Haxmeier 1

Nicole Haxmeier
ENG: 105
Joannie Kilburg
19 December 2016
Walking into a school in the modern day, it is impossible to overlook the masses of cords
connected to computers, Ipads, and cellphones. The school system has dedicated billions of
dollars to the best-of-the-best technology for students who have been dulled by this technological
revolution. This money had to come from somewhere, and sadly, it was thieved from the art,
music, and industrial technology departments. Not only did we place students in front of a screen
for an unhealthy amount of hours, but now students are lacking a visual and creative outlet for
their brains to prosper. Technology in schools has led to a mass of issues for teachers, students,
and even parents. The United States has a severe deficiency in creativity, as well as a lack of
personal peer connection and teamwork skills. These issues have flourished under the realm of
implementation of technology into public schools. The excess use of technology within the
classroom raises a dependency for it, and therefore a demand for electronics has been created in
the outside society. Because schools are investing money into the newest forms of technology
rather than the dilapidated art departments, students lack the creativity to drive and innovate the
American society.
A primitive version of the computer first came about in 1950, but it was anything usable or
mobile like the ones of the modern day. 17,468 vacuum tubes made up this computer called the
giant brain. A series of advancements including the integrated circuit and microprocessor led to
a revelation in the 1980s. This was when computers first became compact, cheap, and
personal. This began with a computer called the Altair, which costed $397. The industry took
off, and in 2008, the number of computers sold worldwide reached the whopping milestone of 1

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billion (Ryan 45-61). From there, computers became the basis of the modern day education
system.
This is where the issues began. Each generation, general intelligence raises 10 points based
on standardized testing, and people often correlate that number with technology and the
innovation of the modern school. This may be true, but with each new generation creativity
declines, which means that in a certain aspect school is making students denser (Bronson and
Merryman 44). For most people, the most important thing is general intelligence, and at least
computers and technology are doing that, right? Wrong. A study of schools showed that there
was no academic improvement within schools that were based heavily on technology. This
survey has heighted the idea that technology is not needed in schools (Roddy 14). Schools who
are anti-tech have consistently made the argument that students must first relate to the physical
world around them, and then learn to use technology. Technology has actually shortened
attention spans, and also demeaned abilities like spelling because Microsoft Word can just
correct it for the student (Kang n.p.). The issues do not lie within the students; often, they can be
conformed through general education. The issues lie in the dependency on technology, and only
the education system is to blame.
Studies have shown that in fact, technology is not healthy for teens or children. Students
who use cellphones or computers at night tend to have low sleep quality, and sleep is absolutely
crucial for brain development. 89% of teens have at least one device in their sleep environment,
and many of those students come to school sleepy and unfocused (Scutti n.p.). While cellphone
use is not directly correlated with the education system, assigning homework on computers can
play a role in this sleep epidemic. School should be a place where students can escape the social
media-driven society and work with their hands, as well as their classmates. Not only does

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technology affect a students sleep hygiene, but also their social connection with peers and
teamwork skills.
The social media revolution has ironically driven deep human connection to scarily low
levels. Now, students are attending school with hundreds of other students to simply delve into a
digital world on a screen. Social skills are imperative for many careers and general success with
future relationships. A study from UCLA found that 6th graders who spent no time on a digital
screen were substantially better at reading human emotion than those who invest a majority of
their time into their screens. This lack of emotional intelligence led the team to conclude people
need more device-free time (In Our Digital World 148). Emotional intelligence and social
skills is not the only thing this society is lacking, but also creativity.
Students lack creativity to drive the American society, and innovate and industrialize on
higher levels. It does not help that the modern curriculum does not allow students to reach
beyond it, but rather conform to its standards. Creativity has been declining for a while, but even
more so with the help of computers and their implementation into schools. The most substantial
decline has been seen in creativity of kindergarten to 6th graders. On average, a preschool student
asks about 100 questions per day, but once that same child reaches middle school, the questions
have almost completely come to a halt. A recent IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs ranked creativity as the
number 1 leadership competency of the future. So if creativity is so important for the future,
why is it not being taught in schools? American teachers warn that there is no room for creativity
class because of the overwhelming amount of standards. Currently, students only get art class
once or twice a week on average, and almost no creativity-based learning is in their general
curriculum. Researchers agree they must implement creativity into every-day learning, or else
finding solutions to world problems in the future will be a monumental and strenuous issue

