From the moment we wake up until 11:59 p.m., we are constantly on our devices: checking notifications, emailing teachers for last-minute extensions, and asking AI for help on procrastinated homework. Whether we’re playing Clash Royale on our phones or using our laptops to take tests on LockDown Browser, we are constantly glued to a screen. For the most part, we use technology every day in both our personal and academic lives, to the point where a question arises: have we become too reliant on it? The dominant opinion is yes. Technology has become our default solution for everything, from learning to leisure, blurring the line between necessity and dependence.
Tomas Gonzalez ‘26 stated, “Every day, I see students glued to their screens, from working on homework, checking results for sports games, to playing games such as Wordle and Minecraft. Even during lunch and recess, there are plenty of kids, both inside and outside, using their laptops.” During breaks between classes, the point is not for us to stare at a screen, but for us to socialize and take a break from staring at a screen for hours on end. Even during breaks, we rely on technology to socialize and pass the time. The majority of teachers rely on technology to help us learn, but as a result of this, we subconsciously become reliant on sites like Canvas and Gmail, instead of working our brains and keeping ourselves accountable without technology.
Instead of asking our teachers for solutions or further explanations in class, we end up going home and using Artificial Intelligence to solve certain problems. This habit kills our critical thinking skills because students know they can find every answer on the internet. Students also understand that teachers will post the notes and study guides on Canvas.
When asked, Jorge Gonzalez, a member of the information technology department, says, “Yes, students easily get distracted because they can get instant answers, making students less likely to pay attention to the material that the teacher presents in class.” Jorge’s statement shows that our over-reliance on technology is obvious to faculty as well.
Some may say technology has improved our ability to learn, but the fact that we don’t have a choice but to use technology is a problem. In fact, Loyola itself is set up in a way that is heavily reliant on technology. For most classes, you won’t be able to get anything done without access to important websites or your laptop.
For example, on Monday, Oct. 22, Canvas went down for the majority of the day, and every class was affected. Teachers were forced to reschedule deadlines and class agendas, as well as grant extensions to a majority of students.
Now, the solution for reducing this overreliance on technology is nonexistent. It will be nearly impossible to go back on a decade’s worth of conditioning and training people to use and adapt to technology. At the end of the day, the consistent advancement of the world makes it impossible for students not to use technology, but finding the line between what is and isn’t overreliance is key.
