Technology and Time Management

I've been reflecting this week on the effect technology has on time. In some ways, I see technology saving significant amounts of time. In lesson planning, I surf the web to access ideas for my classes. In minutes, I can learn about innovative lessons that other teachers have already created. I can take those lessons, and with my laptop, revise them to fit my own students' needs. Using my college library code, I can access peer-reviewed technical articles from home. Research has never been easier. I can work with colleagues across the state, the country and even the world with e-mail, communicating at my convenience. The amount of time it takes students to create polished, well-written reports is a fraction of what it used to take me.

There is another side to this phenomenon, however. It is easy to waste time as we are distracted by technology. When I research lesson ideas or other information, it is easy to go off on tangents. Staying focused is key for myself and my students. Other technology affects time as well. Cell phones are a convenience, except that people can reach me at any time. I had someone think that it was okay to call me when I was in the middle of teaching a class, and then was angry because I didn't pick up. Why did she not value my students' time enough to realize that I wouldn't interupt a lesson for a call? I have also seen a college student sit in the middle of class, IMing her friends for the entire time. Did she not value the time of her professor and classmates? What about her own time?

On her log this week, Maureen discussed the need for developing computer skills such as typing. I agree, but I also think that time management is an important skill. In spite of the learning differences in digital natives, I still see students getting distracted by or obsessed with particular technologies to the point where they have difficulty managing their time. I believe that we must actively teach time management so our students can stay focused as the cyber world of information continues to mushroom.