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(Bronson and Merryman 44). Not only are we depriving students of creativity, but technology
has had minimal positive effects on academics too.
Ignoring technology is not an option, however, some teachers are concerned about the
technological approaches the schools are taking. A study was done in schools showing that there
was no academic improvement within schools that were based heavily on technology. This
survey has heighted the idea that technology is not needed in schools (Roddy 14). The people
most affected by this craze are teachers, who have also begun to stand up against the
technological movement. California has begun to recognize the pressures to teach to test and
discard creativity in the process. Teachers have felt pressured to teach the test prep, but they
discovered students got bored and would not listen anyway (Watanabe A1). Teachers are not only
forced to teach certain standards and computer-based learning, but they also are losing their jobs
to the realm of technology and online instruction. In a Colorado school, 89 staff members lost
their jobs to the realm of online instruction. They argued this direction of learning would not be
as rich or as meaningful as the face-to-face contact. Teachers now fear that technology could
possibly push them out of their jobs, although they all agree teachers are necessary for student
engagement and learning (Quillen 1-3).
Studies have proven that excess use of technology is not healthy for growing and developing
brains, which has only increased since computers have became a necessity in schools. Students
have also developed a lack of social skills and ability to read human emotion, which is necessary
for future success. There has also been a severe decline in creativity, which employers all agree
are important for a career. Lastly, technology has been taking teachers out of their jobs and
replacing them with screens, and this has shown no signs of improving American academia. All
of these effects of replacing art with technology can be narrowed down to a few simple causes.

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This dependency on technology begins with commercial entities that offer free technology to
schools. Since the word free is plastered onto the proposal, schools jump at the offer, with little
thought as to why these companies are making such thoughtful donations. Often, these
companies are being so generous so that they can gather data and market children who are using
this technology (Strauss n.p.). After a few years, the free technology has run its course, and there
is a demand for newer models within the student body. After a frantic search for money to
provide this revolutionary resource, the funds are usually found within the art and industrial
technology departments. Sadly, art resources run low, and certain classes and segments of art
must be shut down to make room in the budget for new technology.
New models, new updates, new add-ons; they all come at a severe cost, and often schools
end up with masses of unnecessary resources. The over-funding of technology is a huge problem,
and often the art departments are the first to suffer because they are seen as unnecessary within
the standard-obsessed school board. However, the art departments usually already have limited
resources, and even more so after funds have been robbed. Each year, paintbrushes, paints, sheet
music, tools, and construction materials must be provided for students to prosper within the art
departments. If these resources can no longer be provided, these departments will crumble.
Frankly, that future is not far off, and in some schools it has already arrived
Commercial entities will often offer schools a great deal of technology at no cost, and so the
infatuation with computers begins. The updates and new models are then too good to pass up,
and funds begin to spiral out of control. Then, the art departments are sought out, and with their
already limited funds, they are forced to give up more. This is how our country has landed into a
dependency on technology, and a lack of creativity. However, there may be a few solutions that
can begin to fix this epidemic.

