We’ve heard it time and time again- that our generation is different from our parents, just as theirs was different from their parents. But in terms of the general high school experience, what has changed?  Surprisingly, it’s a lot more than one might expect.

Coach O ‘Dell, an Economics and Psychology teacher at Bob Jones, was born in 1950 and went to high school in Pratville, Ala. He cared to tell Patriot Pages about his learning environment in the 60’s.

He gave a brief description of just what it was like to be a teen in school back then, and had this to say: “Things were a lot different back then. It was a much more relaxed environment… We had almost 10 minutes between every class, and students could go out to smoke during our breaks.”

Aside from smoking, a more relaxed feel in school, and being able to leave early from lunch, what was really different?  One thing that our generation has that others did not get to experience is readily available technology in a classroom setting, such as laptops, computer labs, and smart boards.

While technology is still becoming more and more prevalent, some question whether having technology will help us or hurt us.

When Coach O’Dell was asked how he felt on the subject, he said “technology has made us less self-sufficient, more selfish, a little lazy, but a whole lot smarter.”

While some others, like substitute teacher Mrs. Suiter, feel that technology has led to “Less critical thinking, making it harder for students to generate their own intellectual material.”

When Bob Jones student Jessica Wilson was asked whether or not she liked having technology in the classroom, she had this to say: “It makes it way easier to find information… and that information helps me think critically about the subject I’m studying.”

While the education system is continually reforming itself, some of the things that were allowed in the past will never happen again. This being said, technology is one thing that is here to stay; and if you ask most students, they are fine with that.