems like back pain, eye strain, and obesity. Our bodies need movement and rest. Without these, our health can suffer.

Mental Health Concerns

Too much screen time can also affect our mental health. It can cause stress, anxiety, and depression. It’s important to balance our time on gadgets with other activities.

Sleep Problems

Using gadgets before bed can make it hard to sleep. The light from the screen tricks our brain into thinking it’s still daytime. This can lead to sleep problems.

While gadgets can be useful, it’s important to use them wisely. Too much screen time can lead to health problems. So, make sure to take breaks, get enough sleep, and balance screen time with other activities.

250 Words Essay on Harmful Effects Of Electronic Gadgets

Electronic gadgets like smartphones, tablets, and computers have become an essential part of our lives. They help us communicate, learn, and entertain ourselves. But, they also have some harmful effects, especially if we use them too much.

Impact on Physical Health

One major problem with using gadgets too much is that it can hurt our health. Staring at screens for a long time can lead to eye strain and headaches. It can also cause bad posture and muscle pain. Plus, using gadgets late at night can make it hard for us to sleep.

Effect on Mental Health

Electronic gadgets can also affect our mental health. Spending too much time online can make us feel lonely or depressed. It can also make us anxious, especially if we compare ourselves to others on social media. Moreover, excessive use of gadgets can lead to addiction, making it hard for us to focus on other important things.

Impact on Learning and Creativity

Too much screen time can also harm our learning and creativity. Instead of exploring the world around us or reading books, we might end up wasting time on unimportant things online. This can limit our knowledge and imagination.

In conclusion, while electronic gadgets have many benefits, they can also have harmful effects on our physical and mental health, as well as our learning and creativity. It’s important to use them wisely and take regular breaks to avoid these problems.

500 Words Essay on Harmful Effects Of Electronic Gadgets

Electronic gadgets have become an integral part of our lives. From mobile phones to laptops, they help us in many ways. But, like everything else, they also have some harmful effects. This essay will discuss the harmful effects of electronic gadgets.

Health Issues

One of the main harmful effects of electronic gadgets is on our health. Spending too much time on gadgets can lead to eye strain, headaches, and even vision problems. This is because the screens of these gadgets emit a type of light that can harm our eyes.

Moreover, sitting for long hours while using these gadgets can cause body pain and posture problems. It can also lead to obesity in children and adults as it reduces the time for physical activities.

Electronic gadgets can also affect our sleep. The light from the screens can trick our brain into thinking it is still daytime. This can make it harder for us to fall asleep. Lack of sleep can cause tiredness, lack of concentration, and even affect our mood.

Effects on Mental Health

Spending too much time on electronic gadgets can also affect our mental health. Many people, especially teenagers, feel pressured to look perfect and live a perfect life on social media. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Moreover, excessive use of gadgets can also lead to addiction. People may find it hard to stay away from their gadgets, even for a short time. This can affect their social life and relationships.

Learning and Creativity

While electronic gadgets can help us learn new things, they can also affect our learning and creativity. Children who spend too much time on gadgets may not have time for other activities that help in their overall development. They may also find it hard to concentrate on their studies.

In conclusion, while electronic gadgets have made our lives easier, they also have some harmful effects. They can affect our physical and mental health, sleep, and learning. Therefore, it is important to use these gadgets in moderation and take regular breaks to avoid these problems.

Remember, gadgets are there to help us, not to control our lives. It’s up to us to use them wisely and take care of our health. Let’s make a promise to ourselves to use gadgets responsibly and encourage others to do the same.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Haste Makes Waste
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ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, debating the use of digital devices in the classroom.

While many parents allow children free reign of the internet at home, it’s a common debate in education circles on how —and if —digital devices should be allowed at school.

Supporters of technology in the classroom say that using laptops, tablets, and cellphones in the classroom can keep students engaged. Technology is what they know. Most students today don’t even remember a time without the internet.

But critics say it’s yet another distraction in the classroom. From social media to texting, allowing digital devices could hinder a student’s performance in the classroom.

Read on to discover the main arguments surrounding the global debate on digital devices and their place in our schools.