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The most obvious solution to this issue is to spend less on technology and with that savings,
give a larger budget to the art departments. Invest adequate money for materials and updates to
the art departments, and the remaining money will go to technology, rather than the other way
around. During this revamp, it would be wise to open up new art departments once again, like
photography or even makeup, to help the art departments appeal to more students and more
modes of creativity. Many successful people, like Ted Schwarzrock, did not nurture their
creativity when they were younger, which leads to many frustrations for a creative individual
because they lack an outlet. Now, he has discovered his creative edged as a medical technology
inventor, and he is much happier (Bronson and Merryman 44). Once the basics are provided to
the art departments, the following years will be less expensive than the initial investment. Instead
of providing Macbooks for the students, provide Chromebooks, which have similar abilities, but
less unnecessary tools and add-ons. Another money-saving technique is to train or hire teachers
for multiple purposes. Combining tasks such as technology guru and English teacher could help
to cut back on the costs associated with technology. It would also be wise within the art
departments to have lesson plans for the entirety of the year provided in advance, so that there
will not be a mass of materials remaining after the year ends.
Another solution is to implement blended learning or project-based learning into the
curriculum. Allow students to prosper through technology for half a day, but work as a member
of a team with their hands for the remainder of the day. This is a happy medium between the
world of technology, and the world of creativity. Give students a larger amount of freedom in
order for creativity to grow, but teacher proctors will be present in order to generate ideas and
provide assistance. Blended learning has shown higher test scores, as well as happier teachers.
Through the blended learning curriculum, students have the ability to work at their own pace. It

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designates the most basic of lessons to online learning, which frees up teachers to cater to
individual student needs (Paulson n.p.). This means that not only will creativity be ignited, but
students can meet the harsh standards at their own pace. If they do not happen to be meeting the
standards in a timely manner, the teachers would step in and help that individual student succeed.
Around the world, schools have made creativity a priority within schools, and Chinas new focus
has been project-based learning. It has shown monumental improvements, and the Chinese have
said this about the American curriculum, You're racing toward our old model. But we're racing
toward your model, as fast as we can. (Bronson and Merryman para. x).
The last viable solution is to invest the same amount of money into technology, but focus
more of the funds to creative digital outlets. Photoshop, Illustrator, or Moviemaker are all
possible outlets for creativity on computers. Schools could also look more in depth to find
Internet resources for a students creativity. It would also be beneficial to implement these
creative digital outlets into the everyday classroom lesson plans, rather than just for the students
who take art classes. This would also benefit the teachers to branch out of their standard-based
lesson plans and find modern teaching methods whilst searching for the creative outlets. Many
educational leaders say technologys role is enabling improvements to make teachers more
focused and efficient (Quillen 1-3). When the teachers implement something new, students will
automatically be more interested in the material being taught.
An effective solution to this issue is to spend less on technology, and more on the art
departments. To fix the creativity crisis, it would be wise to implement blended or project-based
learning. Lastly, the technological route would be to find creative outlets online or for computers.
Any of these solutions could hypothetically fix the creativity issue, as well as the technology

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issue. However, the true mission is to propose these solutions, and have schools adopt them into
their curriculum.
The first steps that could be taken toward implementing these solutions is to organize a
project based learning day within the school. Students will work with their own passions, and
will be proctored by teachers, but not taught. They will have the ability to learn on their own and
be driven by their own free will and interest, rather than being given homework. These projects
will be art, musical, or design based, and if a student wants, they may incorporate STEM. They
will work with their hands, and there will be specific groups organized by interest. The whole
day will be documented, photographed, and a presentation on the results will be created.
Students will then write an analysis of the day, and those will be used as testimonials.
Testimonials in hand and presentation on a flash drive, a meeting with the school board will be
organized, and their eyes will be opened to the success of the day. It will be shocking to discover
that all students are creative and artistic. Then it may be proposed to move money from
technology to the art departments with the argument that students need this creativity, and it is
what employers are looking for.
Another day that could be organized is a face-off between art and science students. The
school board will be invited to see the students in action. Problems will be proposed to the
students, and the groups will have to come up with solutions to them. After discussing the
solutions, the art and science students will combine to one group, and come up with one final
science-based creative solution to the issue. When the brain comes upon a problem, it searches
the left side for logical answers, and if it does not find them, the right side is activated for
creative solutions (Bronson and Merryman 44). Therefore, it is crucial that students have strong
left and right sides to their brains. This experiment will assist the school board in recognizing the

