Recommendation Report

DMDT Computer Lab Student Performance Analysis

To: Mr. Gaither

From: Carlos Vela, DMDT Student

Date: April 16, 2010

Subject: Impact of Internet Distractions at the DMDT Computer Labs

Enclosed is a Student Performance Analysis in the DMDT Program Computer Labs.

This report analyzes the negative effects of internet distractions at the DMDT(Digital Media Design Technology) computer labs and how it affects student performance.

The Digital Media Design Technology (DMDT) program is currently facing a problem that perhaps has been there since the beginning. Students abusing the freedom of internet use in the computer labs. With very few to none time consuming websites blocked, students can often get distracted while trying to finish up a project during open lab time in DMDT courses. This is perhaps not a serious problem but a solution to this could mean an obvious rise in average DMDT student GPA. Being absolutely unable to fall into a web of internet distractions will definitely help the students focus on the project at hand. Something has to be done to prevent internet distractions in computer labs.

Recommendation Report:

The Impact of Internet Distractions at the DMDT Computer Labs

Prepared by:

Carlos Vela

Report Distributed April 16, 2010

Prepared for:

DMDT Program Advisor: Garnet Gaither

AbstractThis report analyzes the negative effects of internet distractions at the DMDT(Digital Media Design Technology) computer labs and how it affects student performance.


This is an important issue because students grades are directly affected by their online vices. Even though it is within the students power to change that and focus all of their lab time on schoolwork, someone has to do something about it in order to push the students towards better grades without distractions.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract .................................................................................................................iii

Executive Summary.................................................................................................................1

INTRO: DMDT PROGRAM COMPUTER LAB INTERNET ABUSE

.................................................................................................................2

A PROBLEM CONCERNING DMDT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

.................................................................................................................2

Article Analysis .................................................................................................................3

Interview Analysis .................................................................................................................5

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................................6

References

.................................................................................................................7

Executive SummaryThis report analyzes the negative effects of internet distractions at the DMDT(Digital Media Design Technology) computer labs and how it affects student performance.

At least one fourth of the students get distracted from their schoolwork during lab time in the DMDT program, this is not surprisingly due to the excessive web browsing freedom students abuse of; websites like:

Youtube Myspace Facebook Onemanga Tumblr Twitter

Among other websites known to be time consuming (and to some extent addictive), distract students from finishing up projects and as a result, a lot of incomplete or imperfect work is seen during presentation day.


This report will explain in detail why this issue is important and why something must be done to make it better. Three articles related to this topic will be presented as well as an interview with a student being directly affected by it. Along with the primary & secondary research previously mentioned, conclusions about the topic and recommendations are in place.

INTRO: DMDT PROGRAM COMPUTER LAB INTERNET ABUSE.


This problem sparks a few questions:

Do Internet distractions play an important role in lower student grades? Should time consuming websites irrelevant to schoolwork be blocked to prevent students

from getting distracted? Are Internet distractions easy to avoid? What else could solve (or minimize) this problem? What can the students do on their own to prevent this problem from happening?

This report will answer to all of those questions and prove this is a pressing need in order to elevate the academic standards of the DMDT program.

This report will explain in detail why this issue is important and why something must be done to make it better. Three articles related to this topic will be presented as well as an interview with a student being directly affected by it. Along with the primary & secondary research previously mentioned, conclusions about the topic and recommendations are in place.

The Academic performance of DMDT students needs to improve, and this report will prove why and how.

A PROBLEM CONCERNING DMDT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

At least one fourth of the students get distracted from their schoolwork during lab time in the DMDT program, this is not surprisingly due to the excessive web browsing freedom students abuse of; websites like Youtube, Myspace, Facebook, among other websites known to be time consuming (and to some extent addictive), distract students from finishing up projects and as a result, a lot of incomplete or imperfect work is seen during presentation day.


