Why I Just Asked My Students To Put Their Laptops Away Summary

The Legends of Tomorrow

Media technology is helpful in so many ways; on the other hand, it can be disruptive too. In the article “Why I Just Asked My Students to Put Their Laptops Away,” Professor Clay Shirky claims that students are not able to focus on the lesson and easily get distracted with their laptops, leading him to ban the use of technology devices in his classroom. Similarly, in article “Our Photoshopping Disorder,” fashion reporter Erin Cunningham addresses the topic about the use of photoshopped images in advertisements creating unrealistic standards causing harm to people’s health and well-being. Both article oppose the bad habits that people get by using media technology. Shirky and Cunnignham completely agree in their assessment

According to Shirky, student gets distracted by another student’s use of their device in the classroom. He makes the comparison that “screens generate distraction in a manner akin to second-hand smoke” (Shirky 20). Students tend to get low grades when they are distracted. Multitasking is cognitively exhausting and each student can choose to opt out of it (Shirky 04). In the same way, Cunningham discusses the negative impact of photoshopped images as it creates unrealistic standards resulting in serious health problems to young men and women (Cunningham 9). Young boys and girls suffer from disordered eating to attempt to replicate impossible bodies they see on deceptive images in advertising. Indeed, the use of media technology along with constant stream of photoshopped images online can be destructive and harmful to people in this

Shirky mentions that he does not have specific reason to ask anyone to set aside their devices, but struggle changes the nature of the classroom once social media interrupts. He took the initiative of helping the students who wants to focus on his lesson by banning the technology devices in his classroom. Just like Shirky, Cunningham wants to point out the lack of accountability the media has and the impact he wants to make. He asserts that photoshopping is associated to increased problems in mental, physical health issues. Therefore, he was trying to push forward the bi-partisan bill in the right direction to have “a small but meaningful step forward for our youth” (Cunningham 7). Both authors serve the common good by protecting the future