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importance of art, but also the importance of science. They will then be able to see how art and
science work together, and focus more of the funds on the art department, rather than technology
and standard-based learning.
Next, at the end of each year, when students are signing up for the next years classes, an art
fair could be hosted. This would display art and projects from the past year at all different skill
levels. The lower skill level art will help students to realize that trying something is the first
obstacle, and the higher skill level art will give students something to aspire to create. Students
can speak with the art, music, or industrial technology teachers to understand the purpose of the
courses, and build a strong bond so they are willing to join an art class. Art students will also be
present to give others a students perspective on arts courses, and maybe convince their friend
groups also.
Propose a blended learning atmosphere to the school board. Give examples of schools that
have taught solely based on a technological atmosphere, and those who combine the technology
with project-based learning as well. Give the statistics of test scores, and help them to understand
how this could be possible through the communal effort of the school. The first thing would be to
designate specific teachers to specific online courses in order to best individualize the curriculum
to the teachers specific strengths. Then creatively come up with how this could work within this
school, since it is so different at each location. It would likely be best to do half days on
technology and designate the other half for the projects and hands on work. Through approval of
the school board, this could be implemented within 2 years. Suggest the participation of the
teachers, as well as online instructors to help the teachers to feel more secure in their jobs and
accept the proposal.

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Students lack the creativity to drive and innovate the American society because schools
invest money into the newest forms of technology rather than dilapidated art departments. As a
country, preventative measures must be taken to ensure the country can develop a new
generation of people who can prosper in the fast-moving society. Money must be transferred
from the technology to the art departments, or blended learning must be implemented in order to
solve this creativity crisis. Creative proposals must then be made to the school board in order to
convince them of the importance of the art departments and hands-on learning. Finally, each and
every American as an individual must work to preserve their creativity at all costs in order to
experience the most successful of futures.

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Works Cited
Bronson, Po, and Ashley Merryman. "The Creativity Crisis." Newsweek, 19 July 2010, p. 44.
Student Edition, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=STOM&sw=w&u=0585belhs&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE
%7CA231340854&asid=a444088c3b0197adfe6d1f08fc16b343. Accessed 2 Dec. 2016.
GALE|A231340854
"In Our Digital World, Are Young People Losing the Ability to Read...." NewsRx Health &
Science. 14 Sep. 2014: 148. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.
http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000367900&type=ART
Kang, Cecilia. "Two Schools of Thought: High-Tech vs. No-Tech." Washington Post. 13 May
2012: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 08 Dec. 2016.
http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000340933&type=ART
Paulson, Amanda. "Blended Learning Revolution: Tech Meets Tradition in the
Classroom." Christian Science Monitor. 20 Apr. 2014: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web.
02 Dec. 2016. http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000361765&type=ART
Quillen, Ian. "When Technology Tools Trump Teachers." Education Week. 08 Aug. 2012: 13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Dec. 2016. http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?
artno=0000344415&type=ART
Roddy, Laura. "Digital Dilemmas in the Modern Classroom." Irish Times. 19 Apr. 2016:
14. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Dec. 2016. http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?
artno=0000382129&type=ART
Ryan, Johnny. "Computers Become Cheap, Fast and Common." A History of the Internet and the
Digital Future. 2010: 45-61. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 08 Dec. 2016.

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http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000339716&type=ART
Scutti, Susan. "Cell Phones and Screens Are Keeping Your Kid Awake." CNN Wire Service. 31
Oct. 2016: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Dec. 2016.
http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000387236&type=ART
Strauss, Valerie. "Schools Are Now 'Soft Targets' for Companies to Collect Data...." Washington
Post - Blogs. 17 May 2016: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Dec. 2016.
http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?artno=0000386696&type=ART
Watanabe, Teresa. "'Teaching to the Test'--And Then Some." Los Angeles Times. 11 Jul. 2011:
A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher.Web. 02 Dec. 2016. http://sks.sirs.com/webapp/article?
artno=0000316211&type=ART