The Influence of Gadget Use in Education

The era of technological development is now advancing rapidly. Technological development has a very large impact on the world of education. At present, the development of technology affects children in many ways, one of which is the use of gadgets. It is not only adults who are familiar with advanced technology; technology also affects the development of early childhood.

A gadget is an innovation of the latest technology with better capabilities and new features, with purposes or functions that are more practical and more useful. As the term has developed, the meaning of gadget has also broadened, so that smartphones are often considered gadgets, and computer technology or laptops, once new products are launched, are also considered gadgets.

Using gadgets is no longer something new in teenagers' lives. Gadgets are used not only as helpers in life or as a means of communicating with the outside world, but also as companions to fill free time. Do the sophisticated features available on gadgets, such as cameras and games, disturb students in receiving lessons at school? It is not uncommon for them to be busy receiving calls, SMS, or missed calls from their friends or even from their own families.

Even worse, some use gadgets to cheat in tests, or play games while the teacher is explaining the lesson, and so on. If this is left unchecked, the generation we hope for will become slaves to technology.

One of a child's responsibilities is to study and go to school, but if children are too free in using their gadgets, they tend to neglect this duty. This condition can inevitably cause a child's achievement to decline. For this reason, some experts advise parents not to give advanced gadgets as rewards for their children's achievements.

Gadgets have become part of students' lives, so their presence has both positive and negative effects. The positive effects of gadgets are that they make it easier to search for information and communicate, and they can also keep students from being technologically illiterate. The negative effects are that they disturb students' learning, harm students' behaviour, health, and attitudes, and lead to wastefulness. For this reason, limits and guidance from parents on gadget use are greatly needed. Moreover, there are many negative effects of excessive gadget use.

First, in terms of health, there is an increased risk of cancer from mobile phone use because of the radiation emitted, using a phone for more than 30 minutes can cause deafness (acoustic neuroma), and regularly using maximum light or brightness on phones, computers, tablets and the like can cause sore eyes and, worse, can lead to nearsightedness.

Second, in terms of culture, the customs or habits of a region fade because of being busy with gadgets, Western culture slowly enters without any filtering by those who follow it, and a sense of nationalism is lost, with greater love for foreign products. In addition, the development of gadgets affects children's habits so that they put gadgets ahead of studying. Just imagine that nowadays, upon waking up, the first thing people look at is a gadget; when eating, when going to sleep, and in all other activities, gadgets are never far away.

Third, in terms of social life, people tend to become withdrawn or absorbed in their own gadgets so that they pay no attention to what is around them. For example, someone may try to start a conversation, but because they are absorbed in their gadget, they do not even notice the person who is speaking. Then, teenagers tend to be unable to control themselves as a result of indirect socialisation, more conflicts occur with no effort to resolve problems, they tend to get bored quickly when someone gives advice, complain a lot when there are many problems, become uncontrollably selfish, and make the people around them the victims of their anger. People who spend a lot of time with gadgets tend to live somewhat disorderly lives.

Fourth, in terms of the economy, many losses result from the development of gadgets in the economic field, such as the many cases of fraud, and unstable finances in every family because of having to meet children's wishes to buy the latest gadgets. And there are many more losses caused by the development of gadgets without a scientific basis.

Therefore, use gadgets as they should be used, not excessively, and do not use them for useless things that can harm oneself and others. With the development of gadgets, the ones who suffer most are teenagers and children. So be wary of the development of gadgets. In addition, the role of parents is also very important in guiding their children so they do not fall into the moral decline of today's era. Students are also expected to use their reason and minds in using mobile phones. Students should use gadgets only as needed and in accordance with the circumstances so that the bad effects of gadgets do not occur.