Opinion: Phone applications in the 21st century

The entertainment industry has played an important role in our everyday lives for as long as we can remember. We have seen the revolutionizing transformations of black and white television show classics to comedy shows projected on high-edition television screens; the updated Instagram, and the emergence of Snapchat.

Applications, or apps, however have become the most popular form of entertainment in the 21st century. Over the years, we have become influenced by the popular use of smartphone applications. Whether it is playing video games on apps with other users or simply reading through the Kindle application, technology has made the use of applications more popular because every individual in the world can now simply connect with a different user from another country. The world is at our fingertips just with a simple tap.

The increase of app usage has become on one hand fascinating but also at the same time terrifying. Having the world at our fingertips also means that there is easier access to  users’ information. The fact that there is an app for almost everything can also mean that people with bank account applications are at risk at having their information stolen. This is something that most individuals fear.

However, this doesn’t stop most individuals from downloading their favorite apps on their phone. The fact is that applications can help access information more easily. For example, at James A. Garfield High School, students and parents are encouraged to have the Schoology app. This app allows students and parents to access student information such as grades, classes, and staff information. This system has allowed students to have access to their grades and makes the lives of many teachers much easier by not having to deal with pestering students that want to know their grades or if they are passing the class.

Even though communication may seem diminished between students and teachers, the application has actually facilitated communication. Now, parents and students can know when a teacher is available and can set up a schedule or appointment when needed by knowing the schedules of teachers through the application.

However, other students and parents do not agree with the idea of utilizing technological devices, whether it is to check personal information such as grades and school records or to use these devices in class for learning. Traditions are important, but sometimes we need to adapt new ways to learn and communicate with one another to become better individuals.

The schoology app represents the revolutionizing impact of technology in the school system. It is necessary to for our small closed community to realize that there is always something better out there. What we fail to realize often is that not all people will embrace change because they have become accustomed to the traditional ways, whether it applies to learning or communicating. For example, parents may be opposed to the idea of using the app because they simply do not know how to use it. And this has always been a big issue in my community– the fear of trying and learning something new.

We are so used to being reserved and the idea of trying something new may scare us. But sometimes we just need to learn from others to finally understand the world around us. One simple way to do this is through the use of technology. As the school begins promoting the use of the app, there is no doubt that we will slowly but surely continue to evolve into a better informed community.

Overall, applications prove not to only be useful when it comes to entertainment and education but also beneficial when communicating. Applications allow the facilitating of networking when it comes to projects, games, and businesses.

With this being said, there is no doubt that applications will continue playing a very important role in our society. Even though there is no guarantee that privacy will always be protected, there are forms of protection against identity thefts and other means of security. As long as we limit ourselves and respect the rules when it comes to handling technology there is no doubt that applications will continue being a very useful tool in the world.