Teenagers spend almost ten hours a day in front of a screen and chances are, you are not an exception. Technology in class is not just distracting, but is detrimental to students’ social skills. Although many teachers have made efforts to incorporate technology, specifically computers, into their curricula, we should stay away from technology in school.

First, technology is distracting. The purpose of school is to broaden one’s horizons and stay engaged in interesting subjects. Technology acts as a huge barrier to education.

A recent study at the University of Nebraska found shocking evidence about computers in college classrooms. The study found that 20% of class time was being used up by unrelated subjects on digital devices. This percentage has increased exponentially over the past decade.

It may be sensible to say that students must show some self-restraint, but the reality is they are not. Not only are computers distracting, but they can be quite damaging to the mental health of students, if used excessively.

UCLA researchers looked at two groups of students and their technology usage. One group was sent to a camp without electronics while the other group of students stayed at their normal schools with normal technological consumption. After five days, each student was presented with 50 faces. They were challenged to identify each face with emotion. The students at the electronic-free camp scored much higher than those who stayed at their normal schools.

In essence, this study found that electronics are counterproductive to a child’s developing brain and his or her social skills.

Jewish Text teacher Reuvane Slater enforces a no-computer policy in most of his classes because of the tremendous distracting factor computers bring to the table.

“If you put the world in front of a person and expect them to listen to the discussion that’s going on, there’s a good chance that they’re gonna be distracted,” Slater said.

Slater said that when he first came to JDS and there was less technology, he saw more face-to-face interaction. He said that computers make students more closed off.

“I’ve definitely seen within students over the years, changes in terms of carrying on longer discussions,” Slater said. “Nowadays I think it’s a littler harder for kids to stay focused as long as they used to be able to.”

Educators today are concerned with bringing their classrooms up to speed with the increasingly modernizing and technologically advanced world. Schools often feel pressured to keep up with the constantly evolving mainstream ways of teaching that require the use of technology. This way of thinking is counterproductive to a meaningful classroom environment.

Ultimately, school serves two purposes: to educate and to provide a conducive environment for students to engage in real life with one another, building relationships and social skills they will need for their future careers. I encourage you to challenge your teachers and push them to find innovative ways for your class to interact with each other in real time. Next time you are forced to sit down in front of a screen for an hour, ask yourself, “Is this the best way for me to learn?”