Pros of digital devices in the classroom

• Peace of mind:  Cellphones and smartphones can offer parents a little more peace of mind when their children are at school. Parents know that in an emergency the student can contact them, or vice versa. In addition, more and more cellphones and smartphones contain GPS devices that can be tracked if necessary.
• Instant answers:  Access to the internet provides instant answers for the curious. This is the search-and-learn environment kids are involved in today. Now, when they want to know “Why do leaves change color,” they are only a search away from an answer. This also gives students the ability to get an answer to a question they may feel uncomfortable asking in class. If a teacher uses a term they don’t understand, they can find the answer discretely, and without interrupting the class.
• Wider access to information:  With internet access, children can be exposed to a world of creative ideas outside of their bubble. They can learn other languages, teach themselves how to draw, knit, or play chess. They have access to an endless array of options available to help them learn, and gain skills they might not otherwise be exposed to. All of this can be accomplished through a  smartphone, which can be a valuable learning tool , if used correctly.
• Access to video:  Electronic devices in the classroom can enhance the learning experience by providing instant video access. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech is not just something to read about. Man’s first step on the moon, early flight, presidential speeches, bridges being built—they all are made more real and easier to digest in the form of instant video availability.
• Wide range of music available:  Sure, you might think of kids listening to their pop, hip-hop, and rap music on digital devices, but remember that all music is available. This gives students access to classical, jazz, big band, and early rock ‘n’ roll. Students could have the opportunity to compare and discuss the differences in these styles in a way that is familiar to them.
• Social learning: Social media can have a negative connotation when you link it to kids. However, there can be an educational aspect. Social learning is a great way for students to share information, thoughts, and ideas on a subject. Properly focused, quieter, and shyer students may blossom in a social learning situation made possible by digital devices.
• Teacher advancement:  Finding ways to effectively utilize digital devices in the classroom provides teachers with an opportunity to advance their skillset and grow with their students. Many teachers are taking their digital literacy to the next level by earning an  master’s degree in education technology .

Cons of digital devices in the classroom

• Harmful effects of digital devices:  There are concerns from the EPA about long-term exposure to wireless devices and computer screens . While there is no direct evidence of harmful effects, the EPA discourages too much exposure for students who have video screens in front of their faces or computers in their laps. If students frequently use these devices at home, additional exposure at school could be viewed as harmful.
• Inappropriate materials:  While schools can limit the availability of websites that can be viewed on their network, students may find links that slipped through the system. There will also be times that students will not be accessing the internet through a monitored network.
• Distraction from schoolwork:  With the temptation of social media and texting in their hands, students may focus solely on their social life instead of the lesson plan.
• Child predators:  Child predators are a problem everywhere. Using digital devices at school creates just that much more exposure and potential danger for students.
• Cyberbulling : This is an increasing issue that’s grown exponentially in recent years. Permitting use of digital devices in the classroom could potentially lead to more of it.
• Provide a disconnect:  While some believe digital devices make for greater connections for students, there are also those who believe too much time with digital devices disconnects students from face-to-face social activities, family communications, and nature. Digital devices in the classroom could lead to an even greater disconnect.
• Could widen the gap : Technology spending varies greatly across the nation. Some schools have the means to address the digital divide so that all of their students have access to technology and can improve their technological skills. Meanwhile, other schools still struggle with their computer-to-student ratio and/or lack the means to provide economically disadvantaged students with loaner iPads and other devices so that they can have access to the same tools and resources that their classmates have at school and at home.

Should schools permit digital devices?

Some school districts have seen great improvements by allowing digital devices in the classroom. One thing is clear: if digital devices are permitted, there should be guidelines and rules in place .

Students need to be taught online safety, the use of judgment in determining good quality sources of information, and restraint from personal use in the classroom. In other words, they need to learn all about digital literacy and  digital citizenship .

There are many resources for teaching these concepts, and a great place to start is the International Society for Technology in Education  (ISTE). Their   comprehensive standards  focus on  the skills and qualities students should have in order to be successful in the digital world. ISTE also teamed up with Google and developed an online digital citizenship game called  Interland . It educates kids about digital citizenship in interactive ways. Students learn how to be good digital citizens as well as how to combat hackers, phishers, oversharers, and bullies.

If a school is going to allow and/or encourage the use of digital devices in the classroom, then teachers also need proper support in terms of training, professional development, and curriculum. They can start with curriculum and PD resources such as those provided by   Common Sense Media , but in order to fully utilize them, teachers need time to plan and collaborate. Digital devices should only be used when there are specific goals in mind, focusing on student safety, digital citizenship, critical thinking, collaboration, advancement, and equity.

You may also like to read

• How to Incorporate Digital Stories in the Classroom
• Teaching Via Tech: Digital Advancements in the Classroom
• Google Docs for Teachers: Classroom and Lesson Plan Management
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• How Assistive Learning Technology has Impacted the Disabled

Categorized as: Tips for Teachers and Classroom Resources

Tagged as: Educational Technology ,  Educational Technology Leadership ,  Social Media

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• Sample Essays

IELTS essay sample: Has gadgets affected the creativity of young people?

by Manjusha Nambiar · Published February 4, 2016 · Updated April 23, 2024

Essay topic

Nowadays leisure industry products like gaming consoles and modern gadgets are widely used by young people. The use of these products reduces the creativity of the young generation. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion.

