Despite all the symptoms of addiction, most users aren't addicted to media and the devices

An addiction is, as mentioned in Tarot Cirkel’s blog post, a physical need.  Most of the time this physical need is created by chemical reactions that make us crave a certain thing, whether it be a drug or our phones.  In her post, Cirkel says that “Students’ addiction to media may not be clinically diagnosed, but it sure seems real.”  I completely agree with both her notions.

            I have realized that there are many times when I reach for my phone, unlock it and do not know what to do if there are not any new notifications.  Sometimes I do not even check for notifications, and just go straight to an app for no particular reason.  Before I noticed this I believed that being addicted to media was being addicted to the information that one receives from it, but it is not limited to that only.  By reaching for our phones or just holding it in our hands often, we display our dependency on the objects and what they provide.  By being attached to the devices themselves we are therefore connected to the information and the media that they provide. 

            This summer I spent five weeks in Africa with little to no access to wi-fi.  During this time I craved information and media, but was content without it.  Although we display the symptoms of being addicted to media, such as reaching for our phones or checking Facebook a countless amount of times a day, I believe that the great majority of us aren’t addicted since we could easily become independent of them.

            At home I believe that technology takes away from interactions with family members.  I believe that the devices, social media, and other digital media is very positive, and many times enhances our social life, but when we are already surrounded by people to interact with I believe that media should be second.  Unless the devices or media are used to enhance the interaction at hand, they should be left out.  The same applies at school.  I advocate the use of media in the classroom to enhance or supplement the interaction between the professor and students.

When used right, devices can create better learning experiences.  Many times the devices we use in class can be harmful to our learning, but because the devices are so appealing to the students, classroom experiences with technology become more engaging and interesting to students.  Even if a student isn’t interested in the topic being taught, he can agree with the technology being used. 

Patrick Prommel

Article Tarot Cirkel: http://theworldunplugged.wordpress.com/addictions/