A Word About Technology

We know one thing for sure about technology—it will change! How it will be used in the classroom will vary from professor to professor and possibly year to year, but basic learning principles will not. No matter how glitzy and high-tech the delivery is, you still have to do the work of learning the information.

One thing that technology has drastically changed is the way we do research. You can access your library’s website from anywhere at any time of the day or night, and retrieve full documents on your computer screen or other device. This is much easier than the old card catalogues your parents or grandparents used and the endless stacks of journals they had to search through to find the issue they wanted.

 Here are a few things to remember when it comes to technology:

• There is a technology office on your campus where you can go for help. Also, the role of librarians has drastically changed, and they are now experts using search engines and doing online research. Be sure to utilize both sources for help.
• While technology is fun and exciting, be careful about distractions. It is easy to lose focus while doing research on your computer when Facebook and Twitter notifications keep popping up or when you take a “break” to play a game and then realize hours have passed. Turn off distractions until you are done studying.
• Allow time for glitches—things will break down or not be accessible, and if you have waited until the last minute you will be in trouble!

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.