Sample essay

Modern gadgets like smartphones and gaming consoles are quite popular with young people. Many of them make it a point to buy new gadgets as soon they hit the market. Gadget addiction has both destroyed and nourished the creativity of young people. I will explain my stand with examples in this essay.

Young people who spend a lot of time with their gadgets have reduced social skills. They live in a fictitious world of their own and often have trouble building relationships with others. They can’t imagine an existence without their gadgets and get panic attacks if they don’t have access to their machines. These people tend to have poor academic grades. They don’t have time to concentrate on their studies and they have limited understanding of the world around them. Most of these folks don’t read or write. They won’t be able to write even a simple letter if they don’t have access to the internet. In other words, these people will find it difficult to survive if you place them in a world where there is no internet or smartphone.

On the flip side, there are countless youngsters who have used the potential of gadgets and technology to unleash their creativity. They make apps and games. They write blogs to educate and entertain the world. We are living in the midst of a startup boom. If we take a look at those startup founders, it is not hard to see that they are young men and women in their early twenties. They are inspired by the power of technology and want to make a constructive difference to the world. They use their gadgets to change the world.

To conclude, technology can be a bane or a boon. It depends upon the way we use it. Young people need to realize that gadgets aren’t for killing time. They have better uses.

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Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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Order bidding, how do electronic devices affect an individual’s daily life.

Many students consider the potential problems with electronic devices and consider digging deeper into this area. If you are considering creating a paper about the influence of global digitalization on one’s life and think: ‘I guess I should write my term paper about it,’ read on.

Electronic Devices Essay Example

Most of the technological advancements are acknowledged by individuals through electronic devices, such as smartphones, personal computers, and tablets. They have an enormous impact on the quality of their lives, but also on how people communicate. But do electronic devices make life easier and give people more access to information, or do they have a negative effect on the way individuals communicate with each other at a personal level? Photo from Depositphotos There are more than a few arguments for each side. More than ever, these devices alter an individual’s life in many ways and create a shift in the way people use technology through their routine. A large amount of information is just a click away through apps like YouTube, Maps, Google Search, or e-books. People can share instantly personal information with thousands of others and have constant access to entertainment or media. There are people, such as Nancy Baym (a researcher at Microsoft Research), who feel that “the evidence consistently shows that the more you communicate with people using devices, the more likely you are to communicate with those people face to face” (Adler, 2013). On the negative side, a dramatic increase in technological use is noticed in younger generations. In a study of the Kaiser Family Foundation from 2010, information gathered suggests that “eight- to eighteen-year-olds spend more time with media than in any other activity besides (maybe) sleeping—an average of more than 7½ hours a day” (Rideout, Foehr & Roberts). Other studies showed that children’s cognitive and emotional development can be negatively altered by electronic device addiction (Przybylski & Weinstein). Electronic devices continue to become important parts of people’s lifestyle. As this happens, the way individuals interact with them is subject to change if they see them as merely tools for an easier life and raise awareness of how precious the human connection is to their lives. Resources Adler, I. (2013, January 17). “How our digital devices are affecting our personal relationships.” WBUR. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from http://www.wbur.org/2013/01/17/digital-lives-i. Przybylski, Andrew K., and Netta Weinstein. “Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality.” SAGE Journals . Retrieved May 3, 2020, from journals.sagepub.com. Rideout, J. Vicotria, Foehr, G. Ulla, Roberts, F. Donald. (2010). “Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year-olds.” European Journal of Educational Research, vol. 9, no. 2 . Retrieved Retrieved May 3, 2020, from http://www.eu-Jer.com/EU-JER_9_2_743.pdf.

Essay Topics About An Effect Of Electronic Devices on An Individual’s Life

For those students who want to create a meaningful paper about the effect of electronic devices on an individual’s everyday life and wish to create good essays, we collected some ideas on effective essay topics. If you need assistance with any type of college paper, read more on our blog or reach out to us to meet a professional author who can write an essay online .

• The creation of the Gadget Alterego.
• The use of gadgets among teenagers: pros and cons.
• How do smartphones affect the human brain?
• The safest electronic gadgets for the home.
• Do USB flash drives have a future?
• Why are expensive gadgets more popular than cheaper ones?
• Is it safe to use car gadgets?
• The pros and cons of using smart glasses.
• Wearable technology: want to expect in the future?
• What are the consequences of the overuse of a smartphone?
• What is safer: the laptop or the desktop?
• The pros and cons of smart homes.
• Is it necessary to use gadgets in the kitchen?
• Is it effective to use pregnancy apps and gadgets?

For those who need to write a short essay on electronic gadgets, this sample will be extremely helpful. You can see how to disclose the topic fully. However, even if you know what to write on this topic, you still can find this sample helpful because it demonstrates how to structure the paper. It is better to have a template if you need to write an essay on electronic devices.

Electronic Devices Essay Writing Help

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