As new technology is becoming increasingly available and advanced, people begin to wonder about the use of it in all aspects of our lives. Some people argue that it’s making us more and more dependent on technology for everything, making it difficult to part with our electronic devices. However, the way some of us use it and others could use it shows potential for a bright future of education, knowledge, and advancements in science, medicine, the arts, and so much more. Students today are the generation of this technology; students and teachers would benefit from using technology to their advantage in education.

Technology has done something that the world has never seen. It has allowed us to connect with countries all over the world instantly. For research papers, digital sources are becoming more prevalent that print sources, because they allow us to connect with a vast amount of information with a few clicks of the mouse. From personal experience, recent papers I have written are on current events, which twenty years ago would be next to impossible. Statistics, reflection, personal experiences, and much more is available to me instantly.

Additionally, the collaborative projects which Horizon Honors emphasizes, have become much easier with cell phones, programs like Google Drive, and additional technology. Google Drive is  a look to the future of documents and collaborative projects. The Horizon Sun uses Google Drive, in which our editors and columnists can work together outside of the classroom through comments and edits to create articles. For group projects, we are able to create one powerpoint instead of four to combine last minute. In addition, all of the students are able to work on a project at the same time, which is more convenient for everyone. We are able to communicate without talking in person or even through a telephone call. Furthermore, teachers can provide some extra advice on how to improve our project or assignment. Horizon Honors allows students to prepare for real life situations of collaborative projects.

Learning is also heightened, allowing you to broaden your areas of expertise, enhance your learning in a specific area, or receive a different way to teach it. Colleges and online schools offer free programs to receive knowledge about a variety of subjects from math to humanities. Although you might not get credits, the internet allows you to communicate with people on the other side of the world, discuss the history of fine art, the Roman Empire, and much more. Or, if one area such as foreign cultures is your primary focus, then you could find news articles, photo galleries, videos, and documents to aid in your research. In subjects like math, the way the teacher explains the concept is crucial. Therefore, if you don’t understand the way your teacher shows the concepts, websites such as Khan Academy explain important information in a better suited way for you. Websites improve your learning with additional information.

Although some say technology is the cause of distraction, I believe it teaches students to prioritize schoolwork over games and manage their time. Technology benefits students by depthening our learning, improving our collaborative ability, and increasing our education.