In most classes here at the NYC iSchool, students are not allowed to listen to music, or use their phones. During certain classes, it is extremely important to be paying attention or you could fall behind, but if you are just doing busywork, then why is it so important to be disconnected?

The Independent Work room allows students to listen to music in one ear, while Ms. Coughlin, an English teacher at the iSchool, collects cell phones as students walk into the room. Depending on the student, a cell phone or laptop can either be a helpful source of information or the root of endless distractions.

The truth is that, everyone has different thoughts on it. Sophomore Lucas Rivera, thinks that having access to the internet can be very helpful. “It gives you a freedom,” Lucas says. He also thinks that, while some teachers do allow students a little bit of technological liberation, others don’t because they see it as a distraction.

Ms. Mangano is an English teacher who only uses technology in her classes. It can have many positive effects, such as, students not being able to lose homework because they’re online and also not using paper helps the environment. “I always try to keep people on task” said Ms. Mangano.

One way that technology has been restricted is the DOE’s block of almost all non-learning related sites on school computers. Something students have done in the past, and will continue to do in the future, is find ways around this block.

On the other side hand Students are able to learn at their own pace, which leads to better grades for students who can’t follow long lectures. Which is why it’s good that there is a computer cart in every room.

Sophomore Shanai Williams enjoys “listening to music during some classes”, but agreed when it was mentioned that complete freedom of technology impede learning.

This idea is controversial because one of the reasons the iSchool is so unique is its online learning factor. There is no way to guarantee a student won’t play games or go on Facebook if there’s no restrictions.