The New York Times author Matt Ritchel is arguing that American students waste much of their most of their study time in the digital world that offers social space and interesting options of activities than the boredom that accompany homework. Student attention to academic work in schools is being challenged by proficient innovations that have taken place in the information and technology platform creating computers, cellular phones and internet infrastructure that help pump constant mass media and social life stimuli like live video events and broadcasts.
Matt Richtel develops a systematic arrangement of convincing ideas to support his claims that social websites such as Facebook and YouTube are to blame for poor grades witnessed in schools. Particularly, the author identifies a demographic group of people are mostly affected by the proliferation of information technology. Vishal who is a 17 year old witty student used to top in his class but his academic performance has since deteriorated over allegations of procrastinating academic work because of spending a lot of time surfing the internet and connecting with friends. Vishal is stereotypical used to represent the young generation that is protesting against book reading exhaustive experience and instead want to get the information through digital means that save time and resources for social and economic activities.
The claim by the author that students are hooked up to the new digital age of information is challenging the old way of learning through books is insinuating that the students can perform better if books literature is turned into audio-visual literature. Examples that compliment audio-visual literature; "On YouTube, "you can get a whole story in six minutes," he explains. "A book takes so long. I prefer the immediate gratification."" (1). The choice of using YouTube and Facebook as example is perfect since the two websites host the most relevant shared online data without which the article would lack evidence to back up the claims. The author is thorough in finding quotes from teacher who blame technology , principals who have invested in a US$3 million multimedia learning centers and students who equally give positive opinions about better ways that technology can change education hardships to a more current and trendy class of activities.
In conclusion, teenagers seek attachment and social identity within and outside their home environment as they explore the world through academic and social knowledge; but homework least offers direct solutions to teenager who desire immediate gratification. The author's argument is valid and the claims are supported by evidence and examples that clarify that indeed digital information is more appealing to students than printed information.