It has been a big change going from paper to technology with students getting MacBook Pros this school year. By Reneh Gambrel

By Reneh Gambrel

This is the first year Plymouth High School has given each student a laptop for educational purposes, and while it is a distraction and rather frustrating to some, it is also a great learning tool and very efficient for others.

Freshman Victoria Thompson is one of the students with a more positive attitude regarding the Macs. While Thompson does not believe students should be completely rid of notepaper, she is confident in her technological abilities and does not want to give up the laptops any time soon. Thompson says her grades have improved with the MacBook since she cannot  forget a text book or homework if it is directly on her computer. It is also helpful that the freshmen have a year of previous experience, for they are already used to having information at their fingertips.

Sophomore Marian Olvera  has a different opinion. She feels more comfortable writing on notepaper, and she reports that the laptops tend to be a rather large distraction in class. Olvera says she does not think the MacBooks have improved her grades at all, and they may have lowered them. Olvera even goes as far as to say we as students should not rely on technology as much as the world has in recent years. According to her, we always need a back up plan, and what if the computers fail? Notepaper would still be there, and is therefore still necessary.

Senior John Hampton loves having the MacBooks. He reports his note taking has improved greatly, and that he’s had little to no trouble working with the laptops. Hampton says he finds it great that PHS uses less paper and that he has no complaints at all with the Macs.

Junior Alexandrea Moore says she cannot keep up with the laptops because she believes writing is easier than typing.  According to her, the MacBooks have had a lot of issues, and she is often afraid she will break them somehow. However, Moore thinks it is great that students are learning how to use them given the fact that their future will probably depend on technology.

Plymouth High School has made a large change. The MacBooks have positive and negative impacts, but they are here to stay and help educational needs.