By: Kiana Montakhab, SFU Student
Next time you’re in class, take a moment to look around you. Is anyone actually paying attention? Or are we all half-engaged, aimlessly clicking through tabs on our laptops and scrolling through our phones? Is the poor professor up there lecturing to a sea of blank stares, faces dimly lit by the glow of screens? It makes you wonder — are we truly present or just occupying space?
To some, these behaviours may look like a lack of discipline. But to me, they reflect a deeper reality — students are adapting to a world where traditional learning structures are changing, consequently altering how students engage with learning. In this context, it’s necessary to wonder if traditional higher education keeps up with the pace of technological and cultural change, or is it being left behind? Understanding these changes and how they impact students is essential if we want education to remain effective.
Uncertainties around our education trickle down to everyday choices students make in the classroom, such as how we use technology. Is the use of personal electronic devices in classrooms a gateway to deeper engagement or a constant source of distraction? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Media multitasking, the act of switching between multiple forms of media simultaneously, has been shown to negatively impact comprehension, memory retention, and overall academic performance. Additionally, devices don’t just hijack your focus — they manage to distract everyone around you, too. But that distraction isn’t happening in a vacuum — it often stems from classrooms that feel stale and disengaging. Research shows that students with a high propensity for boredom are significantly more likely to media-multitask when faced with tedious tasks. Therefore, it’s not always about tuning out. For many students, these habits are a way of coping (and fighting for their life to stay alert during yet another two hours of bullet points, beige walls, and zero eye contact).
Students are adapting to a world where traditional learning structures no longer align with how they engage with learning.
All in all, tech use isn’t inherently evil. In fact, when used mindfully and in support of learning, devices can enhance engagement and offer essential tools for students. According to one study, roughly two-thirds of students rely on laptops and cell phones to study, communicate, and feel more in control, particularly noting that technology helped 35% reduce stress and 47% communicate better with instructors. For many students, assistive technology is necessary — tools such as screen readers, text-to-speech apps, and captioning — can significantly increase the inclusion and accessibility of students with disabilities in higher education. One thing is clear enough: technology is deeply embedded in how we learn, research, and engage with the world.
Yet, some instructors have responded with outright bans in the classroom. Others have adopted a no-tech policy allowing limited exceptions, such as accommodations for students with disabilities. While I understand that many professors are exhausted by the constant battle for attention in classrooms, this doesn’t take into consideration how difficult accommodations are to acquire in a timely manner. Professors should be able to trust that each student knows how to be responsible for their learning.
Therefore, we also have a role to play in shaping our own learning. Education is expanding our knowledge as human beings — a pursuit that deserves respect and mindfulness. That might mean being more intentional with how we use our devices, challenging ourselves to stay present, or communicating openly about what works and what doesn’t. Technology isn’t going anywhere — and neither is education. The real challenge lies in making the two work together, with effort by both students and institutions.