Article Analysis

The article “Digital distractions hinder productivity, creativity, UW media expert says” Talks about Joanne Cantor, Director of UW-Madison’s Center for Communication Research and an expert on the psychological impact of media and communications. According to Cantor:

“My life was getting so cluttered with all this information that I was never getting anything done. If e-mail came in I felt a need to read it right away. Or I’d go look up one thing on the Internet, and I’m so curious I’d get distracted and spend time reading all these interesting articles. I figured if I was experiencing some of these problems, other’s were, too”

(Finklemeyer, 2010)

Cantor’s problem is also the case with DMDT students. Whether its on purpose or accidentally, students will be more likely than a graduated professional to get distracted by their internet freedoms. This problem drove Cantor to write a book on the distracting nature of digital devices. Although she didn’t conduct original research she examined a range of studies by others, the article points out:

“The book explains how the brain can’t work efficiently while multitasking, why information overload can curtail creativity, and how being exposed to both traditional media and modern digital devices adds stress to someone’s life” (Finklemeyer, 2010)

And according to the article “On Undergraduates and Internet Abuse”

“It is the student, who in an attempt to distance themselves from the psychological stress associated with academic failure, may succumb to the temporary psychological distractions of alcohol, substance abuse, and possible, the inappropriate use of internet-accessible content”

(Rivera, 2009)

This means that a student is more likely to engage in distracting activities (such as internet web surfing) if the student is going through the psychological stress directly related to academic failure, or the mere fear of academic failure, which is even more when the student has a project currently due. Which is the case in the DMDT program when a project is given and free lab time is provided to students.

“Students who are ‘internet dependent’ and show evidence of ‘academic impairment’ tend to spend an inappropriate amount of time engaging in a full range of internet activities. It is precisely the time-consuming use of ORPGS. Internet-chat, and other internet-enabled entertainment resources that are of growing concern to many university administrators, educators, librarians, and health care professionals”

(Rivera, 2009)

This article confirms the fact that students are easily distracted, especially if they’re already ‘academically impaired’ by being ‘internet dependent’.

Another article backs up these claims; “College Student Study Distractions – Text Messaging, Sudoku, Facebook, and Other Procrastination Pitfalls” and it begins by stating “with cool gadgets everywhere, how can a student be expected to concentrate? Here are some tips on how to avoid procrastination in a world of cell phones and IM” And it describes each distraction students nowadays face more than ever, along with tips on how to avoid the distractions, those distractions range from handheld devices like Cell Phones, To television and videogames, to our computer lab problem: Internet distractions. And it talks about Myspace, and Facebook, as well as Instant Messenger Services

“IM is an especially insidious procrastination tool because it can interrupt you while you work on your computer. You may be fully engrossed in completing a paper, but when your sister IM’S you with some juicy news, how can you resist?… IM also is becoming a classroom distraction”

(Rockler-Gladen, 2008)

All these articles have showed just how much of a distraction the Internet can be, and how despite trying to avoid distractions it’s sometimes unavoidable. Students in the DMDT computer labs also seem to be aware of this fact.

Below is an Illustration that summarizes the point of the data shown above:

Interview Analysis

An Interview with a DMDT student with a very low GPA (let’s just say it’s below 1) Interesting Data was found regarding the subject of internet distractions in the computer lab, The student was perfectly aware of his distractions but was unable to stop.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Student performance in the DMDT (Digital Media Design Program) could be greatly improved with the help of our own computer labs. If more time consuming sites were blocked from the computers browsers we would have less students getting distracted with unnecessary websites and would focus more of their time on their current DMD project.

I suggest blocking the following sites:

http://www.myspace.com http://www.facebook.com http://www.youtube.com http://www.wikipedia.org http://www.deviantart.com http://www.onemanga.com http://www.meebo.com http://www.ebuddy.com

This would cut distractions by more than half, for students as well as instructors (youtube seems to be an instructor’s favorite distraction) and students would find less excuses to procrastinate and leave work incomplete.

ReferencesFinklemeyer, T. (2010) “Digital distractions hinder productivity, creativity, UW media expert says” (http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/university/article_7835ca65-b347-53c1-b04b-42d90be6d5cb.html)

Rivera, A. (2009) “On Undergraduates and Internet Abuse” (http://gypsylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/03/article-note-on-undergraduates-and.html)

Rockler-Gladen, N. (2008) “College Student Study Distractions – Text Messaging, Sudoku, Facebook, and Other Procrastination Pitfalls” (http://studyskills.suite101.com/article.cfm/college_student_study_distractions)

http://studyskills.suite101.com/article.cfm/college_student_study_distractions

http://gypsylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/03/article-note-on-undergraduates-and.html

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/university/article_7835ca65-b347-53c1-b04b-42d90be6d5cb.html

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/education/university/article_7835ca65-b347-53c1-b04b-42d90be6d5cb.html

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