How Does Technology Affect Critical Thinking

Introduction
The use of technology is being practiced more frequently in education then the vintage hand writing. Today, schools are more and more likely to have assignments due online. People will usually consider that technology is undoubtedly been a more convenient way to do things; however, some claim that the practice of technology has actually been beneficial. The argument is that technology such as computers are more than just an alternative, but is actually more efficient while the person is able to use the most out of his or her resources. In education, the argument can be made that the most important thing is not what is necessarily easier to do for the student, but what will actually challenge the student to critically think on their …show more content…
There are different ways to measuring critical thinking, and the article tries to do so by assessing whether or not technology has helped students perform better in their essay writing. In order for one to be a good essay writer, he or she must analyze and critique their reasoning, one must put into questioning his or her beliefs, which in turn challenges the writer, and demands the writer to critically think. The study that is conducted examines two groups of talented children. One group wrote their essays with the use of computers, and the other group wrote their essays hand written. The results were only gender specific; the boys that used computers scored higher than the boy that wrote their essays by producing more words, sentences, and paragraphs. They also received a higher rating in the rubric that was used. Girls on the other hand received the same score in both circumstances, and were on the same level as the boys. While the results may be limited, the study was a great way to show how technology can be …show more content…
If someone does not feel comfortable with the use of computers, then that person cannot perform at the best of his or her ability. We do live in a generation where computers are a part of our lives, so now days it is rare for us to see someone who does not feel comfortable with technology. But the question that was asked in the article about if the use of technology impedes one critical thinking (Dixy et al., p.180), is a valid question. It is a question that should be considered and answered. Unfortunately, the article was unable to successfully answer the question; however, my argument would be that just because something is convenient, does not mean that it requires less thinking. In Mohammed’s (2004) article titled, “Thinking about Technology Effects on Higher Education,” he stated “[t]echnology and technological applications are, indeed a continuous process that dates back in our human history.” The definition technology is a tool that is created by scientific means; technology is not something that has just been invented. To say that because of computers convenience is a reason that it does not require as much critical thinking a faulty argument. If someone can get to the same conclusion as the person who needs more time to do it, then it would foolish not to go the quicker route. Technology is simply a tool that was designed to enable humans to do tasks in a more